Nao, Sou Americana

Graduation

Norma wiggled and struggled to pull her shirt down that had creeped up with Michael's attention. Michael's shakes were normal for Norma, and she knew if she just stayed still and took it he would stop.

At 6’1, Michael James had the inertia of a linebacker. He was no easily deterred. The first in their family to go to college, he had set the standard. He was loud, cocky, a looker, and mildly intelligent enough to pass in business school but his focus was macroeconomics. Still when he visited home, his vocabulary dropped and his action became roguish. His accolades were all sports nuts, proball hopefulls and never weres.. No vision just perpetuating another black stereotype.

“Girl, sit that Asian shit down and eat some real food.” Michael dropped Norma and she charged. He held her head in his other hand and Norma struggle to land a wild punch. His arm span kept her back as his friend chuckled and insulted her form and food.

“You swing like a girl.”

“Ain’t no man gone want bone, girl. Eat something.”

Norma tripped backwards and seethed. Michael rubbed his heavy knuckles on Norma head and place a chaise kiss on her forehead, his friends following. Norma sat and stared. She had planned to stay angry. But she knew her brother was a joker. He was rough, and intruding, but Michael always showed he was sincere. Before he left for college, he spent the whole summer preping Norma for track. He was determined that if she was going to have his last name on a jersey, that Norma would be the best. I just wish he would have paid closer attention. Norma cursed the fallen food and shrugged. I have no choice but to eat junk food now.

She stood and picked up the wasted food and dumped it and her water melon. She dusted off her back side and went inside .

“Norma!”

She turned to her sister’s voice. Norma strained a smile and waiting for Ella to catch up.

“So, you gonna come to Melissa’s party, right?” Ella twirled a chestnut corkscrew around her pointed not meeting Norma’s eyes. “The seniors are all getting together at her family’s country club. It’s a pool party. And there will be dancing.”

Norma sighed. Why are you even telling me? “Naw, sis. You know I don’t like being around a lot of people at once. And I don’t really dance.”

“I can teach you, hermanita.” Francis swooped Ella into a hug and placed several kisses on her neck. The two petted each other while Norma bit her lip and looked away.

“Don’t ignore me, azúcar. There is plenty of Frankie to go around, yes?” Ella caught Francis by the collar and brought him down into a French kiss. Norma rolled her eyes and spun on her heel. She had plenty of packing to do.

Japanese anime and manga posters decorated her walls. Norma contemplated for a long while whether or not to take them with her to Madrid, but decided against it.

“I’ll need to focus she reasoned. Only pack your necessities. Then you will have more room for favors and new books”. Norma’s lone suit case closed easily. Even with the minimal packing Norma was tired, She had been adjusting her internal clock over the last week so her stay in Spain would go smoothly. Her internship was a golden opportunity to escape, and she’d be damned if she spent it stuck in jet lag. Yet still, the sleep and lull of summer came over her. One little nap won’t hurt me.”

It tickled. That was Norma’s waking thought. Her body slow tensed for action, think a spider was trailing up her shirt. But her slowly mind didn’t recall a time when I spider felt warm. Norma slapped at her abs and encountered a barrier and a shout.