Heads Before Heels

The Forbidden Complexion

I don't belong here...

I'm different.

I've been hiding.... For a very long time.

I've been hiding because... People... Don't... They just don't want to look at me.

It doesn't hurt me as much, nowadays because I finally found a way to accept myself.

It's called 'corner' town. A place where your ethnic group defines who you are. Where your weight balances out your job interviews and where the colour of the skin is being put into shades-to judge how good of a person you are.

I have been eyed, spat on, cursed at and violently discriminated...

Because I'm black....

I was sitting on a bench near the shopping mall when I was disturbed by a passer by. He was a man of about 46 who looked like coffee was his depressant.

'you!' he shouted out at me.

'yes sir' I responded.

'Why are you here?!'

I was packing up my bags I had full of groceries, when he took my hand and slapped me onto the ground. he spat on me and walked away. I stood up and saluted the man that had just assaulted me.

'You see! This is what our world has come to! You would never dare to do this to one of your fellow white women but because I am black! Because I am black you choose to mistreat me... '

I fell back down onto the bench and gasped. It was getting dark and the streets weren't exactly the safest of places to be.

I had just come from my work experience typical day of Labour and the last thing I wanted was to bump into any unwanted attention.

I knocked on the door of my small apartment. It's not one of those ghetto ones you see in those movies. It's just a little bit small and congested. No one answered. I could tell that something seemed a bit 'off'.

Screams came from inside the apartment. It was someone yelling for help. Everything turned into a quick blur of confusion as a huge man came bounding out of the apartment, dragging my crying older sister along.

'JORDAN! ' my sister screamed. I ran up to the gigantic buffoon and gave my best attempt at a punch.... Let's just say he ended up dragging me along too.

' you teenagers! You annoying, black Teenagers! You want to screw my kid? I would be quite happy screwing your head into the ground! ' the angry man shouted.

' I didn't screw your flipping kid! I just hugged him! We were playing scrabble, I won, and I gave him a hug!' she screamed.

The angry boulder of a man went red with anger.

'If I catch you associating with my son in any way at all... I'll take you to the BDH!

With that all said, he threw both my dumb af sister and I onto the ground and we both hot it with a thud.

'Jersey-I'm tired of this' I said to my sister as we were both looking up into the sky.

'I'm tired of coming back to the one place I know I belong and finding you being dragged out by that boys father-'

I was quickly interrupted.

'That's not his name. His name is Will and I strongly suggest that you stop poking into my business. For once in my life, I've actually found somebody who cares about me, so you should have showed up a little bit earlier. ' she weezed.

' He's going to break your heart. He's not like us. He's not black-'

'And I'm not yellow! So what?! He treats me right-'

'for heavens sake, Jersey! You met him yesterday! He could be a murderer for all we know!'

There was a long pause.

Jersey stood up and started to head towards the apartment.

She turned.

'when you're a little bit older, you'll soon learn that it is not the colour of the skin that determines true love but 'Chance'. Chance that not most are willing to take but I am...

With that I was left sitting on the concrete floor, cursing and procrastinating.