Chapter 2

“The last one is perfect”, I said, smiling. Paula just pouted. “Nah, I like the other ones better.” Skeptically I looked at the two pictures above, one showing me with a pretty embarrassing shocked look, the other one with my head turned towards Paula and my mouth wide open. “If you think so…” She handed me a copy of the photo strip. “Anyway, would you mind explaining why you needed a stranger in a photo booth?” Paula just waved the pictures. “It’s on my bucket list.” This girl had a bucket list? “Then lying on the pavement was also part of it?” She shook her head. “Nah, that’s just fun.” We stepped outside the booth and I wanted to take my leave, when she reached out for me. “So… last time on the pavement, you were the first person to talk to me normally. You see, people usually just whisper or yell at me or something. You’re really something else.” I wasn’t sure if that was a compliment when it was coming from the weirdest person I had ever met. “Here you go”, she said, writing her phone number on a blue slip of paper. “If you want to, you can text me and we can become friends. Though most people just hang around as long as I make them to and leave as soon as they can.” She laughed. “In that case, just throw it away.” I couldn’t tell whether she was actually sad saying that. Her smile seemed truthful in a way, so I nodded and slipped the note into my pocket.

A few days had passed and I was lying on my bed when the screen of my phone lit up. I grabbed it and read the message on the lock screen. We’re going to karaoke on Saturday. You coming? It was from one of my friends. I stared at it for a while. Karaoke was something I’d wanted to try for a long time but the thought of all the people hearing my singing, which is pretty bad by the way, frightened me. I looked up and stared at the mirror in front of my bed. What if people laughed at me? That was probably the whole point of karaoke but… Sorry, I already have plans for the weekend. I typed, hesitated, deleted. Typed again. I looked up and stared at the mirror in front of my bed, examining myself, again. Would this ever change? I stood up and walked around the room when suddenly the door burst open. “Hey Sissy, whatcha’ doin’?” Best timing, for real. That brown haired male in the doorframe was my brother Jordon, the real son of my parents, who technically aren’t even my parents, because I’m just the adopted second child they got for whatever reason. Seriously, they had a perfect, social child and then decided to get me? “Thinking”, I answered. He softly knocked my head with his fist. “Stop thinking and start doing, Sissy.” I glanced at my mirror again. Doing wasn’t as easy as he made it sound. At least if you’re not the sociable extrovert everybody flocks to. “Oh, you’re going to karaoke this weekend? Can I come too?” – “No, I.. hey! Give me back my phone!” He shook his head and typed a message. “Don’t you dare send that!” I didn’t even know what he was writing but it would probably send me to hell. He smirked mischievously. “Sorry, too late.” I growled and jumped after my phone, which he had thrown onto the bed. “I’m off, Sissy. Got a pretty promising date tonight.” Then he left and I quickly grabbed my mobile to see what he had texted. Of course, looking forward to it. I growled again and turned to my back. How should I ever survive this? Then my eyes fell on a blue slip of paper peeking out from my pants pocket and I started typing again.