Noughts and Crosses Tribute
Emilia
I looked up through my frizzy strands of hair to watch his face. To sneak a glimpse at his perfect features, his shining crow-black hair, his rich ebony skin, his long eyelashes, the perfect curve of his lips. His dark eyes flickered up to meet mine. I looked away as my cheeks flamed, hiding beneath the crazy curls that dominate my scalp and that refuse to be tamed by any mere hairbrush. I imagined what it would be like to reach out and touch his flawless face, to stroke his poreless skin; I imagined that it would feel like silk and that his hair would smell like sweet perfume. I imagined staring into his eyes for hours on end. I imagined him speaking the words 'I love you' with his amazingly perfect mouth.
Stop daydreaming, Emilia, he's a Cross, you're a nought, he'd never want you. He is the image of perfection; you are the lowest of the low. I should just do what my dad says and "work hard and keep my head low", I was lucky enough to get into this school, there are only five of us noughts here, and all of us know that it may only be temporary. Why did I have to be born this way? Why couldn't I be born a Cross? Why couldn't I have a happy, easy life, without having to work my ass off for every little thing? I know it was selfish but I hated my parents for it. I hate them for being noughts even though it was out of their control, and I hate them for giving birth to me even though they love me very much.
I risked another glance at Kellan; his eyes were on my face studying my features that were painfully average compared to his. He looked away quickly and I must have been daydreaming because for a second I thought I saw his umber cheeks blush. The bell rang and I knew that my time with him was up. He stood up faster than I thought was possible and practically ran out of the room. Figures. I bet he saw me staring at him and thought I was some kind of crazy stalker. Well it's not like he'd like me anyway I'm just a nought, a blanker. When people pass me on the streets they see the colour of my skin not the fact that I could run faster than anyone here if I was given the chance or the fact that I have gotten straight A's ever since I came to this school.
I stared down at my pale arms wishing I could be like him, fit into a world which won't accept me. A world which chooses to enslave people like me, to make us feel inferior, to treat us like crap. I stared into space trying to imagine myself as a Cross, which I found extremely easy, after years of practice. I would be beautiful, I would be respected and Kellan would finally smile at me, or talk to me. I took a brown pen out of my pencil case and coloured in one of my porcelain fingers until it was the perfect cocoa brown. I sighed wishfully as people bustled past me, eager to get to lunch. I stood up and shuffled out of the room, not surprised that I was the last one there. I took my usual seat at lunch beside all the other noughts, I ate my usual meal and I talked about the usual things. Time passed quickly. Everyday was the same, but something was different, there were three beautiful Cross girls standing up and walking over to my table. I knew I wasn't the only one who noticed. Eyes swivelled to see what could possibly hold the interest of the three most popular girls in the school. It couldn't possibly be our table, but that seemed to be where they were heading. I looked down to try and avoid any kind of eye contact. I heard the room go silent and I sheepishly glanced upwards and was shocked to see all three goddesses standing right in front of me. I waited patiently for someone to explain what was happening. I was painfully aware of the sound of my heartbeats and my increasingly heavy breathing.
"Come with us," said Kayla, the leader of the three girls.
A murmur of interest spreads like wildfire around the room. What do they want with me? I'm an outsider, no worse than that, I'm a nobody. I have no choice but to follow them, even though I'm sure that this cannot be good. These girls to not extend friendship to noughts, to nobodies. I stand up and follow them, ignoring the hundreds of eyes staring at me. I decided to risk one look behind me as I silently walked out of the room.