Reflection Case

REFLECTION

She could feel their eyes boring into her from all sides, like a thousand little needles poking at her skin. She knew why: she was ugly, she was different... and that was scary. Her grand afro floated around her African features, like a massive black cloud, bouncing with each step she took. The girls stared, the boys stared and she felt small. Whispers floated up from a few girls away from her.

"Oh my goodness...what is up with her hair?" and "Home girl needs a perm."

She lowered her head and hurried to a seat in the back where she wouldn't draw any attention. From her seat, she scoped the room. Almost all the girls had straight hair, some cropped short and some lying perfectly still down their backs. She felt self-conscious and she lowered herself deeper into her seat, her body radiating with tension. A short while later, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked up into a pair of shy brown eyes.

"Hi, I'm Keenan... is it alright if I sit here?" said the stranger in a shy voice. She lowered her eyes and nodded stiffly. He settled into his seat and attempted to make conversation, but she was so conscious of how different she was that she made certain to ignore him and everyone else to avoid any extra attention. He soon gave up and turned to the person on the other side.

Immediately after school, Daisy purchased a perm. After the job was done, she felt eager for school the next day to make some friends.

The next day arrived, though not quickly enough for Daisy. After combing her long, straight hair, so that it lay stiffly on her back, she hurried to school. No eyes bore into her as she walked into her classroom. She knew why: she was finally pretty, she was just like all the other girls... and that was ...that was boring. Her hair lay lankly on her back. It didn't bounce as she walked and she had to move her head carefully so that it wouldn't get messy. The girl's didn't stare; neither did the boys and she felt even smaller. Whispers floated up from a few girls away from her.

"Is that a new girl?" and "Who cares?"

She lowered her head and hurried to a seat in the back, puzzled. She had straightened her hair and now she looked like everyone else. She had hoped it would help her fit in but instead she felt alone, invisible and, ridiculously enough, sad. The boy from yesterday came into the class. He stared at her hair, then at the seat beside her and then back at her again. After a moment's hesitation, he turned away and took a seat in the front, next to a pretty dark girl with a little afro. She sank into her seat, feeling miserable and after the bell rang for the class to be over, she ran to the bathroom and had herself a long cry.