Naomi [Wattys 2017]

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

I've been chatting with Adam for the past two days and it turned out to me that he's a great guy. Worst of all, I'm starting to have feelings for him. He asked me for my pictures once but I sent him a picture of me when I was 3 years old and he called me crazy and pleaded with me to send him a recent one but I made a promise to him that one day I will, even though I highly doubt that I will ever do that.

More to that he asked me to describe myself since I wasn't sending a picture soon and I did. I didn't tell him about the vitiligo aspect because I was scared that he will stop talking to me.

I woke up this morning feeling good only to realise I couldn't find my cap. And I remembered that Hayley took it from me when we went shopping last Friday and that is what just spoilt my day because I had to borrow my dad's baseball cap, a cap my dad has had since he was in high school and when I got to school with it, Jo and Jamie were already laughing at it, but I didn't mind.

Just before I went to maths class, I see Hayley by her locker. I walk up to her to remind her about my cap.

"Hello!" I grinned at her.

She turned to me but gave me a small smile. "Hi." She whispers.

"Is everything okay?"

She nods then turn to look at the end of the hallway to see Jenna and her crew staring at her.

"Is anything going on between you and them?"

She shakes her head and I just stare at her.

She looks like she was fed up by me standing there and staring at her.

"Naomi.." She starts. "It's nice being your friend but I can't talk to you anymore, not in school especially."

I was taken back by her words. What does she mean? Did I hurt her or something? And why not in school especially?

"I'm sorry but did I do anything wrong?" I furrowed my eyebrows.

The bell rings before she could answer and she takes her bag and locks her locker.

"Please just stay away from me." She looks at me before dashing off to meet Jenna and her crew.

Just like that Hayley has gone out of my life. I've never been so confused in my life. I stare at her and Jenna as they were laughing together.

I'm very sure Jenna told her something about me.

************

I am having math class and my mind has not been on the teacher at all. I've been trying hard to listen but all I think about was what Hayley said. It's like a sword just pierced through my soul.

"Do you understand?" Mr Edwards, the maths teacher, asked the whole class and they nodded but I just stare out the window.

"Naomi, do you understand?"

I look up to see Mr Edwards and the whole class looking at me.

Situations like this make me want to bury myself. I really hate when people look at me and it's really troubling, especially in my condition.

I nodded my head in embarrassment hoping the teacher won't ask me to solve or answer any question.

"Good." He said and continued teaching.

"Screw you." I muttered to myself.

As he was still teaching, I turned to see an African girl still staring at me after I've still answered the question.
She wasn't glaring at me or anything, she was just staring. I hate people that stare.