Run

Chapter 2

As I walked into the cold room of students who I have been around since freshman year, I smiled knowing that I had Maria on my side.  Maria's trimmed brown hair and petite shape made her stand out in a room of superstars. I put my head down as the crowded room began to stare at me and Maria. Maria walked with confidence as we were being stared at.  

"This school isn't so bad," she said to me giggling. "How could you not make friends here Ny? This school is full of energy!" 

As we were walking, a friend that Maria made during the school's science program approached us. 

"Maria! Hey girl! You were going to walk by as if you didn't see me huh? " 

"Hey, I just didn't see you. "

"Who is this?" The girl asked. 

I have never seen this girl during my whole freshman year and there she stood in front of me. She was tall with braces,  a pixie cut hairstyle, and beautiful brown eyes. She had on a tight blue pencil skirt, and a white top. How was she in the science program with us? She doesn't even look like she is into that stuff. I thought to myself. 

"My name is Nyla." I responded. 

"Nyla..I'm Lola.. Your new here?"

I nodded my head no in embarrassment.  Damn. Did she just ask me that?

"She's been here since last year, I'm the only new girl here. This is my girl from wayyy back. We were friends since grade school. "  Maria intervened. 

The girl grinned and walked away. Maria saw how uncomfortable I was and hugged me. "You aren't in this by yourself anymore girl. " She whispered to me. "I just want to be cool.. you know in.. like you are.. you just got here!" I said back to her.. "You were there for me when my mom died, so you know that I am going to be there for you regardless. Come over to my sisters place I have some stuff that you might like. If you want to be known better, than you gotta look like you do. " She smiled at me with tears in my eyes and fixed my wrinkled shirt. Maria's hand-knitted white sweater and blue fitted jeans made my baggy, stained shirt hiding my curves and sweat pants look helpless. My clothes were getting to small and my sneakers were going on 2 years old, minus the years that my sister wore them before me and I had shoulder length hair that I always put into a pony tail .  We sat in the crowded cafeteria reminiscing on our past for the whole day until we were called up for our schedules. "How is your mom? " She asked me. Since Maria came here for the summer I have been doing a good job staying away from the subject of my dear mother. Staying away from the subject of my family and my issues. She was doing a great job at minding her business until she chose to ask me that question. "She's okay, why?" I responded. "I can't ask a question?" She lashed back at. 

"I'm not saying that you can't.. I mean we do have the 1st amendment right?"

"Ny, whats up with your mom?" 

"She, she is just sick. She has not really been herself. You know.. Raising 5 kids is not easy. "

"Damn, I'm sorry girl. I think I'll go with you today to visit her, she was like a mom to me too.. if that's okay with you." 

"Yeah, I mean sure."

She smiled at my responses and was in the middle of a sentence when a jock came and sat next to us.  "Can I help you?" She asked him. I knew him, I actually knew him. He was a baseball player in our school. He was tall, dark, and had the most handsome smile. He spoke with confidence and all of the girls at Brook-dale wanted him. 

"If you want to. My name is Sam." 

"Hmm.. Is that your way of asking for my name?"

"It might be."

"Than you don't need it. Come on Ny, I think we are up next for our schedule. "

Maria demanded the utmost respect anywhere she went. That is until, she told Sam her name.