Louise - Black

My dad is talking with the reverend, my mom is laughing to something a friend of hers said. I'm waiting for them to finally realize I just want to go home.

My friends already left, so I have no one to talk to. I scan the whole church once more, watching carefully every face, just in case there's someone I've missed before, but who am I fooling? No one wants to speak to the ugly black girl.

Then I see Mark. And, boy, he looks handsome, as always, of course. Some jocks say he's gay, but I wouldn't say that. Just because he cares about other's feelings doesn't mean he's homo, and just because he doesn't sleep around doesn't mean he's not straight.

He simply does not act like a gay would act.

If he ever noticed me everything would be perfect. We could hold hands; a black hand laced with a white hand. People would judge him, but we would be happy, right?

A high pitched voice gets me out of my thoughts.

"Oh, but, look: it's Louise. So you can sing?" I turn around and see Sabrina. A smirk, a very irritating smirk, is all plastered in her face. I inhale and then exhale.

"Yes, I can," I say with a monotone and annoyed voice. "Any problem with that?"

She shakes her head. "Oh, no, thanks God you found a gift in you, because I was starting to feel sorry for fatty, black Louise.

Oh, so now I'm fat? I'm so going to slap this bitch.

I raise my hand, ready to make her pay, when Mark -dreamy Mark- stops me. "Hi, Louise. I didn't know you had such an incredible voice."

I stare at his blue eyes. Is he real? Am I dreaming? Is he really talking to me? I gulp.

"Yeah, since I was a little kid." I hear Sabrina snorting at my right, then I see her walking away.

"That's great, I wish I could sing like you." Really? "Yes." Oh, I said that aloud.

My face flushes, but dad comes to my rescue. "Louise, we have to go." I slightly nod, not ready to say bye to Mark, but I wave and he waves back.

I wish he liked black girls.

• • • • • • •

I wrote this chapter just to let you know that everyone falls into stereotypes. Even the ones who are a stereotype themselves.

Thank you so much for reading, I can't explain the way I feel.

~Mercy