hOld Me

SCaNnINg

While we silently scan each other, our mothers exchange greetings and engage in small talk. Being all friendly and all.They're off to a good start , too bad Kendall and i weren't.

"Jenny, dear, are you done parking ?" my mum calls out.

"I've parked most of my stuff."

"Well, good because we have to go now,"

"Already?"

"It's a long drive , we want to make it before it gets dark."

"Okay, mum, I'll miss you " I say while staring at the floor.

Now ,I can't wait for the holidays.Seeing my parents' drive away feels like being dumped in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Slowly, I make my way back to the room and there she is; sitted quietly on her bed.

"I hate meeting new people,"

I thunk her name is Kendall or was it Kylie.I'm not sure and frankly, I don't really care but, I'll be civil,at lest.

"Hey," I say to her .

"Hello,"

her reply is so plan, why am i even trying? there's no point.

"You're Kendall right?"

"Yes,'

"Jenny,"

Awkward silence.......................then.................

"Which school where you at ?" I ask

"Kankola,"

"Well, I was at Midil"

More awkward silence

I suck at making friends and she wasn't making things easier.

There's noise noise in corridor, a lot of actually, it sounds like feet hurriedly rushing to.......... my room.That's a surprise seeing how I just got here and don't know anyone yet.

I open the door just for a quick peep and standing in front of me are the twins, Bianca and Fiona plus Malika from my old school.Finally, people I can talk to.We might not have been friends then,but here we were all strangers and only had each other.

"So, Kendall, we're going outside,wanna come ?"

"No thanks, I've got parking to do"

"you sure ?"

"absolutely"

"Okay,then, suite yourself,"

Inwardly, i was glad she had turned down my invitation.I honestly didn't want her coming alone, carrying the awkwardness with her. Besides , being around her reminded me of how much I didn't belong either.

We were both strangers to each other, to this place and we would always be but of course, we were not strangers to that time.time and fate had twisted our paths...is was no coincidence.

In a some ways, Kendall reminded me of Mainza, a past love, my closest friend.

When I switched schools in the seventh grade, I had a tough time fitting in. No one understood me and I understood no one.

I remember how they all looked at me like a specimen under a microscope....they examined my every move, they questioned me, trying hard to make sense of my personality.

When it was my turn to sweep  class, the other kids laughed at me because i didn't know how to use a traditional broom.It wasn't my fault though , we never had to sweep class at my old school  and the maid cleaned the house...so I inexperienced but they took that as laziness.

The fact that my left eye wasn't exactly straight only made matters worse.

"Why does she look like that ?" one would ask

"I think it's strange,"

"Well, i think it's funny,"

I was right next to them , I could hear every word....but, it's not like anyone cared how I felt.Personally, I never been the one to show emotions, so I wasn't going to show any weakness not and not ever.

Sure, I felt out cast , then again different is otherwise interpreted as special and I am special.No matter how alone i am.

Mainza was all  I had .we were both different.. well i was the different one but she decided to stick by me anyway and that meant a lot to me. She was always there, a constant comfort.

Looking into the eyes of this stranger, i saw a resemblance to that comfort , that assurance.However, I was reasonable enough to know that it could never be.

Mainza's personality that had bound me was a thing of the past , a thing to be forgotten and the girl before me was nothing like her.