Uniquely Normal

Chapter 2: Beginning

Malik Williams was my boyfriend of 18 months. That is, until the break-up over this summer got messy and we began avoiding each other. Status: not friends.

In order to get to my seat, I had to walk past him. Which I dreaded every class. He grabbed my hand stopping me. "Wow, I can't even get a smile back." He whispered up at me. His brown eyes looked charming as they usually did. I shot him an annoyed smile, rolling my eyes.

"Your hair looks great." He shot me a playful thumbs up. My slick back ponytail and gold hair clip were nothing new. "This has been my fall back hairstyle for like the last four months. Ain't nothing new."

Sitting down at my desk, I looked back over at him letting my thoughts be said aloud. "If you would like to have a mature conversation, you have my number. No more of this little bullshit, okay?"

He held his hands up in defense. "Noted."

"You better listen to her Malik before she beats your ass." Coen laughed. He looked my way and gave me a wink.

His eyes. Man, those eyes. They were mesmerizing to look at. I remember he did a project on his condition in ninth-grade biology. Sectoral Heterochromia. His right eye was a denim blue, his left eye was the same except around 40% of the iris was brown. It was gorgeous to me and to nearly everyone else.

He even liked it, but what he didn't like was the small patch of skin on his forehead that was paler than the rest of his body, and the matching thin platinum-colored streak of his hair that offset his dark, dirty blond-almost brown natural color. I remember eighth-grade year; he tried to get one girl at school to put her cheap concealer over it.

We used to be friends. Started off as school pals. When I first came to the school district in 8th grade, we clicked. He'd come to my house occasionally, hang out with my family. I'd never been to his because his dad didn't like people at the house. We were even our first kisses.

By the time the end of freshman year came, our friendship was drifting away and as time passed, life did too and now our senior year of high school, the both of us rarely even talk. Coen and I were more so acquaintances now. When we saw each other, we would occasionally say hello and move on.

His girlfriend didn't take too well to that wink because she leaned down, placing an exaggerated kiss on him. Ella annoyed me to my core. It sounds almost cliche, but that's the problem, I almost wish it was.

Her interactions with other students and teachers are fine. She's smart. But we somehow started beef back in freshman year after I joined the music club: Treble Clefs and we still don't like each other. If she would not be the bigger person and get over it, neither would I.

Mrs. Lansette walked in and tapped Ella's arm. The both hurrying off the couch. "We are here to learn about Fahrenheit 451. Not cuddle up to a romance novel."

"Sorry." Coen sent her an apologetic smile. The class went along as Mrs. Lansette read aloud and we followed in our books. I saw Ella repeatedly look at me. Whenever we made eye contact, she'd roll her eyes.

Dominic leaned in and whispered. "Hey, don't worry about it. She's just trying to get under your skin." He was a sweetheart. Athletic build, a talented basketball player, openly bisexual, and everyone's favorite comic relief during awkward class moments. Dominic and I were friends. I'd occasionally hang out with him outside of school, and we were class partners always.

"Okay but Why? Also, maybe you should tell your best friend to control his little girlfriend." Coen and Dominic were best friends. Best friends since kindergarten if I remembered correctly. The only time they were separate was whenever Ella was around.

"Their relationship is low-key falling apart, anyway. They're holding on because I think neither one of them wants to be alone, so they'd rather be miserable than single... What is the issue between you and Ella, anyway? She's pretty chill to me and kind of funny. I just don't enjoy being around both of them because they always somehow start arguing."

"I met her freshman year in that bullshit music club, and she gave me dirty looks first week joining, and after that she went onto my 'Bitch List'."

"Maybe give her a chance and actually talk about you guy's issues like big girls." Dominic pushed against my shoulder. "But I don't wanna be a big girl." I playfully pouted.

I continued reading the book, but I could feel Ella's eyes on me. I looked up another time. And there she was, staring into the depths of my soul.

I let my anger get the best of me. I grabbed my apple juice bottle, getting up to throw it away as an excuse to be across the class by her desk. Once I got close enough, I took a huge step forward, so that I was directly in front of her desk. "Do you have a problem or something?" I spoke down at her.

"Why would you think I have a problem?"

"Because bitch you keep rolling your eyes and staring at me."

"Who in the fuck are you calling bitch? Bitch!" She stood up from her desk, our faces now maybe a foot away. The entire class stopped reading. now engrossed in our argument. "Ella, sweetheart, I'm gonna tell you this once and once only. Don't mess with me. I'm not in the mood for your bullshit today."

Coen stepped forward, grabbing at Ella's hands trying to move her away from the situation, She got annoyed, pushing him back. He walked away, annoyed and defeated, muttering words under his breath.

"Get out of my face, your breath smells nauseating." Ella fanned in front of her face.

"Spell nauseating."

She looked at me and put up her middle fingers.

"Girls! Please sit down! I don't want to have to call security."

"You're not special Ella, You will only peak in high school." She chuckled at what I said, sucking her teeth. "What? and you think you are? Please. Just because you run around here playing your little piano doesn't make you some sought-after girl. Spoiler alert, no one likes you. Your ex-boyfriend doesn't like you, that's why he's an ex."

Malik held his hands in defense and shook his head in confusion. "I now know why you're adopted. Hell, even your parents didn't like you enough to keep you-"

Rage, hurt, and embarrassment flooded through my bones. How dare she speak on my parents, and my life without knowing a damn thing? With as much shit I had gone through, she sparked an angry place in me, and I could no longer hold back. I cut her off with a strong jab from my right fist. The rings I had been wearing, connecting harshly to her face. She fell to the ground as I slid over the desk and attempted to get on top of her.

Everyone in the classroom was yelling. Flashes from cameras blinding our eyes. She was bleeding from her nose. One boy started yelling "she's leaking." And the others soon chimed in.

I felt pairs of hands grab me, my adrenaline pumping throughout my body. And I'm screwed.