Days…
As the dark days passed not being able to reveal myself in the sun. Some said I was a vampire others thought I was emo. So I say the truth now. I was neither. I was albino with white hair and blue eyes. Only mom could understand I got it from her. Who would of thought I Rebecca or Becky couldn’t go outside because the sun was dangerous for me. My eyes would turn red if I’d stood there watching the sunlight hit my pores. Mom was overprotective. I heard my parents in the kitchen arguing about me and going to morning school like everyone else.
“Hun, she needs friends you cannot stop that for so long,” Dad said to mom. He wasn’t mad more likely trying to win his point.
“She can get sick without us.” Mom replied with a frown across her face. Mom began to fidget with her fingers as she had nothing more to say.
I stormed into the kitchen and ate a bite of bacon on my breakfast plate of eggs and pancakes. Oj always hit right during breakfast time. “Don’t argue. I can go to a better school a cooler one.” I added to their conversation.
“You were east-dropping?” mom asked, stopping the fidgeting with her fingers. As she served daddy’s coffee into his cup, she later sat down across me. Starting to eat her breakfast too. She worked from home as a Call center representative. She was very good at her job and I’d knew better than to be loud while she was working in her office. I would close my bedroom door when classes on my online schooling started. It was year 2025 January one, everyone was on vacation but I’d catch up on my reading list. I loved to read just like dad. He thought me how to read and cook while mom worked during the day and at night he hit Walmart warehouse. We weren’t rich, but we would manage. I rushed to my bedroom once I finished eating and doing dishes. I’d prefer the futuristic dishwasher. While I grabbed my Othello book from my bed and I turned the page where I left off. There was a term paper for this book. So I’d work hard on not messing up on my reading, I’d write an outline of each chapter. Thanks to my parents they bought every book I’ve need and want. I had three book shelves and two more on the ceiling. Which needed me in a ladder.
Once I almost fell grabbing a book for fun to read, but daddy was rapidly to my aid as he arrived from work. He caught me in his arms.
“Sweetie, be careful climbing those stairs.” he said then.
“I am sorry, daddy mom wasn’t here neither was you to help.” I told him.
He put me on my feet. “Sweetie, when it comes to dangerous things call for help. And of course we’ll help you’re our princess.”
“Yes, you are right.” Realizing the past was much easier without me thinking about making friends, real ones not just from home. Online friends while my video gaming weren’t the same as me playing outside with the other kids. But I was no normal kid. I was unique. Maybe 1/4% Could it be possible if I broke the rules I’d catch a sun disease untreated like most diseases of the skin.
- ***
I hadn’t no clue when or how I’d fallen asleep on my computer, typing my term paper for Othello. I didn’t like Othello but I needed it for online school; the teacher named Professor Corianne she was the strictest of all my teachers. I loved writing poetry but not the confusing kind that Senior year of high school would make us read and talk about with our peers.
I wanted to go to normal school for this year, but mommy was too overprotective because of my albino side. She’d fear I’d suffer pain in my eyes and skin. It was night time only daddy was out working and mommy goes to her English TV series like Grey’s anatomy or Teen Wolf. It depended on what episode it was and how she’d watch it with a cup of wine and popcorn or chips.
“Mom, I am going out for a stroll. I’ll be back soon.”
“What?” she said rushing to the door, stopping my dismissal.
“Mom I want to make friends.”
“Fine then take your hat in case you come late.”
“I’ll be driving mom.”
“Good.”
Now she let’s woopie. I grabbed the keys from her hand and kissed her on cheek before leaving out the door. It was a miracle she let me stroll on her car. Well she did teach me how to drive. It wouldn’t have been cool if she didn’t teach me for someday. I went to Dennis, parked in its parking lot, and while I turned off the car; I saw him.
Sam Wethers. We met in Kindergarten when I was five. He gave me cookies when mom forgot to pack me some. It was nice of him. Then his uniform meant he was either a server or host. All in black. His ebony dark hair down his shoulders meant he was like everyone else not me. With white hair I had. I put my keys on my purse while I closed the door behind me, I tripped in front of him. My shoes were untied. Shit. Now what would he think of me.
Sure why should I care? He wouldn’t remember me.
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“Hey, Dani.” he remembered. It must be my hair.
“Hey, Sam.”
“It’s Samuel now.” he smiled, handing me a hand lifting me up to balance on my feet. “You should tie your shoes.” he chuckled, turning red. Was he flushed?
“Thank you,” And I bent down to tie my shoes while he held my black purse. When I was done he handed it back to me, as I stood up on my two left feet when it came to clumsiness.
“You hungry?” he asked.
“Yes, and make new friends. I am home-schooled.”
“Why?” he asked, looking at me with his eyes widely open.
“My parents argue over it everyday I wished I could finish my last year in person not over computer.” I looked at the time it was three o’ clock. They must have opened again. January 2, 2025. “So I will like to join you to work in same place. Make new friends.” I admitted my true reasons.
“It’s good I work at Dennis. You have experience?”
“No.” I shook my head. “But I can learn.”
“Then dishes duty.” he smiled more at me.
“Okay.”
It was the best he could do for now. He was attractive his russet skin touched me. He held out his hand and I took it. We walked to the diner, and he held out the door for me. Wow! A gentleman too? I leaned into his cheek, and planted a light kiss with my soft lips. He had pink lipstick marked on his cheek because of me. As I sat down being led by him on a nice quiet table for me only. He handed me the menu and asked for my type of drink. “I’d like water with ice.” I told him.
“Okay one H2O coming right up.” he snorkeled. While he walked away his face turned red once he turned. I wanted to say something but my shyness made me forget I was here to make friends. “Samuel?” I rose my hand like if I was in those schools in movies.
He turned to face me. “Yes?”
“The application?”
“Oh yeah, let me get it.” he rushed to his post grabbing a pen and paper then handing it to me when he finally was in front of me with the paper and the tray of water. I took the drink, sipped a bit, and began applying.
First, friend had to be the cutest guy in the neighborhood. Ha. That made me lucky. I ordered a meal of burger with fries and vanilla milkshake. I continued to eat while Sam was attending others. When I finished I left a tip of five and $20 for the meal. I got up and I paid Sam for the meal. He smiled when he saw the tip. My change was okay, I would use it for gas.
- **
When I got home mom saw me, waiting in the couch in the living room. She never stopped her overprotective nature with her only daughter: me. Should I tell her I applied for a night job? I wondered for her reaction. My mom needed to understand I will attend morning school and cover myself as if I was a Twilight vampire in the sun.
“Honey and sweetie I am home.” Dad came through the door very early. Did something went wrong?
“Why are you home early?”
“Because it was slow.” Dad responded, letting his lunch bag down on the floor with his jacket on the coat hanger.
“Okay, going to bed. Got online school to get ahead of.” I told my parents. Rushing up the stairs to my room.
Sam! Oh how I wish we would end up together. I have liked you for so long that you live two houses nearby. I thought while laying on my bed.
