Mia was the girl everyone knew and everyone liked. She had a kind word and a shoulder to cry on for anyone that needed her. She could never say no to a friend and packed her free time with sociable meetings. Yet Mia was the girl everyone forgot.
She could talk to almost anyone, anywhere – a trait she inherited from her grandmother – meaning, she knew people in every walk of life. Where her parents and siblings knew the people in their small, middle-class mostly white town Mia knew people of all races, colours, nationalities and cultures. Her closest friends thought it was just her way; her friendly nature getting her out in the world. She knew the real reason – she was yearning to belong.
As a child Mia always felt slightly odd and she lived under different titles – the New Girl {she earned that one a number of times, finally settling in a school when she was ten}; the Nerd {Maths and English came easy to her}; Teachers Pet {was it her fault adults liked her?}. As she got older titles followed her, though they changed from time to time – the Hippie {she liked bright colours and flowers}; the suck-up {another version of teachers pet}; and the Sober One {her friends all drank before legal age, she waited until a year or so after}. These titles themselves never really bothered her, she believed it was just the other kids way of expressing themselves. So she expressed herself in a more unique manner and it got her nicknames – at least she was being true to herself, right?
Throughout her teenage years Mia always had a large group of friends, though she spent a lot of time debating with herself if they really were that. When there were parties or events organised, or cinema trips planned she was often left out until the last minute, if invited at all. Gradually she began to feel unwanted, and would occasionally make excuses not to go on the times she was invited.
No comments:
Post a Comment