happened a minute ago. I thought things were going so well here. I thought I wouldn't have to encounter such hatred towards me. I knew it was going to be a rough transition transferring from one school to another, but I didn't think it would all blow up on me in a public event. Even people of my own race were giving me dirty looks when they found out I was homecoming queen. What have I done to make people dislike me?
I looked at the clear night sky and sighed. Tears were starting to well up in my eyes, but I fought them back hard so none would spill. I didn't want anyone to see me cry, especially Michael.
Michael came over to me and put his arms around me.
"I'm really sorry about what happened in there. I didn't think people here would act that way."
I pulled away from Michael and turned around to face him.
"Well you thought wrong. I knew people here would act like that. They just didn't show their true feelings until now."
"Come on Charlie. Don't let what happened in there ruin the rest of the night."
"Why? Because everything going to be okay? If you're going to say that, don't bother because that's a bunch of bull. People at this school are always going to look at me as the black girl who tried to take over Belmont."
"No one even said that."
"But they are thinking it. I could tell from the nasty stares people gave me when I went up on stage."
"Michael's right. You overreacting, Char," said Ashley.
"What do you know Ash? You don't get stared at everyday from these people. When I'm walking down the hall, people begin whispering. I wondered if they were talking about me or not. You think I wanted to come here? No, I didn't. I just wanted to make myself feel comfortable around here."
"And you have. Charlie, why don't you calm down? There's no point for you to be this upset." Michael said.
I looked at him and sighed. He was right. I shouldn't care what people at Belmont thought about me.
"I guess so. I guess I'm not used to being the person people loved to hate, that's all."
"No one hates you, Char," said Brandy.
"Besides, I don't even think it the issue with race that people are upset about. I mean look at you. You've only been here for four days, and you already cheerleading captain, and you're dating the most popular guy in school. That's enough to make people not like you," said Kim.
I looked at everyone around me and smiled. Everyone made such good points. I looked over at Eva who nodded her head in agreement.
I took a deep breath and sighed.
"You're all right. I guess I let what happened in there get to me. Sorry everyone."
"It's okay," Michael said. He went up to me and gave me a hug.
Eva looked at the scene and sighed.
"Well, since you calmed down, do you still want to go to Range?"
"Sure," I said.
"Alright then. Let's roll," Eva said.
As everyone got into their cars, Michael looked at me and put his arm around me.
"Don't worry. Everything is going to work out. Besides, on Monday, everyone will forget about this."
I smiled and kissed Michael on the cheek. Even though he was dishing out some encouraging words, I knew that things were not going to go away overnight. After what happened tonight, I was wondering if it was a good idea to take Michael to Range.
After changing clothesat Eva's house, and driving for thirty minutes, we were finally pulling up into Range's parking lot. As usual, the place was packed, as people were waiting in a long line to get inside. As I got out of Michael's BMW, wearing a blue and white flowing tube dress, a smile formed on my lips. I was home, and it felt pretty good. As Michael got out, he looked around the parking lot, taking in the environment around him. Range was considered one of the hottest teen spots in Houston. Almost every high school in the area, including Parker, was there dancing and having a good time. I looked over at Michael and took his hand. He looked at me and smiled.
"You look really nice Mr. Collier," I said as I looked at him up and down. He
I looked at the clear night sky and sighed. Tears were starting to well up in my eyes, but I fought them back hard so none would spill. I didn't want anyone to see me cry, especially Michael.
Michael came over to me and put his arms around me.
"I'm really sorry about what happened in there. I didn't think people here would act that way."
I pulled away from Michael and turned around to face him.
"Well you thought wrong. I knew people here would act like that. They just didn't show their true feelings until now."
"Come on Charlie. Don't let what happened in there ruin the rest of the night."
"Why? Because everything going to be okay? If you're going to say that, don't bother because that's a bunch of bull. People at this school are always going to look at me as the black girl who tried to take over Belmont."
"No one even said that."
"But they are thinking it. I could tell from the nasty stares people gave me when I went up on stage."
"Michael's right. You overreacting, Char," said Ashley.
"What do you know Ash? You don't get stared at everyday from these people. When I'm walking down the hall, people begin whispering. I wondered if they were talking about me or not. You think I wanted to come here? No, I didn't. I just wanted to make myself feel comfortable around here."
"And you have. Charlie, why don't you calm down? There's no point for you to be this upset." Michael said.
I looked at him and sighed. He was right. I shouldn't care what people at Belmont thought about me.
"I guess so. I guess I'm not used to being the person people loved to hate, that's all."
"No one hates you, Char," said Brandy.
"Besides, I don't even think it the issue with race that people are upset about. I mean look at you. You've only been here for four days, and you already cheerleading captain, and you're dating the most popular guy in school. That's enough to make people not like you," said Kim.
I looked at everyone around me and smiled. Everyone made such good points. I looked over at Eva who nodded her head in agreement.
I took a deep breath and sighed.
"You're all right. I guess I let what happened in there get to me. Sorry everyone."
"It's okay," Michael said. He went up to me and gave me a hug.
Eva looked at the scene and sighed.
"Well, since you calmed down, do you still want to go to Range?"
"Sure," I said.
"Alright then. Let's roll," Eva said.
As everyone got into their cars, Michael looked at me and put his arm around me.
"Don't worry. Everything is going to work out. Besides, on Monday, everyone will forget about this."
I smiled and kissed Michael on the cheek. Even though he was dishing out some encouraging words, I knew that things were not going to go away overnight. After what happened tonight, I was wondering if it was a good idea to take Michael to Range.
After changing clothesat Eva's house, and driving for thirty minutes, we were finally pulling up into Range's parking lot. As usual, the place was packed, as people were waiting in a long line to get inside. As I got out of Michael's BMW, wearing a blue and white flowing tube dress, a smile formed on my lips. I was home, and it felt pretty good. As Michael got out, he looked around the parking lot, taking in the environment around him. Range was considered one of the hottest teen spots in Houston. Almost every high school in the area, including Parker, was there dancing and having a good time. I looked over at Michael and took his hand. He looked at me and smiled.
"You look really nice Mr. Collier," I said as I looked at him up and down. He
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