Young Writers Society

His hands were pale compared to her own that were intertwined tightly with his. They were strong and rough and she could feel the class ring cold against her hand. PDA was never something she liked. He knew that and so holding hands was all they did as they walked through the crowded high school halls. His green eyes looked down at her as she waved to friends walking by. They reached an area less crowded and he brought his head down to her ear.

"Elsie, you're beautiful," he whispered. Her cheeks grew hot, but he couldn't see the pink in them. She chuckled and looked up at him.

“You keep telling me that and I might actually start believing it,” she joked.

"I hope so. Hey, what are you doing tomorrow night?" His voice grew a tone of nervousness.

"Homework, I guess. Why?" She was suspicious. Tomorrow would be a Thursday. Not exactly a good night to have a date. Nick had always reserved Thursdays for his "zone in" days where he would think about nothing but the upcoming game. She thought it was cute.

"I want you to meet my parents," he said quickly and with rushed words like it was the hardest thing he's ever had to do.

"Oh, okay. I'd like that," she felt her own fit of nerves bubbling in her stomach.

"Great! I'll pick you up tomorrow after football practice," he said, kissing her on the cheek and guiding her into her fourth block class.

***

Her hair had decided it would be nice and curl today. The golden-brown locks fell well below her shoulder. She'd toned down her amount of eyeliner and put a natural golden eye shadow on. It made her light brown eyes look less plain. For tonight she had layered her lips in a glossy pink lipgloss.

Dresses weren't her thing, but for tonight Elsie had put on a casual sundress with a black jacket. The greens and yellows that moved throughout the dress made her tan skin glow. She smiled and walked out of her room.

Nick was waiting downstairs. For once he wore a tucked in button up shirt with a pair of dress pants. It added to his amazing good looks.

"Beautiful, as always," he smiled and grabbed her hand to kiss. She felt like a princess being taken away by her handsome prince.

"I finished my homework so don't worry about me being home too early, Mom," she said to the aged woman sitting happily on the couch.

"Mrs. Greene, I'll have her home by 9:00 if that's not too late," he said with sincerity.

"Don't worry about it, sweetie! As long as she's back before 11:00 you're fine! Have fun and behave like a lady, Elsie."

"I will, mom. Bye."

The two walked to the door and he opened it kindly for her. Elsie smiled and walked through to his Jeep waiting in the driveway. They both laughed the entire way to his house. His normal comedian ways magnified in order to make her comfortable with meeting his parents. She felt confident as he opened the door to his mansion of a home. A tall man with the same green eyes and a petite woman with his black hair sat on a leather couch sipping wine when they entered. Both adults were unbelievably attractive. It was no wonder why he had turned out so perfect. His parents waved them in and his father stood to greet his son with a hand shake. His mother stood behind and waited her turn to hug her handsome child.

"So this must be the Elsie we keep hearing about," his father's low voice said with a welcome tone.

"You were right, Nick! She is beautiful! Look at our son, Marshall. He's picked quite a lovely young lady!" His mom's cheeks were rosy and kind.

"I, uh, thank you," she said shyly, keeping her eyes on the floor. She wasn't good with compliments.

"You two must be hungry. I know you are, Nick. I mean, when are you not?" Father and son laughed together and they led her into the museum-like dining room. She had become more comfortable and sat at the chair that he had pulled out for her. Nick’s mother brought out multiple dished piled with food. They prayed and began to eat.

The dinner was wonderful. Nick’s family was so kind to her. They all laughed at jokes and Elsie complimented his mom on the well cooked meal. She was beginning to feel at home when his mother asked a simple question.

"Tell me, dear, how do you get so tan? You must have laid out all summer!"

"Oh well, it's natural, actually. My mom is from Brazil and my dad is Black. I guess I'm just sort of the middle ground of their two skin tones," she said comfortably. She was not expecting what happened next.

The two parents looked at each other with confusion and then the father looked at his son with disapproval. The father's voice was bitter and cold when he said, "Nick, I need to see you in the kitchen. Now." Nick put his head in his hands and rubbed his eyes with what she could only guess was regret.

"You better leave, Elsie. And I don't think you should see our son anymore," the mother said with ice in her tone.

"I don't understand," she said, standing up slowly and walking toward the way she had come.

"I'm sorry, but we just can't have you seeing our son anymore."

His mother opened the door for her and before she had stepped outside she heard his father's voice echoing throughout the house.

"How dare you bring a Mutt into our white house! What were you thinking?! We raised you better than that and you decide to disgrace this pure home! My God, what are the Klan members going to think when they find out about this?!" His father sounded like a monster.

"I was thinking that I loved her and that you would too. No matter what she was. Who cares what they think? I'm not in the KKK like you are. They don't own me and neither do you. I'm in love Elsie."

"You're never seeing that Satan-child again."

That was the last thing she heard before his mother gently pushed her out of the house and closed the door. Elsie walked home that night. As she entered her home with smeared make-up and a red nose her mother asked, "Honey, what happened?"

"You and Dad happened. I happened."

She ran up to her room and stared at her own brown reflection. It wasn't her fault she was brown. She didn't understand. Her hands clenched into white knuckled fists. She mustered up all her strength and slammed her fist at the large mirror. It smashed and shards flew everywhere, some cutting her arms and face as they bounced off her knuckles. She hit it again with the other fist. Again and again she punched the mirror until her fists were unrecognizable. Red flooded the floor. Slowly she dropped to her knees and cringed as more glass embedded itself in her legs.

She passed out and in the hospital they said it was from loss of blood. She didn't really care. All she knew was that he wasn't there. There was no pale hand to stroke her cheek and tell her everything would be alright. Tears burned her face as they made their way down to her hospital gown. She lifted her hands to see them wrapped in bloodstained bandages. They were more like nubs at this point. The hands were so heavily covered with soft cloth.

The words he had spoken rang in her ears over and over again like a song stuck on replay. "I'm in love with Elsie." His voice in her mind was comfort, but not enough to stop the pain she felt all over her body.

An aged doctor walked in and spoke softly to her, "Don't worry, miss. You're going to be perfectly fine," she said with a pitying smile,"Quite a little temper you have there. Gracious, you are quite beautiful. You must be mixed, am I right?"

Between sobs she answered.

"Yes, I'm mixed."