Chapter 4
(Picture of Grace Above)
I am glad the week is finally coming to an end, just two more periods and I am out of here.
I am in the girls locker room changing for gym class. It's my worst class because I never get to actually play any sport because everybody thinks I don't know how to do anything. All I do is just sit around and still get my grades, only because the coach is nice. Another reason I hate this class is because I wear shorts, like I never show off any part of my skin and here I am, showing off my whole legs while everybody stares at the two skin color on my leg.
As I got out of the girls locker room and entered the gym, I saw Hayley there, this is like the only class I have with Hayley and I was glad to see her here but not too much because this is her second time seeing the whole skin problem thing on my body which is completely exposed and I didn't want her to think I am weird after she called me her 'friend' yesterday.
I walk past her to sit on the bleachers when she turned to look at me.
"Hey!" She called me.
I turned to see her coming closer.
"Hi." She said.
"Umm hello." I replied while furrowing my eyebrows. I was confused on why she left her friends to meet me. "Can I help you?"
"Nope, I just came to say hi to my friend." She grinned.
"Uhh okay..." I waved my hand at her.
She chuckled. "You're so funny."
I smiled. Before I could say anything again, the coach blew his whistle.
"Today we are going to be playing volleyball." He announces.
Everybody cheered but as for me, it will be the same as always. I sat at my usual sitting position on the bleachers at the bottom last row.
"Captains, choose your team mates."
The first day we started gym class, the coach gave us two captains, a boy and a girl, George and Renee.
Renee is the type that always picks the perfect ones, she adds like one bad player and have the rest of the good players. But as for George, he's also lucky to have some good player, but there's always one person missing and he ends up picking one of the bad players that sit on the bleachers and he never picks me.
And that was the worst feeling in the world; never being chosen.
I forgot to say, The Enemy is in my gym class too. He's like one of the best players too. And as for now, Renee chose him on time.
I sit down with my head bowed down. Getting ready to sleep or so. I just want the class to be over immediately.
"Naomi!" Someone called my name.
I looked up to see Hayley in George's team.
"Come over." She said.
I pointed to myself, she nodded.
As I walk over, I could see George groaning again.
"Just give her a try." I heard Hayley tell him.
We arranged ourselves for the game to start.
The game started out well. Our team was doing well. Everyone that served made a great shot and it was my turn to serve. My teammates looked at me as if I was the worst player in the team. They didn't have any Idea of who I actually was. They didn't know me for volleyball.
"Woohoo go Naomi!" I heard Hayley shout.
I gave her a small smile as everybody was still looking at me.
George threw the ball to me and i was about to catch it but it landed on the floor. George just shook his head as the other team were laughing.
Once I had the ball in my hand, I saw The Enemy in the front row of his team as they faced the opposite side of the net. He sat on the floor and all the others did.
Is this some kind of joke?
The Enemy looked at me and started laughing with some of his other teammates. They all think I'm a really bad player. They don't know who I am in volleyball. I just laughed inside me.
I place the ball on my left palm and stretched my hands out.
I know you can do this Naomi.
I swung my right hand to the ball and made my serve and it landed in the other teams side without fault.
I sigh in relief.
"Yay! I knew you could do this." Hayley jumped.
I turned to see my other teammates clapping for me and I looked at George who grinned and gave me a thumbs up.
I smiled at my satisfaction. The other team stood up with confusion on their face and this time they knew it's not a joke anymore.
The ball was passed to me, to serve again. I looked at The Enemy and he wasn't smiling at all, he was looking at me with furrowed eyebrows. I smirked at him which made him angrier.
As I served again, I knew this game was going to be perfectly fine.
**********
School was over, I'm glad today went well. Well, my team won in volleyball. People in gym class can now appreciate me for sports even though my social background is not moving anywhere.
I walked up to Hayley's locker. She was already packing to leave school. As I got closer to her, I was surprised she didn't turn.
I cleared my throat. She turned.
"Hi." I said.
She smiled. "Hello."
"Umm, I just want to say thank you for picking me during the gym class." I just said that to strike a conversation.
"Oh! It's not big deal! Everyone gets a chance to something they're good at right?" She smiled and asked me as if expecting an answer.
I just stood there nodding my head. "Yeah.. And I just stopped by to say thank you."
I was about leaving as Hayley dragged my hand.
"Wait! Would you like to go shopping... Just the two of us?" She asked.
For the first time in forever... I sang that Frozen song line in my head. Did somebody just ask me to go shopping with her??
"To the mall? Today?" I asked making sure.
"Yeah! Now as we leave school." She smiled.
I nodded and smiled.
"But first can I drop my car at home and maybe.. Get my phone?" I asked for permission like a child.
"Sure? I'll be following you behind." She said.
We went to the parking lot and i entered my car as she entered hers. And we drove to my house.
************
After getting my phone from the house I hurriedly entered Hayley's car and we drove off.
Few minutes later we were stopped by the red traffic light. Another car came at a stop beside Hayley. We turned to see a group of college boys playing loud music, they turned to look at us and they were flirting with Hayley and giving her that eyebrow stuff. As for me my head was down, I hope they didn't see me.
Hayley was just there giggling and flirting around with them too, one of the guys were whistling and I think that was for me. I didn't want to turn to their direction so I turned the other way and looked out of the side of my window, the other guys started laughing as they saw I was ignoring their friend. The light finally turned green and I was glad it did just in time.
We went to one of the biggest malls in town. I've only been here once and that was when I was in middle school. I hardly go shopping because I'm afraid of crowds and the mall is always full. Even if I go to a mall, I still buy the same clothe everyday, a trouser, long sleeve shirt and a cap. But today seems like it will be different.
"Are you ready?" Hayley asked me as she smiled. We were about to enter the mall when she asked and all of a sudden something popped into my head.
"Oh no!" I exclaimed. "I forgot my money at home!"
What kind of idiot am I, this is shopping you idiot and money is the most important of all.
She laughed. "You don't have to worry, I have everything you need in here."
She brought out a credit card.
"Are you sure?" I looked at her.
"Definitely."
"Then I'm ready!" I grinned.
We walked into the mall.
After hours of shopping we decided that the shop we were inside would be our last before we eat and go home.
We were in a dress shop and I wasn't bothered because I don't wear dresses.
"How does this look?" Hayley asked as she was holding a short pink dress which was sleeveless.
"Nice!" I said because I liked the diamonds on them.
"Are you picking anything?" Hayley asked.
"Nope." I shook my head.
"Come on! You've not picked a dress at all, just buy one for a rainy day."
"There's no rainy day." I told her.
"You would be surprised." She shrugged.
She kept looking for a dress then all of a sudden she dumped a blue dress on my shoulder.
"That's for you." She said. "Go and try it in the changing room."
"I told you I'm not-"
She cut me off. "-I know, I just want to see how a dress looks on you."
"Umm okay!" I shrugged.
"Where would you be?" I asked her.
"I'm following you duhh."
We both went to the changing room, Hayley decided to sit down on a platform in front of the changing room and she waited with the other bags for me.
I entered the changing room and lifted the dress from my shoulder and hung it. The dress is a simple blue bodycon dress which is off shoulder. It looked beautiful, Thank God Hayley brought it to me.
I tried it on and looked at myself in the mirror. I was surprised by the way it looked on me. It brought out what I never knew I had, figure. I turned around to see my ass coming out too. I just giggled when I saw it. I looked amazing.
"Naomi! Where are you?" Hayley shouted my name, I pulled the curtain and she was standing in front of where I was.
She turned to look at me well and she was surprised.
"You look amazing!" She said. Just as I thought I did.
"Thank you." I smiled.
"But 'it's' coming out very well." I told her with a worried face. She understood what I meant, the vitiligo on my arms and leg.
"Don't worry about that, you still look pretty." She said.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes Naomi, you're a very pretty girl." She smiled at me. "Don't let your imperfections bring you down."
I looked at her as those words fell out of her mouth, when have I ever gotten any words of encouragement before? Especially from a friend.
"I liked you from the first start." She said. "You're a really nice person and I'm glad to have you as a friend. I know we've only known each other for a few days but I know you're special, something inside just tells me."
I couldn't help but smile at her. I went to hug her. "Thank you." I whispered.
"Now let's forget all this drama and go. I'm hungry." She whined.
I just giggled and closed the curtains as Hayley went out of the changing room.
I changed back to my old clothes and left the changing room.
"Are you picking it?" Hayley asked.
"Definitely." I grinned. Hayley cheered and off we went to pay.
As the cashier lady was putting our dresses inside a bag, Hayley turned to look at me, she furrowed her eyebrows.
"What?"
"That cap... It looks funny on you."
"Not my fault." I shrugged.
I looked at her, she looked at me with the same straight face.
She came closer to me and removed my cap.
"Hey give me back!" I wailed.
She shook her head as I buried my face in my hand.
The cashier was done and Hayley put her credit card and typed her pin. Then the lady gave Hayley our bags.
Hayley turned to me and I looked at her with my hand covering my face.
She came closer and dressed my hair.
She shifted back and looked at me. "Perfect."
I groaned. "Please my cap! People are staring at me!"
"It's not like you'll see them again." Hayley rolled her yes as she dropped my cap inside one of the bags.
I pouted my mouth.
"That's not going to change anything." She said walking out the door.
"Yeah yeah, not like it's going to change anything." I muttered in a sarcastic tone and I'm glad she didn't hear me.
We walked out of the shop and headed to whichever restaurant we were heading to.
We got there and Hayley waved at someone in the restaurant. Did she invite someone to have lunch with us?
"Come let's go and eat with them." Hayley said.
When I heard 'them' I was confused until I saw three people in a table turning to look at us and waving for us to come over.
It was Jenna and her crew.
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END OF CHAPTER 4