A Challenge for A Mate

First Day Madness

     Walking the halls of my high school always made me uncomfortable because I hate being touched. I know it is strange because I’m already a senior and I should be used to by now, but the halls are so congested with students you can hardly move without bumping, touching, or rubbing someone. That’s one of the many reasons why I hate high school.  I started school here the middle of my junior moving all the way from California to Lemuria.

    Lemuria is right on the border between Virginia and North Carolina so it is consider a state, but oddly not located on the map. If you were traveling through you would miss it, because Lemuria was a place you had to find with intention. It was almost like you had to be invited in. Lemuria was a small town, but very luxurious. It was surrounded by lots of trees with beautiful scenery and it was very clean almost like someone was paid to sweep and mop the streets daily. Only the very rich and very famous black people live here creating their own community of the elite.

    We relocated here because my grandmother’s declining health and my mother knew she wouldn’t want to go to California. My grandmother was born and raised in the south and she loved it. My mom hated the small town my grandma lived in so they compromised and that’s how we ended up in Lemuria. I wasn’t happy about it, but I understood why we had to move; beside I love my grandma.

    My mother got pregnant with me at the end of her junior year in high school and my grandmother refused to see her fail. She made sure my mother finished high school and sent her off to college to become a lawyer. My grandma raised me until I was seven and I only saw my mother during schools breaks. I have never felt any resentment towards my mother for getting an education even though I know she feels guilty for being away from me for so long. My mother owns a very large law firm California that she still manages, but she opened a branch here in Lemuria as well earning her even more high-end clientele. Her business has become even more lucrative. My mom wants me to be successful as well and a part of that to her meant taking me to the doctor to get the shot every three months since I turned 15. She really had no reason to worry because I am not sexually active nor have I ever had the desire to be sexually active.

    I didn’t really fit in with the students at my new school which didn’t bother me because I didn’t want to fit in anyway. I got a lot of attention from boys in my school which of course made the girls hate me. I honestly don’t see the reason why I’m not even slightly interested in any of the boys. I tried to hide my body at best as I could with baggy clothes, but with curves like mine its not hard see what I was trying to hide. I didn’t wear make-up except for special occasions, but my face was still attractive without it. My heart shaped face has brown almond shaped eyes that are very expressive and full lips that most girl would get injections to obtain. My brown skin was flawless and it held a natural glow that unfortunately was hard not attract attention with.  Making friends was never my intention when I moved here because I knew that starting a new school at my age people aren’t as welcoming to let you into their group. It was okay though because on my first day of school siting alone in the cafeteria I made my first friend. Shavon sat down across from me and immediately started talking about how nasty the cafeteria food was and telling me who was who at school. She made me feel comfortable and talking to her came natural like we were old friends. I thought she only sat with me that day because she felt bad for me until I realized she was an outcast herself.

    Shavon is very attractive with beautiful dark skin and she reminds me of a Nubian Queen. Her father is a plastic surgeon with offices all over the country so her family had money, but like me she dressed less than fashionable. Although Lemuria was a small town in the country, everyone dressed to impress so Shavon is an easy target for people making fun of her. I was targeted as well, but it didn’t bother me. Dressing this way was a choice and I didn’t care what they had to say.

    Shavon was easy to spot in the hall and I called out to her with a wave of my hand. She beamed when she saw me and picked up her pace to meet me.

    “Hey Kei!” Shavon said pulling me into a tight hug. I returned her embrace awkwardly because she knew how much I hated hugs.

    “What’s up girl. Did you get your class schedule yet? I want to see if we have any of the same classes together.”

    “Yeah I picked it up as soon as I got here.” Shavon handed me her schedule and I compared it with mine. We only had two classes together Art and AP Literature. The rest of her classes were normal whereas I had all AP courses. As much as I hated school I was not a slacker and my mother would never allow for that anyway. She didn’t play with me when it came to school.

    “We have second and third period together and that’s better than nothing. You know how bored I get—s**t!” my books and folders went flying out of my hands. I was shoved into the metal lockers.

    “Move b***h don’t you see me trying to get to class!” I looked up to see Ariel towering over me. The supposed “Queen B” at school was beautiful with curves she wasn’t afraid to show off. She was slightly taller than me which wasn’t say much seeing how I was only 5’3. She had hazel eyes which all the girls envied and her little posse of stuck up bitches constantly gassed her up, so did all these thirsty ass boys. As pretty she was her nasty ass personality didn’t match. I jumped to my feet unafraid of the glare she gave me. I shoved her back.

    “I don’t give a f**k where your going! Don’t put your f*****g hands on me!” I knew Arial didn’t like me she never had since Rashad started showing me attention when I started school last year. If I was being totally honest, I thought Rashad was sexy ass f**k. He was 6’4 with a lean physic from playing basketball and he had chocolate skin tone that looked like it could melt in your mouth. He always kept a nice fade with waves. His strong jawline made him look more like a man than boy.  Ariel was into him and everyone knew it because she made it painstakingly obvious. Getting involved with him just seemed like it wasn’t worth the drama so I always gave him a cold shoulder. He honestly didn’t seem like he was into her and he didn’t show her anymore attention than he showed any of the other girls. He was a huge flirt so her targeting me really didn’t make any sense. I knew if I let her get away with this I would only be setting the tone for the rest of the school year. She had another think coming if she thought I was going to let her get away with this s**t.

    “Keisha right? Well I’m not the type of b***h you want to f**k with so you better shut up and get out of my way. I run s**t around here.” Ariel said in a nasty whisper

    “The only s**t you run is your mouth.” I said taking a step closer to her. A small circle started to form around us and onlookers took their phones out ready to record the actions. While instigators shouted in the background. I knew Ariel wasn’t a fighter because if she was she wouldn’t talk so much s**t to everyone all the time. She looked around noticing the crowd and she knew she couldn’t back down or she’d lose the reputation she had built. With no choice, but to fight she shoved me into the lockers knocking me off balance. I jump up quickly dodging a kick and slam into her bringing us both to the ground. I brought my fist back ready to punch her in the face feeling a little victorious, but it was short lived when I felt a strong hand grab me by the waist pulling me off my opponent.           

    “Let me go! She’s about to get everything she was looking for.” I yelled struggling against strong arms wrapped around my waist.

    “b***h imma f**k you up!” She replied with just as much animosity as me.

    “Try it hoe! This ain’t over!” I try jumping at her with as much force as I could when I looked up to see who had grabbed me.

    “Keisha will you calm the f**k down? I’m about to just throw you over my shoulders.” Rashad had amusement in his voice and I knew he was making fun of me because of how small I am. Even though I was heated by the situation I was in it was hard not to notice how good his arms felt wrapped around my tiny waist. Looking over I saw Duke, Rashad’s best friend, had Ariel and she looked relieved. Normally Duke would have loved to watch a fight, but he was capitalizing on the opportunity to touch on Ariel. Duke was far from ugly and it seemed like he had grew over summer about four inches reaching an almost impossible height of 6’7. Unlike Rashad he had long dreads he kept in low ponytail. He was on the basketball team with Rashad and the duo together had girls falling at their feet.

    I heard the bell ring and the small crowd that form dispersed, and I was relieved thinking I had got away with my small transgression. Unfortunately, that was not the case because as soon as I gently pushed Rashad off me Mrs. Mathis was on my ass.

    “Miss Clarke wait right there and you too Miss Powers. Don’t think I miss that stunt you two just pulled. I’ll be walking with you both to the office. I’m really shocked at you Miss Clarke this behavior is really not like you and this being the first day I hope you’re not setting a trend for the rest of the year.” I was annoyed that she was only directing this conversation at me because as much as I hate it to admit it Ariel was smart too and we had shared all of our classes last year and I’m pretty sure it would be the same this year. Almost like she heard my thoughts Mrs. Mathis got onto Ariel.

    “You have been working so hard at becoming valedictorian. I hope you know that something like this could mar your record and you won’t even be considered as a candidate even if you meet the academic requirements Miss Powers.” I think I heard some sadness in Mrs. Mathis voice as she spoke those words. I know she wanted her students to do well, but it seemed like there was something else there that I was missing. Ariel was quiet and her face was completely devoid of any emotions and that said it all for me. Ariel is always very expressive and outspoken, so it was obvious that what Mrs. Mathis said had a profound effect on her. I wanted to feel bad for her, but I was to busy feeling bad for myself. My mom is going to kill me when she finds out what happened.