Lizzy West is like any teenage african-american girl except she was adopted into a white family. When her family moves to an all white neighborhood, she has to deal with the disapproval of her skin color from others. From going through all she went...
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Lizzy West -
The houses on the block whizzed past like a movie scenery. Some kids were outside playing in their front lawn. I looked down at the dark pigment on my arm and at the white pigment that covered my four year old sister's arms next to me. McKenna was sound asleep in her car seat and unaware of the thoughts that were going through my mind.
My older brother by one year, Cameron, sitting in the passenger seat next to my mom, was flipping through radio stations. Him and my sister would fit in this neighborhood, but I wouldn't, because I'm black and they're white.
Ten years ago, when I was six, I was adopted into the West family. Sometimes I forget that I'm adopted, because they all treat me the same, regardless of skin color. About two years ago my mom caught dad cheating on her. She decided to move from the most diverse and interracial neighborhood, to a completely white neighborhood. Apparently she wanted change, like mega transformation.
The car stopped by the curb. "Okay, kids, here it is." My mom said smiling to Cameron, then at me in the rearview mirror. I forced a smile back. The moving truck was already in the driveway and the movers were unloading the boxes.
Cameron and my mom got out of the car, leaving me trying to soak the neighborhood image in my brain. My brother opened my door and smiled at me. "Lizzy, aren't you gonna get out? The house seems pretty nice."
"Have you seen the people around here? They look stuck up, Cameron." I complained.
He smiled. "Well I guess you'll fit right in." I stuck my tongue out at him and rolled my eyes. "I'm just messing with you." He turned and walked towards the house.
I unbuckled McKenna out of her seat and picked her up gently so she wouldn't wake up. We got about halfway up the driveway and she began to stir. "Where are we, Lizzy?" She asked half sleeping.
"We're at our new house now, Kenna." With that being said, she fell right back asleep. GOOD CHOICE.
When I stepped inside, mom was grinning. "It's so spacious, Liz. Don't you love it?"
"Yeah..it's really great." I said.
She pulled Cameron and I into a hug. "I know it was tough leaving all your friends, but I'm sure you'll make new ones." My mom let us go and started roaming around the house.
The movers kept passing by with dozens of boxes so I set McKenna down on a couch and went outside. I glanced at the house across the street and I noticed a boy looking out the window. When we made eye contact he quickly moved the curtain back.
Weird.
By Sunday we had most things unpacked by now. I was up in my new room arranging stuff. The room was big enough, a little TOO big actually. "Most circumstances I know my fate, but in this love thing, I don't get the game. Why does it feel like, those who give in, they only wind up losing a friend." I began to sing.
I got bored, so I went downstairs into the kitchen and got myself an apple. Then the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" I shouted and heard my voice bounce off the walls. I opened the door and a girl was standing there.
She had her head turned to the side so she didn't notice I had opened the door. I took a bite of my apple and chewed. She finally moved her head and when she saw me, she looked startled.
"I-I thought I saw...wait..who...I" She couldn't seem to form a complete sentence. I stared at her and took another bite from my apple and chewed slowly trying to figure out what this girl's problem was.
Then it hit me. She probably assumed only white people lived here and probably only saw mom and Cameron.
"Uh.." She said slowly then smiled awkwardly. "Yo."
"Hi?" I said uncertainly. This girl was weird.
Her eyes went wide. "Oh! Hello. I'm Taylor. Sorry about that, I just thought you were from the city-"
"Because I'm black?"
"Um." She shoved a jar in front of me. "Here. My stepmom made these for your family. You know, to welcome you guys to the neighborhood."
I took it and eyed her suspiciously. "Thanks."
Cameron came up beside me. "Hi." He said to Taylor.
Taylor's eyes went from Cameron to mine. She seemed confused or maybe lost. "Bye." She said quickly.
"Wait." I said. "Just to lessen your confusion a bit, I'm adopted."
Her mouth formed a huge "O". I slammed the door in her face, handed the jar to Cameron and started to walk up the stairs. "Lizzy! Why'd you do that for?" Cameron followed me up the stairs.
"People here are so stereotypical." I took a bite from my apple again.
"How do you know?" Cameron asked.
"When I opened the door, instead of saying hello, she said yo." Cameron laughed. "It's not funny, Cameron."
"I'm sorry." He followed me into my room. "I noticed she looked a little..caught off guard for a second."
"I bet all they teach at school around here is to be judgemental." I sat on my bed.
Cameron leaned against the doorframe and took a cookie from the jar and examined it. "Speaking of school..we start tomorrow."
"What!" I yelled.
Yippee I get to go to school with a bunch of snobs.
