Shaken Up, Thrown Out
There's actually a reason I wrote this, but I'd rather not get into it. I just felt like posting it ^^ Some of the people in this are inspired by people I've met. Can you guess who?
And I know it's a bad title T_T
Shut up.
--------------------------
Look around. What do you know about the people you see? Odds are it’s not much. Now what do you think you know about them? She’s a bitch, he’s a douche; she reads too much, he’s a nerd; she has too many piercings, he wears too much eyeliner; she’s too fat, he’s too skinny; she can’t speak English, he can’t even speak. That’s only what you see. Sometimes, it’s all they want you to see.
Did you ever fathom that maybe she’s sick and tired of not getting attention from her family, who’s too concerned over her paralyzed sister, that she’s actually worked hard to get it at school? What about the douche who all the girls fawn over, all but the one who gave birth to him. That woman is an alcoholic, not that he’d tell you. And his father? Long gone, and possibly in jail.
She reads too much because it’s the only thing that keeps her mind off of her father whose never home, and creates a living hell when he is. He’s not really a nerd, only a guy who doesn’t want a lot of attention, rather likes to keep to himself and write poems and stories, maybe a little sci-fi at the side. When your older brother is in jail for drugs and trafficking, you’d try your hardest not to go the same way too, right?
What about that girl with too many piercings? Did you know her father abuses her? She doesn’t want to tell anyone about it, instead takes the pain of those things being pierced through your skin over the pain of the leather belt. The sharp blade of a knife also works just as fine. And him, with the eyeliner. Did you know he considers suicide every day? It’s got to be better than confessing to your ridiculously religious family that you’re gay.
How about that fat girl over in the corner, who looks like she’s sneaking a Snickers right now. She never used to be like that. She used to be teased for every little slip-up she made, but they didn’t know either, that her younger sister was killed in a car-crash that also left her father paralyzed. Food helps her to not think about her problems. He can’t seem to get any meat on his bones, but if you watch him come lunch time, you’d see that he doesn’t have any meat to put on those bones in the first place. He’s an orphan who was plucked off the street and now has to share everything with 15 other children who don’t have parents.
The girl that can’t speak English is an interesting one if you even wanted to know. Her family--a mother and five children--moved here from Africa, where her father deemed it too dangerous, what with war and his brother wanting to steal the crown from him. Yes, you heard right, she’s a Princess, but where’s her tiara? Where’s her beautiful ball-gown and glass slippers? For your information, there never was any of that. All she had was the love of her father’s people, which is more than enough where she comes from. He, on the other hand, refuses to talk. Maybe watching his parents being murdered right in front of him caused that. Maybe he wants to talk, but all that will ever come out are sobs.
You probably never would have guessed that these kinds people surrounded you every day, or even that they existed. But now you know, and you think it must be miserable having a life like that. But what’s this? The fat girl just moved next to the Princess... And they’re talking! Despite the language barriers, both of them smile and smiles turn to laughs, laughs turn to friendships. And the douche is picking up a pencil the girl that reads too much just dropped. They also smile. And the bitch turns around to ask the mute what the answer to number five is. He bites his lip before murmuring something only she would hear. He speaks, and as soon as she thanks him and turned back to her work, you can see his eyes lighten up. The one with the eyeliner looks over at the nerd and asks him something as well. All hope isn’t lost.
Maybe it’s not so bad after all. They’re just regular people, anyways. They have every right to be as happy as you do.
“Hi.” Someone says suddenly in front of you. This is the only one who you haven’t quite figured out yet. They smile and say, “Sorry to bother you, but I just got in. What are we doing?”
You stare for a second, taking in every feature, and notice a small scar above their left eyebrow. And then you realize they asked you a question. “What we’re doing?”
“Yes.” They look down at your work, then back up at you, “By the way, what’s your name?”
© Meia Copeland, 2011
And I know it's a bad title T_T
Shut up.
--------------------------
Look around. What do you know about the people you see? Odds are it’s not much. Now what do you think you know about them? She’s a bitch, he’s a douche; she reads too much, he’s a nerd; she has too many piercings, he wears too much eyeliner; she’s too fat, he’s too skinny; she can’t speak English, he can’t even speak. That’s only what you see. Sometimes, it’s all they want you to see.
Did you ever fathom that maybe she’s sick and tired of not getting attention from her family, who’s too concerned over her paralyzed sister, that she’s actually worked hard to get it at school? What about the douche who all the girls fawn over, all but the one who gave birth to him. That woman is an alcoholic, not that he’d tell you. And his father? Long gone, and possibly in jail.
She reads too much because it’s the only thing that keeps her mind off of her father whose never home, and creates a living hell when he is. He’s not really a nerd, only a guy who doesn’t want a lot of attention, rather likes to keep to himself and write poems and stories, maybe a little sci-fi at the side. When your older brother is in jail for drugs and trafficking, you’d try your hardest not to go the same way too, right?
What about that girl with too many piercings? Did you know her father abuses her? She doesn’t want to tell anyone about it, instead takes the pain of those things being pierced through your skin over the pain of the leather belt. The sharp blade of a knife also works just as fine. And him, with the eyeliner. Did you know he considers suicide every day? It’s got to be better than confessing to your ridiculously religious family that you’re gay.
How about that fat girl over in the corner, who looks like she’s sneaking a Snickers right now. She never used to be like that. She used to be teased for every little slip-up she made, but they didn’t know either, that her younger sister was killed in a car-crash that also left her father paralyzed. Food helps her to not think about her problems. He can’t seem to get any meat on his bones, but if you watch him come lunch time, you’d see that he doesn’t have any meat to put on those bones in the first place. He’s an orphan who was plucked off the street and now has to share everything with 15 other children who don’t have parents.
The girl that can’t speak English is an interesting one if you even wanted to know. Her family--a mother and five children--moved here from Africa, where her father deemed it too dangerous, what with war and his brother wanting to steal the crown from him. Yes, you heard right, she’s a Princess, but where’s her tiara? Where’s her beautiful ball-gown and glass slippers? For your information, there never was any of that. All she had was the love of her father’s people, which is more than enough where she comes from. He, on the other hand, refuses to talk. Maybe watching his parents being murdered right in front of him caused that. Maybe he wants to talk, but all that will ever come out are sobs.
You probably never would have guessed that these kinds people surrounded you every day, or even that they existed. But now you know, and you think it must be miserable having a life like that. But what’s this? The fat girl just moved next to the Princess... And they’re talking! Despite the language barriers, both of them smile and smiles turn to laughs, laughs turn to friendships. And the douche is picking up a pencil the girl that reads too much just dropped. They also smile. And the bitch turns around to ask the mute what the answer to number five is. He bites his lip before murmuring something only she would hear. He speaks, and as soon as she thanks him and turned back to her work, you can see his eyes lighten up. The one with the eyeliner looks over at the nerd and asks him something as well. All hope isn’t lost.
Maybe it’s not so bad after all. They’re just regular people, anyways. They have every right to be as happy as you do.
“Hi.” Someone says suddenly in front of you. This is the only one who you haven’t quite figured out yet. They smile and say, “Sorry to bother you, but I just got in. What are we doing?”
You stare for a second, taking in every feature, and notice a small scar above their left eyebrow. And then you realize they asked you a question. “What we’re doing?”
“Yes.” They look down at your work, then back up at you, “By the way, what’s your name?”
© Meia Copeland, 2011