The Book Fight

CHAPTER 1: “Little Miss Perfect”

SEKANI

“First Day of Senior Year Bitches!” Soon-Yi, my best friend honks from the driveway.

I do a little dance as she pumps Grace Kelly by Mika from the radio.

Yi is the ice to my fire. The Ying to my Yang, the sour to my sweet and…well, you get the point.

Jeon Soon-Yi befriended me in 8th grade when she moved to town because I was the only other mixed girl in our class. She is Korean Canadian, with a catholic Japanese-Canadian mother and an intense Korean father.

And I am girl with a Texan black father and a blue eyed, blonde mother from South Africa, Capetown.

I had curly wild hair and brown skin while she had small monolid eyes and a pale olive tone. We stuck out because of these features, so we stuck together and ruled grade school—cliché middle school movie style.

She is still my best friend and if I’m being honest, my only true friend but even she doesn’t know about the Basic Instructions book.

Nobody does actually.

Everyone just thinks I woke up one day, decided to get it together and stop being sad. Which is fine with me because eventually, I did—get it together that is.

“Hey Yi,” we do our secret handshake.

She has been in Daegu all summer with her grandparents while I was stuck working at the pier with her boyfriend. We have a lot to catch up on.

“Hey Si,” she turns down the volume. “You got hotter this summer. I love the braids on you, very sexy.”

She lifts one of my box braids and asses my outfit before approving it with an impressed nod.

“You mean, this old thing?” I tease and she rolls her eyes playfully. “Thank you Yi, I feel hotter.” I double check my appearance on the side mirror.

I am in a short sleeve, red floral romper with a plunging neckline and I paired it with Sinclair, Docs. For accessories I did gold set earrings with charms because it matches match my watch.

Mascara, a small fox wing and clear lip-gloss for makeup because my baby hairs are laid down. The knotless braid, left down and parted on the side of my face.

Chapter 3: less is better when young. I recite one of the quotes from Basic Instructions in my head.

It basically means, it’s wise to enhance the features one already has. I wear minimal makeup to none because I already have clear& even tone skin and naturally trimmed eyebrows.

“But you,” I hype as she starts the car. “You look amazing, new hair who is this?!”

I praise her new shoulder length haircut because it came with dark blue front streaks and undertone that compliments her black silky hair.

She is already breaking dress code with a white off-shoulder, puff sleeve crop top and black high waist skinny jeans that match her block ankle boots.

She looks like a K-pop idol, especially with the minimal makeup.

“My oumie did it good huh?” Yi runs her fingers through her hair and I nod.

She has had bangs since I’ve met her and they were amazing but the layers suit her face shape better.

“She did too good,” we laugh in unison and catch up on the 18minute drive to school.

“I got you something from Korea.” Yi and I are lounging against her car in the student lot. “But you have to be cool because I only got you a gift” and not her boyfriend.

“Okay?” I take the small gift bag.

I open the Pandora box inside to find a rose gold charm bracelet. I look at the silver one on her wrist and its similar to hers which means, “it’s a friendship bracelet?”

“Yes, I know you have always wanted one” She rugs nonchalantly but I light up and hug her.

It’s true. I have been begging her to get these since our class trip to D.C sophomore year but she kept saying it was too corny. Now I have one with a Y charm and hers has an S charm

I’m teasing her about loving me more than her boyfriend when a black, tinted 2-door Jeep pulls up next to us. It parks roughly on the open space facing the entrance, leaving dust in its tracks.

The driver comes out and a fog of smoke follows.

We watch silently as he crushes a joint with his black & white Converse and adjusts the black rim sunglasses on his face. He throws a messenger bag similar to mine over his shoulder and slams the door.

“Aston Martin Parker.” Yi tsks, “nice to know he didn’t change his ways this summer.”

“Aston Martin Parker?” I try the name out for the first time and he stops as if hearing me.

He is lean muscular and even though he looks lanky due to his slim fit dark jeans, I can tell he is fit. His black Henley is hugging the small muscles around his biceps and since his sleeves are pushed up, the veins on his forearms are on display.

He inserts earbuds into his ears and presses his keys to lock his car. I expect him to walk inside school but he makes a turn for the field entrance on the side.

“Who is that?” I say mostly to myself. “I’ve never seen him before, have you?” I find Yi focused on her phone.

“Duh!” She follows into school, “me not noticing someone that cute, hot and mysterious would be a crime and a damn miracle.”

“True,” I muse.

“I talked about him the first week when he transferred in last year. He was in my top 3 loners I’d bone list and he was number 1.”

“Right,” I remember that list and not knowing anyone she was talking about.

People wave, greet and compliments us as we walk down the hall. Yi opens court when we stop by my locker first and begins judging tans, outfits, and new hairdo’s—since hers is a win.

She gets away with it because she is part of the popular crowd. She is the Asian bombshell that bagged Ryder Smith her sophomore year. He is Rooksville High’s golden boy, now longtime boyfriend.

“Everyone is acting like you saved baby dolphins this summer.” Yi rolls her eyes when some freshmen wave at me eagerly.

I’m sort of popular too, since I’m her friend.

“Be nice.” I look over my new class schedule on my email, I managed to get in all the classes I wanted this year.

“I am being nice,” she protests when we start walking. “I haven’t sneered at anyone…”

“…yet.” I add and we laugh.

When we reach her locker, Ryder is waiting for her with a rose like he always does at the start of a new term. She sucks his face off after he greets me and they barely notice when I walk away.

Unfortunately, I bump into Luke, Ryder’s long-time friend on my way to Homeroom.

I guess he is a—mutual—friend. He wants to be more but I’m not interested. I’ve had enough opportunities to know he only talks about Duke University, parties and sports.

Also known as, all the things I have no interest in.

But the first day of school goes on the same the rest of the week, like it has been since I started at Rooksville High.

I wake up, get ready before Yi picks me up. At school we go to class, have lunch and when she goes to dance practice, I go to swimming practice.

It’s a routine I have created and perfected.

The notebook said, it’s good to have one. It helps with healing and getting out of bed and I’ve had a routine since I was 13years old.

But Friday things switch up.

I enter the cafeteria at lunch to find Aston fighting with someone as people surround them.

“What’s that about?” I set my tray down as teachers walk in and pull the boys apart.

“Who knows, I found them shoving each other.” Yi is eating her food with a bored expression.

The gym teacher drags a smirking Aston past us while two teachers try to hold Buck—the rugby captain—back.

Everyone goes back to their seats and talk about the back-to-school party later spreads while I try to get Luke to stop eating my fries.

He thinks it’s a cute thing he does but I really hate it when he touches my food, something I have told him too many times.

We’re in gym after lunch and the attire includes any black bottoms to pair the grey R.V High P.E shirt with black detailing.

I wear mine with Nike running shorts and Yi wears hers with biker shorts. Despite being the first ones in the lockeroom, we are the last out.

Which means, we’re late—as usual.

It’s because of that Mr. Harrison, the gym teacher, refuses we pair up for warm-ups leaving my options limited once Yi picks Ryder.

“I pick him.” I point at Aston when Luke starts walking towards me.

“What?” Luke frowns, “you’re picking the Stoner Loner?”

“He doesn’t have a partner.” I point at Aston again.

He is wearing black basketball shorts with his gym t-shirt and unlike most boys(Luke), he didn’t cut the sleeves off.

“That’s because he is a loser, Sekani.”

Everyone in class laughs—except me.

“At least he is not a jerk, like you.” I frown too.

Another reason I’d never date Luke, he is a bully and I hate bullies.

“Hello, I am Sekani.” I tower over Aston who is laying flat down on a mat with his eyes closed. “Do you want to pair up for warm ups?”

“What?” He doesn’t open his eyes.

I look behind me to find almost everyone looking at us. They must be wondering why—after so long am I talking to him now.

Honestly? I just need a friend not in Ryder and Yi’s circle.

“I need a partner,” I sit on the mat next to his.

After a long sigh, Aston sits up and opens his eyes.

Obviously feeling the many pairs of eyes on us, he turns to his side and his jaw clenches at the realization. It’s then that I see the small cut on his lip.

“I’m Sekani.” I stretch out my hands because we’re already behind.

“Yeah,” he clicks his tongue. “I got it.” He connects them and we pull to stretch our backs.

“And you’re Aston, nice to meet you.” I try to smile but he stops.

“What are you doing?” He forehead wrinkles.

“I’m making conversation—”

“Don’t.” He doesn’t even let me finish. “I don’t need little miss perfect drawing attention to me. We’re stretched, you made your friends laugh. Now go back to your boyfriend.”

He stands and turns away when I stand.

“Hey Asston.” He pauses when I emphasize on the ‘ass.’ “We have a few more to go.” I open my hands again, “put me out of my misery?”

He looks at Mr. Harrison and he sends him some sort of telepathic threat that makes Aston walk back to me. Our gym teacher is the meanest in school, I had a feeling even he didn’t want his wrath.

“You’re going to pay for that.” Aston follows me down as I get ready to do sit ups.

We warm up in silence and once we’re done, Aston puts as much space between us as humanly possible.

So much for making a new friend.