Understand Me

No one understood me. I was a freak in my own town. Out-cased because of my choice in music, “weird” clothing style, and colorful hair.

I sighed getting ready in the morning. I put in my monroe and eyebrow piercings and took my hair out of the pony-tail and styled it.

They want to isolate me in my own group…I don’t care, I told myself. I got dressed in a corset top, black skinny jeans, and black boots. I put on random necklaces, varying in size, and put in my zipper earrings.

I went downstairs after grabbing my book bag and cell phone.

“Why the fuck can’t you wear something normal?” My mom hissed. “Why??”

I walked out the door, ignoring my mother. Every fucking morning…

I walked to the school and for once no one was watching me. They were all talking to their cliques about something I hadn’t heard about yet. Whatever.

I went to my first period class and sat in my seat in the back. I put my headphones in and blasted my music on shuffle.

I was sitting there, occasionally nodding my head to the music, when one headphone was taken out. “No music, Annabel,” Mr. Gregory scolded.

I rolled my eyes as he went to the front of the room. I kept the one headphone out.

“As many of you know, we have a new student coming to school. His first period is this one. So, welcome him.”

Everyone started talking to their friends, until the door banged open. I heard many groans as he walked in. “He looks like a freaking flash light,” I heard one girl say.

“Ahem,” Mr. Gregory said. It was forced. He agreed with everything the kids were saying. “Chase, you may sit by Annabel.”

He came back and sat by me. “Hah! The freaks are together.”

“Hey, assholes, shut your fucking mouths,” I said. “Or I’ll curse you with my ‘voodoo-witch-powers’.” I rolled my eyes, mentally.

They all shut up, believing me. Retards.

A paper slid on my desk.

Thanks.

Wasn’t all for you, but yea.

I passed the paper back to Chase.

We talked like that the whole period.

––

Chase was in two of my morning classes. The first one – math – and the third one – biology. I had learned he was a mute. His parents moved him out here, to the small town of Kenton to “change him for good”. He liked the same music I did and even made some suggestions. For biology we traded iPods. At lunch I introduced him to my smoke tree that was near the football field. Then we had fifth and sixth period together. In all of our classes we sat by each other, which was actually nice. He wasn’t a dickhead like the rest of the school.

“Do you drive or walk?” I asked him on our way out of the school.

Walk. He wrote in his notebook.

“Where do you live?”

I don’t really know…I came from the football side of the school, though.

I nodded. “The malls that way, so I’ll walk with you,” I told him. He nodded.

“Hey, Anna,” I heard a voice coo. I rolled my eyes and kept walking with Chase. “What? Don’t you wanna talk?” She asked.

“I’m so sorry, but my dad said not to talk to skanks,” I told her, still not looking back.

“Oh. Before he left, right?” She asked, a smirk in her voice.

Chase glared back at her and shook his head. Come on, Annabel. She’s not worth it.

I shook my head, but still walked with him. “I swear I’m going to kill them all one day,” I muttered.

Chase shook his head, smiling. Don’t you like feeling different? They may be shitty, but you still like knowing you’re different and not like them.

“So?” I asked. “I’d rather have people to relate to. Like you.” He smiled. “Come on. I need a change in my hair,” I told him.

His smile brightened and we walked to the mall.

––

I had gotten my hair cut short and dyed lots of colors. Chase had told me he liked it. I did too. He was right, I do like feeling different. I go out of my way to feel different. I liked it though.

We walked to his house and then I went home.

My mom didn’t say anything as I walked past her to go to my room. Not like she ever does.

I went on my computer in my room and emailed my dad; something I hadn’t really done in a while.

Hey, Daddy.

How’s it goin out there? It’s alright here. Well, you know. Mom yells at me lots, kids are horrible, people think I’m an evil witch. Drama.

I got my hair done, though. It’s short and colorful. I like it.

I met someone today…He’s a bit like me. Out-cased here. He’s nice…

Well I’m gonna go to sleep. Love you. Talk soon?

-Annabel<3

I logged off my computer, got in some pajamas, turned off my light, and got into bed.

––Two Weeks Later––

Chase and I were still in our own little, tiny “clique”. That’s what he said anyways. He had “met” my mom. It was more like, we walked in and she yelled at me for getting my hair done – she just noticed – and then we left.

We were going to his house today. As soon as school ended we walked to his house, holding hands for the hell of it. It will spark rumors, stating we were dating, but neither of us cared.

“Chase,” I started. He looked over at me. “Are your parents judgmental?” He shook his head and I scoffed. “You so moved to the wrong town.”

He smiled. My mom thinks I should talk and then people wouldn’t pick on me, but whatever. She’s actually very anxious to meet the “girl-who’s-brought-me-outa-my-shell”.

I nodded and we walked up a driveway. Chase rang the doorbell before closing the door. I raised an eyebrow and he grinned.

So they know I’m home.

“Makes sense.”

“Did I hear a voice?” A woman asked scurrying in. “Hello. I’m Debra. You must be Annabel. Oh! Chase talks so much about you.”

I laughed at Chase’s scowl. “Nice to meet you.”

“I just made some cookies. Do you two want one?”

Chase shook his head at me. “I’m good, thanks.”

“Alright. Are you staying for dinner? It’d be lovely to have some company.”

“Sure.” I smiled and Chase pulled me away from her. I laughed some more. “Come on, Chase. She’s nice.” I smiled at him and he smiled back.

Well, she’s embarrassing and she can’t cook to save her life.

I laughed and plopped down on his bed. “She seems nice enough. So.” I stuck my tongue out at him. I looked around his room, smiling at the band posters. “I like your room,” I told him.

He smiled. Thanks. He sat beside me on the bed and I poked him. He smirked and straddled my waist before tickling me all over.

I laughed as he tickled me. “Ah! Stop it…Chase!” I giggled as he continued to tickle me, grinning. “Stop it,” I squeaked. He shook his head and kept going.

Then he stopped and kissed me. He pulled away instantly, but I pulled him back into another kiss. I tangled my hands in his bright red hair and he held my cheek in the hand he wasn’t using to support his weight.

“Chase! Annabel! Dinner!” Debra called.

We pulled away breathless and smiled at each other. “We’re coming!” I called back. “You need to get off me in order for us to eat,” I whispered to Chase.

He rolled off me and grabbed his notebook before we went to the dining room. There were boxes of Chinese on the table and plates at four spots. Chase and I sat by each other and got food onto our plates.

“So this is the famous Annabel, huh?” His dad asked. “I’m Robert.”

“Nice to meet you,” I said. I grabbed Chase’s notebook and scribbled him a note.

What the hell did you tell them about me?? -.-

I ate my noodles with my chopsticks as Chase read the note. It was very awkwardly silent.

Just that a colorful-haired girl was my friend and that she was a magical witch. ^.^

I glared at Chase and he grinned back.

Uh-huh. Right. I so believe you. :p

“I’m starting to think they aren’t listening,” I heard Debra say.

Chase and I looked up at his parents and smiled sheepishly. “Sorry…I was asking Chase what he said about me.”

They laughed. “It was nothing bad, Annabel,” Debra told me.

I nodded.

After dinner Debra invited me to sleep over, but I declined. I kissed Chase good-bye. And went home.

I checked my email to see nothing, as usual, so I went to bed.

––Five Weeks Later––

Chase and I were kinda together. We hadn’t told anyone, but we thought of it as us dating. The only time we were apart was when we went to our separate houses to sleep.

His parents apparently said we’d be a cute couple. My mom hadn’t noticed anything. She had been drinking a lot more though…The bitch.

I smiled at Chase as he continued to play with my hair. We were laying on my bed, bored. “What should we do?” I asked.

He shrugged, not bothering to write anything. I nodded and closed my eyes, just laying in his arms. I heard the door slam downstairs. “Where the fuck are you, you little whore?” My mom yelled. There was a crash.

I sighed and Chase tightened his grip on me. “Let’s go,” I said softly.

We got off my bed and left through my window. We ended up at his empty house. His parents were gone for the weekend.

He led me to his room and cradled me when we were on his bed. You can cry, Belle… He wrote on his small board. I shook my head and he sighed. Let it out.

Then I cried out all my pain from the eleven years I had been alone in this place. All that time I had stayed strong and now I was broken. Everything pilled up. Dad, Mom, school, people at school. Everything. It all came out in my tears.

As soon as I finished ruining Chase’s shirt he held me and rocked me back and forth in his arms.

“Thank you for understanding me,” I whispered.