Short Stories Collection

Curls for days

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"There's plenty of fish in the sea!" 

Convinced my drop-dead gorgeous Hispanic friend, her short silky brown hair swayed, as she sat daintily on my barbie hot pink rug in my loft room, texting her new friend. 

We hung out in my medium-sized room, just because it was the comfiest room in the house. It's a fact Yuna Jefferson has a tiny room and she hates it as if It were the bane of her existence. To make matters worse she shares it with her dramatic and overly manicured stepsister Giselle.

A walking Bratz doll with hair bigger than her variety of bags from expensive lavish stores. 

I stifle the laugh that I feel bubbling up my throat. Yuna looked at me as if I'm a crazy old lady losing her marbles, but not for long because her phone pings loudly and she is glued back to her texts.

Each week the untold plan is her and I park our tired butts on my couch to watch popular teen shows, until 9 pm.

I provide the jokes and spoilers, she yells at the actors as if they hear her.  While I begin my routine of hollering at my bad-boy older brother, all the way in his "man cave" to get us snacks from the fridge. 

He never listens which forces me to hide his car keys, until he unwillingly pulls out his secret stash of candies, desserts and cheap pizza ritz crackers - my favourite snack -  that Mom wouldn't let us touch, let alone eat mindlessly. 

We're scattered on top of school clothes, I stare up happily at the memorable photographs of my old friends hang on the grey wall from last year, they are still looking new as ever.  A few reminders in tack and a collage of my celebrity crush Shawn Freaking Mendes shined like an angel. His hair and outfits from 2015 still stares at me romantically!

 I think...

A few loose items are on my white writing desk, as usual the list goes my cellphone charger sprawled out, a few cheap purses, pads and my desk light, that I use for long projects at the last minute. 

I stepped over some dirty clothing piles, trying to steady myself instead of tossing the clothes for a long overdue wash. 

It could wait. 

Grabbing my lipgloss from my pocket I apply the shimmery liquid and reply to my friend, who always thinks I need a new guy to satisfy my life as a young Black artsy female. Ha what is she thinking?

"Yeah, yeah."

I'm so not in the mood for this lecture again, and my facial expression shows. My normally pouty lips are in a straight line, and I'm sighing doing the "I - Don't - Care- I'll - keep- rolling- my eyes - at - you-  look. "

It lasts about four minutes until she gives up on the fighting and huffs as if I always get my way.

 "Listen," I tell her bluntly my brown optics meeting hers. 

She's a foot taller than I am so she's peering down when I begin my rage overflow. 

" Nobody will ever consider dating Lil' sassy, annoying me after Perry Malton's silly dare!" 

I sneer not being able to get the embarrassing memory out of my mind, I was practically as red as a tomato, when I described what happened to me after school yesterday.

Which is hard for me as a black girl to look that shade of red. I was a dark-skinned female who had not an ounce lacking melanin and never got a sunburn in all my years living this rollercoaster called life. 

It haunted me to think Perry a popular and dare I say - white -  American guy could make me fall so deeply into a crush, that I couldn't fathom seeing past his brooding eyes and funny laugh. 

He was a trickster and deep down only wanted a laugh out of me and my hair. It made me vulnerable and feel hurt beyond expressing though Luna knew how I felt. 

Every time I saw him after his 'joke' I wanted to do a combination of things, rip his blonde hair out for one, hit him in the gut, or cry my lungs out until the hurt seeped into the ground lost in an abyss. Unfortunately, all of those were horrible and could get me suspended so I did the right thing, shoving my hands in the sweat pants pockets and walking to my last period class alone that day.

Of course, my hair gave me away, it was like a "kick me" sign was invisible to me but bold and noticeable for all the kids at school and in my class, to tease me, make me feel sick to my stomach, mock me without ceasing or to ridicule at school. 

Those mean, brainless teachers did nothing to stop the daily name-calling, but at least I had my sweet friend Yuna, who stuck up for me, and made the insults a lighter blow to my face.   I was like a sister in her eyes, and I was lucky to have a true friend like her. 

If you're guessing this is some typical story with the two best friends staying together you're wrong.

This story isn't about being lied to by a cute 10th grader guy or feeling like I want to sink to the ground. 

No, this is about my terrible thick black girl hair. A nightmare in itself to wash and a dreaded burden to be born with. 

It's about finding a guy I thought knew me inside out, was my soulmate, and could be trusted.

Most importantly if you dare to know more about this unpopular tale, it's about rebelling against the weirdest mom in town.  That's my mother if that wasn't clear enough. 

This all started off on a boring Monday afternoon, (Which nobody gives two hoots about), beautiful leaves falling in all sorts of colours from bright yellows to deep reds. A bad breakfast, losing my textbook, and a bad conversation with Harriette Allister. 

A supportive mama with the voice of a pastor, singing like the birds and false curled braided extensions like those on the T.V shows. A very opinionated woman, who is obsessed with Paternity Court and invitations to go to weddings. With high hopes for her children Sam, Latisha - Anne, and Myself she was always one to point out issues, get her hands dirty and involved in solving them. 

Boy was this one year to remember.  

A/N: 

I hope you enjoy! My next chapter is partly based on a true story. :) ( Only the part about the boy touching the girl's hair. ) If you enjoy and want the next chapter hit the star to vote. I'll try to write part 2 in December If I get time over the break :D

Add my Short Stories book to your reading list if this is something you are interested in or want updates on. :D

HUGE thanks to the reader from the country I'm from, and the few from the UK. :) Cheers!

Thanks so much for reading Bella Babes <3