Chapter 1
Humiliation
Humiliation
The unfriendly eyes of half the student body stared up at me from the aisle seats down below; I couldn't believe that I was standing on the stage about to deliver a speech, about stereotypes, talk about flipping awkward!
I mean, I’m not the confident type of girl. I’m shy…really shy… and if it were up to me I’d be sitting in the corner wearing a hood and acting invisible, but obviously Ms Eastwood my drama teacher had a whole different idea for me. She was the one who grabbed my arm and pulled me on stage with a piece of paper,
“Read this out,” she told me, I couldn't disagree unless I wanted a giant fat red F on my report, in English! I was sure I was screwed. The stage was a death trap, huge and way above the students who were smirking up at me waiting for me to open my mouth and say the words but I couldn't.
I stared at my two best friends helplessly, Derrick and Vanessa. If I had to be completely honest I didn’t know how the two of them ended up being my friends. Both of them were way into the teenage society, on top of the school cycle. They were Popular in their own way. Vanessa had natural good looks and dark hair that ran down to her waist in long cute curls, her clear tanned skin and bright green intelligent eyes. She was curvy and tall for sixteen, which meant she was popular among most guys. Derrick was just…the most amazing friend I could ever ask for. He was a rebel, black dyed hair that ran down to his chin in sleek layers and ended in a small tiny flick, his bright blue eyes were always dazed and thoughtful, he was never in the zone and of course that’s what a real bass player of a rock band would look like.
Vanessa nudged Derrick, who was slumped on his red chair gazing up at the ceiling. Even in the dim light I could see the earphones snaking up the neck of his red shirt collar. He sat up and gave me a huge wave.
I sighed, but from the corner of my eye I could see April, the cow.
April was just the most popular and prettiest girl in school, it was such a pity that brains couldn’t make up for looks because if she had a brain, I would say she’d be the smartest girl in school too but apparently nature didn’t work that way. She was tall, like super model tall with long blond hair and smoky bright eyes surrounded by black eye shadow and light, perfectly blended in foundation. She was standing beside Ms. Eastwood her hands on her hips showing off her manicured pink nails. She was wearing black skinny jeans and a red low top. She smirked at me but from the audience she probably looked like some demented angel, kind and what not. In my entire life I knew one thing…she was a witch! And a cow! A boyfriend stealer and a…S.L.U.T but nobody liked to refer to her that way; she was just “special”. Yeah, special my ass.
“Michelle?” asked Ms. Eastwood looking worried, she stepped away from the microphone and the lights shone on me as I slowly stumbled towards it, somebody snickered in the audience and I felt my palms turn sweaty, I shoved my hands in the pocket of my red hoodie and took out a piece of paper, I forgot every single word on that sheet even though I spent all week trying to learn it.
“Today…” I gasped, pulling the microphone up, my heart was beating loudly in my chest, getting stronger and stronger with each second “I am going to talk about…stereotypes.”
“Finally,” someone muttered from the front row.
“Kyle!” hissed Ms. Eastwood glaring at the offender, who was a blond guy wearing a tracksuit, he waved a hand dismissively and continued to gaze at me, I felt myself flush.
“Toodayyyy…” someone hooted from the back row and several people snickered, I saw April stifle a giggle.
Derrick’s hands rolled into fists.
I felt myself flushing even more; heat was creeping up my cheeks. Who was I kidding? Unlike Vanessa and April I was ugly. I had plain skin, too pale even though I tried to tan myself up a bit, my brown eyes were probably cute but nobody looked at eyes, ever. My hair was dark brown and hung down to my shoulders stiffly, unable to curl or even straighten. Wavy and frizzy. Whoop. I was a looker. As if to add to my misery I had no fashion sense at all…I usually wore jeans and a plain t-shirt or a hoodie, with the hood pulled up.
“Stereotypes,” I said again clearing my throat, I tried to conjure up an image that Vanessa always told me to do, imagine everyone in their underwear, I squinted at everyone but then shook my head and gazed down at the sheets, “We see them everywhere. Black hair, pale skin…rocker. Smart and wearing glasses, nerd. Interests in star wars or star trek, you’re instantly labeled as Geek. Blond, tall, blue eyes…named as the perfection of society. Drug addicts…usually black haired rockers. Red haired and blue eyed, Irish. I mean we see it everywhere. Literally.”
I looked down at the sheet and frowned, the rest of the speech made no sense so I put it back in my pockets, feeling nervous, “Well maybe it’s about time we get rid of labels, how great will it be if we were judged on our personalities?” I asked, feeling like some president making an emotional speech, I didn’t even know where the sudden confidence came from I could see some people in the audience straighten up in interest and that made me feel braver, “How great would we all feel if let’s say…people got rid of their masks and be who they’re born to be. I mean let’s ask ourselves this…why we are born. What is the meaning of life? Are we born to have fun? Or are we born to reproduce and make a new generation of people? Are we born to be who we are and live life to its full potentials, make a difference and inspire future generations to do the same?”
“Michelle,” hissed Ms. Eastwood, “Read the paper.”
“No,” I heard April protest, looking amused, “Let her keep going.”
That did it, I turned on her, “So let me make an example,” I glared at her, “Let us look at April!”
“Oh God!” muttered someone from the front.
“Blond and stupid. Fake and a liar? She’s the one that makes life miserable for people living behind a mask of a skank…”
“You just hate me because I’m prettier then you,” laughed April, she didn’t even need a microphone she made her voice loud so everyone could hear. Someone laughed.
“Well if being pretty means being stupid then I’d rather stay ugly and smart,” I put in and someone gave a loud whoop.
“Well you must have a big brain then,” said April and smirked, “I’m sorry Michelle but you have no idea what you’re on about.”
“I forgot to mention,” I said heatedly and glared at her holding the microphone even tighter in my hand, “Blond and stupid…that’s a true stereotype for some of us.”
April laughed, “Give me a break.”
I turned back to the audience strong with my determination to prove her wrong, “Ever since we became teenagers all of us were haunted with one thought…how to fit in? What to do to fit in? And the answer is simple. Be. Yourself. But is it possible when we have skanks like April out there? No! It’s people like her that judge us. Put us down and make us look stupid just to make themselves seem better, but the thing us…all of us have to put our foot down.”
“Oh hell…she’s starting a rebellion,” said April loudly, the audience burst out laughing and my face turned bright red.
“We have to stop minding those judgmental looks, those cruel words and look within ourselves being a teenager shouldn’t be some stupid race to fit in, a race to reach popularity when it could be about having fun and being ourselves,” I continued ripping the microphone from the stand and moving forward, “For it’s in our hearts that we can see who we really are and if even in your heart you’re cold and heartless and ugly and…”
“Weird?” asked April smirking even more.
“In your case weird would be a compliment,” I hissed glancing at her.
“Oh…that hurts so much…” mocked April putting her hand to her heart as if offended, “Hear hear the words of an ugly lunatic…”
“Now April…” protested Ms. Eastwood looking alarmed.
“You fat…” I was raving like mad, moving closer to her with my finger raised, I didn’t even know what I was planning to do…poke her to death? But I was sick of her pushing me around like that. My foot moved closer and closer to the edge, “Heartless piece of…Shit!” At the last word my foot slipped over the edge and I found myself stumbling back and then before I knew it…the floor rushed towards my face and I was lying on the ground.
There was the sound of laughter and jeers, everyone was applauding and tears rushed down my face but I didn’t dare to look up. I wanted to turn invisible…I wanted to sink down into the floor and never come out.
A different sound caught my ears, it was the sound of footsteps and someone whispered in my ear, “Are you alright?”
My heart fluttered at his voice...it wasn’t him...was it? I really hoped it wasn’t. I shook my head and then looked up, his emerald eyes was the first feature that I saw and then his hand extended towards me waiting for me to take it. I felt myself blush even harder, the heat creeping up my face.
I shook my head again; he rolled his eyes and took my hand.
