It was a bright sunny morning. The curtains were pulled back, and the family were in the living room, with a happy breakfast. Me and my brother were dressed in our uniform, and I couldn't get over how smart and serious it looked. The blazer was dark blue, clean and smooth, the skirt would be down to your knees, unless you rolled it slightly up like me. The tights and the shoes. The shoes were old and dirty, but the new school shoes were too expensive, so we bought school shoes, just not theirs. I patted my hair, dark, curly and frizzy, in a neat ponytail. I admired myself in the mirror, until I heard my name being called.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" I grabbed my old school bag and went to eat with them. My mother, face lacking any wrinkles, was wearing her work-dress, dark grey with an apron, and my father, bless his soul, wore his old suit. I watched as they laughed and talked while serving breakfast.
"We have to go back to school," Lorenzo sighed, disappointed. "Talking to people, can you believe that?"
"Yes. I can. Because the weekends last for 2 days, only 3 days, brat,"
"Ugh," he groaned through his toast.
"Come on, son, I know it's hard, but it's not like you have to talk to them! You study and learn! Good grades make a good future!" Father grinned.
"Come on, brat, relax, it's just school,"
"Ah, yes, the place of learning," he smirked sarcastically.
I rolled my eyes but failed to suppress a smile.
As we walked our way to school, we saw a crowd of students, talking, laughing and walking across the yard, as skaters passed across the area and cheerleaders ran past.
Looking at the sight, made me smile. Watching a scene of what you'd see when you'd go into school, I felt nostalgic.
"Ah, yes, social interaction," my brother sighed again.
"Yes, brat,"
"Race you to the lockers," he sprinted away.
"Hey, no fair!" I ran after him, once again. I could hear his maniacal laughter and see the the disturbed faces on other students. I got lost in the crowded halls and bumped into something hard and solid and fell back. I looked up and audibly gasp. "Liam!"
He lifted me to my feet and tapped my back. "You shouldn't be running in halls like that," he scolded playfully. I poured and he laughed. "Are you okay?"
"Yep!" I nodded enthusiastically.
Liam Debronsky. My true friend since the first day. He was an angel himself. His face, beautifully carved and chiselled as if done by God himself. His eyes, two bright emeralds glowing with a know innocent joy. His lips, soft and pink. He was way taller than me, but I could see his face as clear as the sky.
From the first day of school, he became my friend. When he stood up for me while I was backed into a corner of thugs, I felt smitten, and stupid. I was so aggressive with him, as a initial reaction, but he was so patient and gentle, and understanding. I was currently working for his family's as a housemaid, and as a waitress for a bar, for a part-time job, and seeing him everyday, made it worth it. 2 years, and when I see him, my heart beats like a drum.
He ruffled my hair and I swatted his hand away. "Your hair's so fluffy," he beamed, amused.
"Well I still like it untouched, thank you,"
"Y'know, I missed you," he took my hand. I felt my face heat up.
"I-It's only been two days,"
"Yes, it's too long without you."
Nervously, I pulled my hand away. He chuckled.
"Are you done teasing me?"
"Yes, I am,"
"Hey, siostra!" Lorenzo came up behind me. And saw Liam, and squinted, then smiled. "What's up, Debronks?"
"Not much. We were just talking..."
"Well, then sorry to interrupt, I was just checking to see if you haven't been trampled on," he looked at me.
"I'm not that small, brat! I'm only 5,3,"
"Yeah, but you're more like a teapot. Short and stout."
"You little-!" I saw Liam trying to muffle his laughter. Lorenzo just guffawed.
"Gotta go to class. see you siostra," he patted my cheek and swaggered away. I rolled my eyes and hugged. "Gosh, that jerk."
I looked up at Liam. He was Basically laughing out loud.
"What?"
"I like your brother. He's funny,"
I pouted angrily, then he laughed harder. "Don't do that face, I'll die of cuteness," he pinched my cheeks. I dropped the face and watched him laugh. Once again, he took my breath away.
"Let's go," he gestured. As time moved, students were bumping into each other. We stood side by side to make sure that we didn't lose each other. After the chaotic crowd slowly going away, we made our way to our classroom. Immediately I could sense glances and comments.
"Hey, do you know what gypsies do?"
"What?"
"They're those weird dirty people who steal your money,"
"If she was the was the one robbing me, I wouldn't mind so much," the classmate looked directly at me and winked. I physically recoiled in disgust and sat down, facing the front. I turned around to see Liam behind me. He waved and I waved back. The teacher entered the classroom and smiled when she saw me, and I smiled back. "Dzień dobry, class,"
" Dzień dobry," the class said. "We have a few announcements upcoming this week. One, there is the play going on, second, there is new transfer student, tomorrow, and, there is diversity celebration week."
"Ah, yes, celebration of gypsies existing,"
A few classmates laughed.
"Thank you, John, that's ten minutes of your recess, gone!"
"What? Come on!"
"And that's going to be another five if you don't shut it,"
Then the whole class laughed. I turned around to see him, grumpy, and cross-armed. He saw me looking.
"What are you staring at, gypsy?"
"Jeez, can't even get a break," I muttered.
"With people like him, you can never get a break," my teacher said to me. We both chuckled. I looked behind me to look at Liam, and he smiled and mouthed "you okay?"
I nodded and turned back, smiling to myself. Always so worried about me, I thought, grinning like a hopeless child. I felt like I was almost falling for him.
After that time in class, my teacher wanted to speak to me after class. Ms Nowak. She was charming and pleasant, around everyone. She had a youthful face despite being above 30. She honestly made me smile, and was so benign to me when she saw me getting verbally harassed by John, and showed me sympathy.
"I hope he's not upsetting you, Kochanie"
"He's not, it's pretty pathetic, really," I sighed. She tilted her head at me.
"Your hair looks nice today,"
"Thank you, miss, but it always looks like that,"
"So, you're fine, okay?"
"Yep! See you later, miss," I waved goodbye before going into the hallway. As I was walking, I felt a pat on my head, and turned around feeling attacked, then I recognized her. "Galinda!" I wrapped my arms around her in a big hug. She beamed.
"I missed you so much!"
"Its only been two days, girl,"
"Uwah, you don't miss me!"
"Of course I do!" I bopped her nose and she giggled. Galinda Mazury. She appeared in my life in my second year in high school. She first saw me out in public, performing in my dress and she loved everything about my style and I was flattered. I found her bubbly personality adorable and always teased her for it, until she pouted, and that always made me smile. She had shining red hair with innocent brown eyes and a small face with freckles.
She then bopped my nose.
"Payback for the nose,"
"Fair enough," I looked down and sighed.
"Hey! Did you hear about the new transfer student?"
"Yes. He's coming tomorrow,"
"I heard they're a Russian," her voice went up when she said "Russian."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I'm already imagining it now! Ahh~," she sighed.
"You hear that they're Russian and you're already head over heels? I can sort of understand you, though,"
"Right?"
"Yo," Liam came up behind us.
"Liam! What's up?" Galinda greeted.
"I heard Russian and I was interested,"
"Just popping out of nowhere?"
We laughed. I overheard conversations around us about the new student.
Liam suddenly nudged me. "Will I be seeing you tonight?"
"Unfortunately, no, I'll be working as a waitress tonight. Tomorrow, though,"
"I should get my parents to pay you more. I hope my sister wasn't bothering you too much,"
"Ah, she's a little annoying, but I don't mind,"
His sister was Ana Debronsky. She didn't like me working for the house and seemed genuinely worried I might rob the house or steal something and always kept an eye on me. In fact, the reason I was actually working there despite the family's obvious contempt for me is because Liam persuaded them, I didn't know how, but he did. As long I was out of their sight, they would let me work there. But Ana always hated seeing me anyway, even though she actively tried to see me.
"I feel like you need to take a break," Galinda looked at me. "Three part time jobs as a teenage girl? Don't you ever get breaks?"
"On the weekends."
"When I have the time," Liam started. "I'll make suere you get proper jobs,"
"Of course, but don't feel the need to help me, do what you want, okay?" I tapped his clean shaven face.
"We want to help you, though."
After school, me and my brother walked home as usual and I got myself dressed in my own clothes.
"Why does everything we own have to be so colorful?" He said, looking at my outfit.
"It's fine, Lorenzo, yours isn't an exception l, with that shirt."
"Okay, okay, let me take you there first, then I can go to the restaurant to work."
"How does it feel to be a toilet cleaner?"
"Awful. Let's go!"
A little info
Kochanie - darling
Dzien dobry - good morning
Brat - brother
Siostra - Sister