Being in yearbook sucked ass
Having to walk around, ask people to take photos, you just feel creepy about it after awhile. Or that's just how Andrew felt with the stares of his white peers.
"Okay, you gotta get my photo"
All Except one anyways.
Louis was posing ridiculously in front of the locker, sticking his foot out to show his new shoes. "Come on Drew! I look hot!" "For the last time Louis, I can't waste anymore photos" Andrew sighed as he cleaned the lenses of his camera. "It won't be a waste, come on. It's me" Louis pops the collar of his jacket looking at the girls walk by in the hallway. "What people you gotta take a pic of anyways?"
"Clubs, and people that they vote for. They started the voting system" Andrew kept his eyes low for most of the time, he grateful that Louis even decide to pick him to be his friend. He thought it was gonna be some sick prank he and his friends were pulling or simply he was just gonna use him for his homework but he could never predicted that they would be this close. "Chin up buddy" Louis slings his arm across his shoulder. "This is your America too, Did you hear about the new student?" Andrew rolls his eyes, he hated random transfers. It meant more rushing around and last minute photos.
"No, I didn't. Who are they?" "Ooh she's all the buzz Drew, from what I heard she's from Africa too" Andrew perked up a bit at the mention of his homeland. "Really now? Which part" "How many parts are in Africa again?" Louis questioned, he tugged Andrew along to continue their talk. "Multiple. I'm Kenyan technically" "Well-"
"Excuse me" The two of them stopped walked hearing the thick accent come from behind them. When Andrew turned around he swore he saw an angel, made by for himself. She was wearing long blue bell bottoms with a cheetah print top that looked too criminally good on her. But that didn't even top what he really fell for, her eyes. He never seen anyone around the school with eyes like those. Everything about her was perfect, and her skin just complimented everything she was wearing. "Do you know where....erm...what do you guys call it?" He heard her mutter something in a familiar language and it made him tense up. Louis elbowed his side, giving him a look before turning back to the girl in front of them.
{Y-You know Swahili?}
He practically saw her eyes light up when he spoke those words.
{Yeah!! I'm the new transfer from Kenya. I can't find the office, mind helping me?}
Andrew's mouth went dry hearing her ask for help. He nodded his head quickly before motioning her to follow. "Wait, What just happened!!" Louis watched as they walked off before jogging to catch up. "We're showing her to the office Lou" "You didn't even ask her for her name Drew!" Louis stood in front of the girl, holding his hand out with a smile. "I'm Louis, what's your name green eyes?" The girls looked at his hand for a moment before shaking on it with a bit of hesitation. "Lashawn Gardner, but in front of white people I go by Nicole"
Lashawn, She had such a unique name compared to his. Andrew felt his finger twitch as he kept a grip onto his camera. "Ah mh!" Andrew looks yo hearing Louis clear his throat. "I -I'm Andrew Art" "It's very nice to meet you both" Lashawn smiles as she moves her purse onto her shoulder. "Now, can we get to the...office?" "R...Right! Right this way"
Louis watched as Andrew lead the girl to the office, a grin appearing on his face. In his two almost three years of being friends with Andrew he had never expressed interest in any girl before, he even tried to get them double dates before but it only ended up working in his favor rather the both of them. He began rubbing his hands together, there was no way he was gonna let Andrew self sabotage and lose a girl like her. The warning bell rung and students began to scatter through the hallway, Louis began strolling with his chest puffed out high and proud to his next class.
~
It had to be a coincidence. Andrew couldn't help himself but to look at her sit in the front of the class near the window. He had her in almost all of his classes, and by third period she was almost friends with the entire school. She was actually sitting among the popular clique as more people flooded the room. She was doing what he could barely do, befriends with the enemy. He couldn't stand to see them touch her like a pet, touching her hair, hands, anything. It made him cringe and he doesn't know how she could do it.
"If you're gonna stare so hard, take a photo. It'll last longer" Andrew jumped hearing Louis's voice come out of seemingly no where. "Don't do that, I hate when you sneak up on me" Andrew huffs as Louis took a seat in the desk beside him. "You gotta watch your back, I'm not gonna be able to cover you forever" Louis looked over to the group crowding Shawna, she looked like she loved the attention from his point of view. "So?" "So what?" Andrew pulled out his notebook and pencil.
"Are you gonna like, make your move on her?"
"Look at her Louie" Louis looked over to see Lashawn laughing with the group. "She blends in too well. I can barely blend in with you, why would I wanna ruin it?" Louis shook his head clicking his tongue. "The only thing holding you back is yourself. No worries man, I got you" "You got what?" Andrew questioned. Before Louis could answer the sound of ruler was heard smacking against the desk. "Quiet, it's instruction time" The classroom went quiet minus the giggling from Lashawn's friends. The teacher gave the group an annoyed face before walking over to the group. She slams the ruler down on her desk causing the girls to jump. Not Lashawn though, she was confused by the whole situation.
"Tell me girl, what is your name?" Andrew noticed that Lashawn didn't really understand much what was coming out of her mouth. "Nicole?" She answers, it sounded more like a question then an answer. "Well, Nicole. I don't tolerate speaking out of turn in my classroom. Get it together, do you understand?" Lashawn stated at the teacher in confusion. Turning to her friends around her hoping for an answer.
"She doesn't understand English very well. She's fairly new to-"
"What do you mean she can't understand it? It's America!" The teacher had an overall disgusted look on her face. "She's very fluent in reading and writing it but she still struggles with speaking and a little bit of understanding it" Andrew saw how the teacher's face slowly started to turn red from anger. "If she's going to be in this class, she has to speak English. Do. You. Under. Stand. Me?" The teacher spoke slowly and it bothered Andrew to his core, Lashawn isn't slow. She's everything but that and the fact the teacher was treating her like that made him clinch his fist up.
Lashawn held up her finger as she began to write something on her paper, it was quiet with tension from the two. Lashawn held up her note book in the air for everyone to read
Do not speak to me like I'm slow, I can understand you just fine. I'm still learning how to speak, you are a teacher. It's your job to be patience with your students.
Louis chuckles and elbows Andrew. "That's all yours alright" Andrew felt his heart thump with fear, he had never seen black foreign student do that. They always just nodded and smiled but god didn't that made him leap with joy seeing how different she was. The teacher tensed up and glared before walking back to her desk. Andrew had never seen anyone get under Miss Reed's skin like that before.
~
Andrew sat in his usual table for lunch, for some reason he had another weird white kid sit at the end wearing nothing but a black trench coat. He made him nervous especially seeing how Louis wasn't around to put his mind at ease because he was making his rounds at tables. It never really bothered him, Louis was an overall popular guy. It still didn't make since on why he was friends with Andrew.
"Shawna!! Over here!!"
Andrew glanced up and immediately his heart began thumping. There she was again, walking over to her new group of friends. They're calling her Shawna now? Weird. His eyes followed her as she walked by, pausing for a moment. He froze realizing she was looking at him, that she was in front of him.
{Andrew! How are you!}
{G...Great! How's your first day going?...}
Andrew kept his hands in his lap as he looked at her face, everything about her was perfect. Was that the fate smell of coconut and peach? Whatever it was it made Andrew swoon and ready to be at her mercy.
{Oh! Minus third period, I think my day is going by fine yeah! I'll see you later!}
Shawna gives him a small wave before walking away to the two tables behind him to sit with her friends. He surely bomb that one, he puts his head down on the table and groaned. "Why am I so awkward" "Because you're doing shit like that" Andrew lifted his head to see Louis standing with two trays. "Were you seriously thinking on skipping lunch again?" Andrew looks at the food sat in front of him. "I didn't have the money..." "I got you, don't worry. Jeez, is that diner even paying you?" Andrew rubs the back of his neck, it wasn't pay day just yet. And he wasted most of his money buying a new bike to replace his stolen one. "It's...getting better. I'm getting a raise this week"
Louis took a bite out of his sandwich and shrugged. "Whatever you say, hey. You should hear all the talk on her! I heard Butch got his eyes set on her" Andrew lifted his head, looking at Louis with disgust. "Butch Bowers? That dick?" Louis shrugged his shoulders. "He's not that much of a dick" "You're white Louis, you can be friends with him" Andrew sighed looking at his tray, just his luck a cute girl comes his way and she's already about to be snatched up. "It's whatever, girls like her like guys like him" Louis stared at his friend for a moment in disappointment.
"I'm not letting you do this, not again. Hold on" Louis stood up and walked away from the table. "W-What are you doing!!" Andrew snapped his head to follow Louis stroll over to the girls table. "It looks like he's doing something you can't do" Andrew snapped his head to the boy sitting down writing, he scratched up his nose looking at him. Who was he anyway and why was he ease dropping? Andrew turned back to Louis taking a seat at the girls table, removing a tooth pick out of his mouth a giving a smirk to Shawna.
He balled up his fist seeing him work his damn charm. Andrew wanted to go over and punch the shit out of him but he could never work up the courage to. It wasn't until Louis motioned his hand in his direction did he feel his face heat up, Shawna was looking at him again. A smile appearing on her face, it had to be a pity one. Her friends were whispering words and giving him looks of disgust. Shawna stood up with her bag, the clicking of her boots getting louder and louder as they came over to him. She was finally stand in front of him and he felt his hands grow sweaty.
{Hey you}
She sat down beside him, putting her purse between her legs. {Louie told me you love chess} Andrew kept his hands on his camera. {Yeah...Me and My cousin play when I need to calm down! What's your favorite piece?} Shawna giggles and Andrew damn near forgot how to breathe. {The knights, sounds kiddy doesn't it? I don't know why I like it so much, I just love animals} Shawna tucks a piece of hair behind her ear. {What about you?} {The bishops. They can move seemingly anywhere}
Shawna looked down at his camera on his lap and gently moved her hand on top of it. {Can we take a picture?} Andrew quickly nodded his head. "Y...Yeah! I -I mean if you want" Shawna laughs as she picks the camera up and turned it around. "Okay! Ready?" There it was, her true self.
"Three"
"Two"
"One! Cheese!!"
Andrew didn't know what face he was making in the photo, he was too entranced by her smell.
Wait, isn't that creepy?
Shawna removed the photo that came out at the end of the camera. She pulls out a pen and began to write something on the white space. {Here, don't be afraid to talk to me} She smiles as she kissed the photo and handed over to Andrew. Andrew sat there with the photo in hand as she stood up and rubbed his shoulder before walking back to her friends. Louis had a grin on his face as he started strutting back over to his friend.
"What happened to not wasting film?" Louis grins taking the seat next to his friend. "What did she write on it?" Andrew looked down at the photo, it was slowly developing but he wanted to scream at what she wrote.
Don't be afraid to call me, Drew.
Xxx-xxx
-Lashawn
"Sweet!! You got her number!!" Louis was leaning on Andrew's shoulder, shaking him with excitement. "You're in the game!!" A smile appeared on Andrew's face.
Andrew Art one, Butch Bowers Zero.
~
Andrew was walking on sunshine all day, ever since Lashawn gave him her number he felt like nothing could bring him down. He walked outside the front doors and turned the corner to grab his bike.
"Hey Art!"
So much for having a good day.
Andrew turned his head to see Bowers and his goons walk up on him. "H...Hey Butch!" Butch slouches on Andrew's shoulder as his friends stood close by and around. "Hey buddy" his grip on his neck was a bit too tight for Andrew's liking. "Did you our History project? It's due tomorrow" Andrew had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. "Yes...I'll bring it early to have you sign off on some things" "Good boy" Butch pats his shoulder. Andrew thought he was done and free to leave, just when he turned his back his goons blocked his way.
"What's this, Drew?" Andrew turned around to see Butch holding the photo of him and lashawn. "You seriously think Nicole would like a guy like you? Seriously?! You're too... hm what's the word?" Butch taps his chin, a chuckle slipping past his lips. "Niggery, for her. Too nerdy, she ain't like you boy" Andrew wanted to call him out on it, but his fear for his life was too high. "Don't be afraid, I ain't gonna kill ya. I need out project remember?" Butch grins looking at the photo in his hands. "But you need to stay away from her"
In the blink of an eye, Andrew watched in horror as Butch ripped the photo into sheds in front of him. His goons laughing up a storm as he dropped the last shred into the dirt. "Whoops, my hand slipped" Butch snickered dusting off his hand. "Let's go gang, we got better stuff to do" They shoved Andrew into the dirt as they walked by, kicking the dirt in his face. "No...No...No.." Andrew looked at the pieces in the ground, it was impossible to piece it together. He grips his pants, his body was shaking.
He was stupid to ever think he was going to be ahead of him. He stood up and dusted himself off with a sigh. "Stupid...Stupid...Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" He repeated stomping his foot into the dirt. The worse part of it all is that he didn't have time to come to terms, he had to bike to work. Andrew unchained his bike and puts it in the basket, the only thought on his mind was how he practically let her down
~
Working was a pain, especially from the events that had happen to him. "You need to get it together Art! You're scaring all my customers!" His boss yelled at him as he wiped down the table. "Usually you're cheery!" "Sorry boss, bad day" Andrew muttered wiping down the table. "Well the least you can do is ring up that customer that just came in, get to it!" Andrew sighed and picked up his rag and dropped it in the sink before making his way to the register.
"Wilbers Diner where we serve things with a smile, how may I-Lashawn?" Lashawn smiles, adjusting her shoulder straps. "You're just every where aren't you?" Andrew rubs the back of his head, chuckling nervously. "How may I help you" "Oh, I just want a slice of pizza. It's cheaper here then the rink" "The rink?" Andrew questions as he rung her up. "Yeah! I skate! I did roller derby over the summer but I skate mainly now, for fun" She reached into her purse and handed him 15 cents.
"I hope that's enough"
"Don't worry sweetheart, I got you" Lashawn tensed up a bit and turned away. "Are you...busy right now? I just left the rink for the night and I'd like to have someone to eat with" Andrew blinks for a moment, nodding slowly. "Yeah...Yeah! I actually get off in five! Give me a sec!" Lashawn nodded and moved over to sit at the bar. Andrew went back into the kitchen, taking a deep breath before cheering loudly. "Yes!! Yes!! Yes!!" He jumped as he started to cook the food. "Andrew!! Why are you making so much noise!" His boss peers into the room making him jump.
"Sorry boss!!" His boss ended up giving him a smile and took his head. "Kids, don't forget to lock up when your done. I'm heading home" "Right! Have a good night
"Be safe Andrew!"
Andrew took a deep breath as he finished cooking the food, he turned off the fryers and everything in the kitchen. "Foods done Lashawn!" Lashawn perked up and placed her bag on top of the counter. "Oh, I just wanted pizza! You didn't have to-" "Its on the house" Andrew interrupted. "Do you want anything to drink?" Shawna reached over and grabs the ketchup bottle, shaking it. "Just water, I don't want to break your pockets" Andrew poured her some water from the fountain and puts it next to her food.
"Thank you again, how can I repay you?" Andrew leaned over, taking a fry off her plate. "Well, for starters. Can I get your number again? I -I ran into some guys and they-" "It's alright, here!" She pulled out a napkin and wrote her number down on it, handing it over to him. He took it and rubbed it for a bit before putting it in his pocket. "How did you enjoy your first day?" "It was amazing thanks to you" Shawna says before taking a bite out of her pizza. She covers her mouth with her hand as she continued to speak. "You made my day a lot easier"
"I did?" He questioned taking another bite of their French fries. "Yes! I never seen another person speak out language! My sister doesn't speak it much anymore in her attempt to become American, but to me our language is beautiful" Andrew gazes at her as she continue to speak. She was down right gorgeous. "Tell me, why did you move?"
"Britain. They were invading, too many rules and regulations. He wanted to be free, so he put us on a boat and now we're here! We use to live in the apartments but now we stay in a town house" Shawna takes a sip from her water. "When I get older, I wanna go back for my family. They couldn't really afford to get the paperwork in check. Or at least I wanna help them out" "You have a big heart" Andrew smiles wiping down the counter. "As do you, but a shy one you are" Andrew laughs nervously. "Yeah...I always was the quit type. My cousin is the opposite though"
"And your friend" Shawna adds giggling. "Yeah...him, he's the light to my shadow" "That's amazing" Shawna gets up and tosses her finished tray in the trash. "Me and my sister never really got along. She thinks everything is a competition and I rather just, stroll. Walk, enjoy. But that attitude of hers is the reason she'll do great" Shawna takes another sip of water with a sigh. "Then what do you wanna do in life?" Andrew asked leaning forward, he loved hearing her talk and plus he got to know things about her. "I don't know. I'm torn between a nurse and a lawyer. I love kids, want to have some myself someday" "So do I, I want to kinda have a farm life with them" Shawna laughs as she slid her empty cup up for him to take.
"Never taken you for country boy" Andrew picks up the cup and puts it in the sink. "Yeah, it's just. I want to be on a ranch with my kids and a wife, but that's probably not gonna happen. My dad wants me to be a business man" Shawna leans on her hand, her eyes fell onto his Blue ones. "Fascinating, you have it set up darling" Shawna picked up her bag. "Wait! Can I give you a ride home? I got my car!" Shawna thinks on it for a bit before shrugging. "Why not? Come on" Andrew cut off all the lights, he couldn't help but smile.
The best day turned to even better.
-
"Come on Jade! Come say hi!"
Jade never liked when they're were too many people in her house when her brother wasn't around. It made her nervous and unprotected. She stood at the top of the steps holding her bunny in her hand, Cinnabon. She could feel him shaking out of nervousness too. "Come on girl! Don't be rude!" She sighed and started walking down the steps holding Cinnabon close to her chest. "Guys, this is Jade. She's a bit shy"
"I can tell, she gets it from you Drew" Jade looked at the tall man who had a big smile looking at her. "You look just like your mother, I'm Mister Lou" He held his hand out for her to shake, Jade stared it for a bit before shaking it. "Hi..." "Don't be shy, say. Me and old buddy Phil brought you some friends to play with" Jade peered past them to see two little girls, both dressed in nice dresses. She looked up at her father who gave her a pat on the back. "Here, give me Cinnabon and I'll put him in his room. We're gonna have fun today"
"What about Meechie?" She said softly, watching Andrew take her bunny from her. "He's outside with the bigger kids. I'll be back, here go talk to them" Louis nudged Jade over to the two girls. One staring harder then the other. "Hi, I'm Lorraine!" Lorraine smiles holding her hand out. "She's Valerie" Jade looked between the two of them. She carefully shook Lorraine's hand before turning to Valerie. "Jade" She said quietly.
"Krolik" The girl in the black dress muttered quietly. "Hm?" Jade tilts her head. "She can be a little weird" Lorraine adds walking over towards the two. "The thing you were holding" Valerie started to add. "Oh! My bunny! Do you like bunnies?" Jade had a hint of excitement in her voice. Valerie shook her head, "I hate animals" "I can make you like them, Cinnabon is very nice!!" Jade took Valerie's hand and immediately she tensed up. "Not now kids, come on. It's time to get in the car" Phil pointed them in the direction of the door, nudging them along. "Come on" Lorraine took Jade's hand and pulled her along causing Valerie to be pulled along by Jade.
"Are they outside?" Andrew said walking down the steps. "Yup! Come on! Road trip!" Louis grabbed onto Andrew and Phil's shoulders with a grin. "Let's get going, when Valerie is in one place for to long she starts doing...things" Phil mutters under his breath.
Andrew chuckles as he grabbed his keys and wallet, he would never thought of the day they all became friends.