READ THIS IT'S IMPORTANT!
This is dedicated to one of my best friends, who has extreme ADHD and often is bullied for that fact. Why, she's extremely hyper, talks nonstop, and has a small glimmer of OCD in her. Basically she can be as annoying as hell, but me and my friends love her for how she is, but nobody it seems besides us can get past all of her slight faults and realize that's just how she is. Until she met us, she had no friends, and people are still extremely mean to her, to the point where I, being a peace loving person, want to punch them out and scream. EVEN THE TEACHERS DO IT! (not as often but it still happens.) Unfortunately she's not the only one in my group of friends that's been subjected to treatment like this, I have ADD inattentive type, and before I started taking medication for it, the kids in my class ignored me and made me feel like an awful person, and it doesn't stop at me. It's a horrible feeling to be ignored, teased, people say stuff like "Shut up, nobody likes you." To people they find it annoying. They find it 'funny'. If only they knew how much it hurt the person on the receiving end of that.
Anyways, I won't keep you from the one-shot any longer, I'll try and be a little more light hearted, but this is a serious one-shot, so it won't be as goofy as other chapters of this story.
Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT
Ella furrowed her eyebrows and repressed a whimper, as her head pulsed. The humidity in their apartment was unbearable, their AC broke and the rainiest day of the summer brought a suffocating wave of hot air all around the city. The only semi tolerable places to be were either the lobby of the building, or outside itself. Donny was currently doing his best to fix the AC that day, but it would take another 2 hours. Cam and Beccy had already taken off and Tawni was in the middle of taking a cold shower. The poor girl couldn't take it anymore…
"D-Donatello…?" Ella spoke, tapping her turtle boyfriend on the shell and he looked around, pushing his goggles up away form his eyes.
"Yeah Ellie?" He cocked his head to the side in curiosity. She looked uncomfortable and flushed.
"I-I'm going to go for a walk, just a quick one. I-I can't take this humidity anymore.."
Don smiled sympathetically, living in the sewers things were usually pretty cool, but when it got how all the moisture in the air down there made it extremely humid all the time, and there was no escaping it for them so he was used to it, but his girlfriend was a different story.
"Kay, I'll call you when Tawni's out of the shower."
Ella nodded and quickly scurried out of the building, gulping in the somewhat fresh and extremely damp air. It was still stagnant weather, but it was at least better than being trapped inside it.
She slowly walked around the city, being careful of where she was going, like avoiding alleys and such. She stayed in populated areas and brightly lit areas, so this time Lyssa could not sneak up on her.
She briefly thought about her friends, old and new, her growing relationship with Donatello, and how much confidence she was getting lately. She didn't know if it was the newly discovered animal spirit inside of her, or I this was just something in her that had been subconsciously locked away ages and ages, and it was finally opening it up again. She thought about all of the troubles her and her friends were going through, everything they were getting through together. So lost in thought she was, that she hadn't noticed that her feet had somehow grown a mind of their own, and carried her to a tall red brick building.
A school. Elementary school to be exact, and it was time for recess for what looked like the third grade summer camp. The laughter of the children made Ella feel slightly nostalgic, even though she knew she had never been a part of that laughter…by third grade was when she had resigned herself to the library. Non the less she stopped and watched by the fence, knowing the counselors wouldn't think much of it, they were all too hot to be suspicious and Ella vaguely suspected even if they weren't they couldn't care less.
Her eyes travelled across the pavement, hopscotch, jump rope jungle gym. Suddenly a sight stopped her eye travel dead.
A small Asian girl, Japanese in heritage, was nudging herself back and forth on a swing set, all by herself. No one looked at her, no one asked her to play with them, just ignored her, like she wasn't even there. When a group of kids would stop their playing somewhat near the swing set, the girl would look up, and open her mouth, moving her mouth to try and form words. The children would look at each other, giggle amongst themselves then run away again, making the little girl duck her head down in dejection, her shoulders slumping in disappointment and hurt.
Ella, who was standing by a tall oak tree, leaned against it, feeling a familiar pang of heartbreak strike her chest. She had been that little girl not long ago, no physically of course not but metaphorically. That same rejection..the anger hurt and confusion she felt and wondering what on earth she did wrong. A song popped into her head faintly..
You don't know my name…
you don't know, anything about me
I try to play nice
I want to be in your game..
Ella's heart fluttered in somewhat panic as the girls form before pointed at the little girl form a distance away, whispering things and giggling at what was said, making the girls shoulders squeeze together in embarrassment, as if it could make her disappear.
The things that you say
You may think I never hear about them
But word travels fast
I'm telling you to your face..
The little girl looked up sharply when she finally heard clearly what the others had said and understand fully what it meant. When the others noticed her look, they gave her an immature raspberry and ran off
I'm standing here behind your back.
Ella winced, at the wounded look the little girl got at their reaction.
You don't know how it feels
To be outside the crowd
You don't know what it's like
To be left out
And you don't know how it feels
To be your own best friend on the outside looking in
Finally the little girl took a deep breath and leapt off her seat, stumbling a little but catching herself as she ran to the crowd of children, now joined by a few boys.
"Douzo…" she said but then flushed and realized her mistake, shaking her head and clutching at the hem of her shirt in nervousy, "Please…I p-play?"
It was then that Ella realized the problem, the little girl did not have a total grasp on the English language, she was clearly an immigrant from Japan, and had not been able to study this language before she came.
The children had already recoiled at her Japanese phrase, looking at her in scrutiny before laughing, "You talk funny, firs we don't know what your saying, then you talk like a cave man!" One girl shrieked, and Ella felt an unfamiliar feeling of boiling anger enter her system, she was not used to it, and her hand shook on the latch of the gate separating her and the children.
If you could read my mind
You might see more of me that meets the eye
And you've been all wrong
Not who you think I am..
The final straw was when a young boy started to hop around the girl like a monkey shouting things like "oonga bounga I stupid…" Making the girl confused and frightened, not understanding why they were all laughing
But you've never given me a chance
"ENOUGH!" a sharp cry rang across the playground, making everyone inside it freeze in place and turn towards it's source. Ella was shocked to realize they were staring at her.
The old Ella, that used to hide in the library her whole life, was telling her to run away, and try and forget this sudden surge of bravery, but the new Ella, the real Ella told her to take a deep breath and keep going. Something had to be done.
Ella pursed her lips and ignored the intimidated voice inside of her that was somewhat a part of her shy nature, and opened the gat boldly, marching across the grass and ignoring the curious stares of the camp counselors. The other children shuffled away form her, looking sheepish and frightened that they had been caught by and "grown up" in their eyes. The little Japanese girl stood her ground though, looking confused and equally frightened but unable to move.
Ella's eyes softened and she crouched to the girls level, looking her in the eye kindly, "Daijoubu desu ka?"
The little girls eyes widened in both hope and surprise, she quickly swallowed it and looked to the ground "Hai.." she replied quietly.
You don't know how it feels
To be outside the crowd
You don't know what it's like
To be left out
And you don't know how it feels
To be your own best friend on the outside looking in
Ella smiled gently at the little girl, and slowly the little one gave one of her own. Looking around for a moment, she suddenly noticed a shiny red ball that had been discarded by the children earlier.
"Tawamure?" Ella asked, to which the girl happily nodded. She gestured for the little girl to back up a little and tossed her the ball, shouting out the number one in Japanese, thus naming the game. With each throw the girls would count the numbers in Japanese, or in the children watching's opinion, giving the throws names.
"Ichi..Ni…San…Yon…Go.."
Well, I'm tired of staying at home
I'm bored and all alone
Slowly but surely the children would call out he numbers names themselves, until the ball was tossed to them and around and around until a full blown circle of Japanese numbers being called was formed, and Ella was able to sneak away undetected. The little girl was happily playing a game with her peers, what would come of this Ella was not sure, but she hoped it would help in someway. That she had helped a little girl find her way inside a strange new place
I'm sick of wasting all my time
On her journey back to the apartment, Ella briefly thought about her actions, how she had longed to be included in the games of the kids in her school, not necessarily be popular or in the in crowd….just included…not forgotten.
She thought about Lyssa, and how much torture she had pt her thorough for a reason Ella did not know of. Lyssa could not see past her won ego and delusional superiority to see what she was doing to Ella, r realize what she would feel if she was in Ella's position
You don't know how it feels
To be outside the crowd
You don't know what it's like
To be left out
And you don't know how it feels
To be your own best friend on the outside looking in
Ella pursed her lips again and decided she didn't want o think about his anymore, and broke into a jog. it was too sad and pitiful, that was what Lyssa was. So focused on being on top she would let Chicobo destroy her body with whatever he had given her to give her ,her powers…Ella still didn't know just what to do about that. All she knew is that people like Lyssa were around, like Lyssa some would never see the error of her ways, all Ella could say in response to this is
You don't know how it feels
To be outside the crowd
You don't know what it's like
To be left out
And you don't know how it feels
To be your own best friend
Ella looked up startled when she bumped intot he door of her apartment, she could feel cold air seeping through the crack at the bottom and she smiled, Donny finally fixed the AC.
She knocked gently and Don opened it, stepping backwards( while being careful to remain out of sight) and giving her room to come in.
"Have a nice walk Ella?"
Ella smiled at him happily and walked inside, "Hai."
On the outside looking in…
The purpose of this one-shot is to get everyone thinking. Did you ever say something offensive about somebody, while being conscious about it, and avoid being friendly even if you know that's just the way they are. Because you don't understand it. We aren't perfect I understand, and those of you who said yes, and feel guilty about it, well your probably a very mature person, because people who say no are probably in denial. Unfair judgments are made on people for looks, religion, and personality. It's a sucky part of our human nature and society, but it's up to a good person to say, "You know what, I don't understand it, but there must be some reason for it." So if you see a girl like my friends, who seems like she's on her own a lot like the girl in the one-shot, say hello! Do something! Reach out and bring her in form the outside….(okay that really sounded corny, but deal with it, it sounded good!) You don't have to listen to me of course, but seriously, after reading this one-shot, what's the first thing you'd want to do?
Review please if you liked it.
All my friends with MisfitCrewProductions, this is for you!
Daijoubu desu ka: Are you alright?
Hai: Yes
Douzo: please
Tawamure: play?