Dark Like Me

9~The Truth

The house is silent; everyone is sleeping or just in his or her room, watching television. Sydnie and I are laying in our beds with the television on.

My eyes grow heavy from the overwhelming effects of what went on today at the basketball game. Blurring my vision at whatever is on the television, looks like some kind of cartoon. Powerpuff girls? SpongeBob? Doug?

Whatever the cartoon is, I secretly hope Sydnie had forgotten about the talk she wanted to have with me. I can hear Sydnie tussling around and sitting up in her bed.

The other reason why Sydnie and I room together is due to the late-night talks with my sister. I do have my own room but because Sydnie and I usually spend a lot of time in her room chatting and playing around.

I just stay with her; exhausted to go get in my own bed. It's nice to have a roomie, but sometimes I do forget I've my own room.

"Sirrah, wake up," the small lamp illuminates the room, almost blinding me.

Shit. I spoke too soon.

"I'm awake . . . Partly," I yawn and turn to face my sister.

"Great. You know Alchemy has changed, right?"

I sigh now knowing she had not forgotten.

Fiddlesticks. I swear. Dirty fiddlesticks.

I'm not ready to have this kind of talk. at least not while I'm on the verge of going to sleep. Then for it to be about Alchemy and her piss poor attitude.

I rub my face and groan. "People change, Syd. It happens." I sit up trying to get ready for what Sydnie has to tell me. "With time."

"No . . . no . . . well . . . yeah. But, she is. . . I don't know. She is changing for the worst. She is not your friend at all, Sirrah. Well, not anymore. Not like how she was in the beginning. You two were inseparable and now all she does is just blow you off for these boys who want nothing to do with her. More than likely just have sex with her, nothing else." Sydnie tries to put it decently.

"Look sister. I do not have a lot of friends like you or our brothers do." I spill.

"But-."

"No," I sit up a little straighter. "It-."

"So, what you are telling me is you would rather be treated badly by someone who doesn't give two fucks about you or how you feel than be alone?" Sydnie asks, aggravated at my gullible personality.

I frown at the ugly truth about Alchemy and myself. The truth begins to spill out.

"That's exactly what I'm saying to you, Sydnie. Yeah, I know it is bad but you do not know how great you have it because you are not dark like me. You are this pretty tan girl with long brown hair and pretty brown eyes, people naturally flock to you and want to be your friend. Hell, you even have a boyfriend who loves and adores you. You are not teased every day; you do not have people trying to hurt you just because of your skin tone. You don't have people saying nasty things because of the family you were adopted into. You've got none of this going on in your life." I raise my arms and let them drop lazily onto my bed. "Syd, Alchemy is my one and only friend and like I said, if she treats me badly then so be it. I rather have that than have no one." I clench my fists under the blankets as I try not to think about the fear of having no friends.

"But, Sirrah you have me, mom, dad, and Zander. Forget Nick sometimes. You have us. Alchemy is not any good. It shouldn't matter who you are, what color family you were adopted into. We love you just the same. And I don't want you subjected to her treating you badly anymore."

"It does matter to me." I let my eyes drop to my lime green comforter, my heart beating hard against my chest. "Just drop it okay?"

I turn over and lay back down. I stare at the wall near tears at my own ugly truth. I steady my breathing enough so it appears I'm sleeping. I can hear Sydnie sigh in defeat and turn the television off.

Sydnie didn't know all of the things I just told her. I usually just keep it to myself because I know what some people are going to say. I know people won't understand the pain I feel almost every day. But, I know she never wants me to feel like I'm an outcast among the family or friends. But, Sydnie most certainly never wanted me to be someone's friend just because I have no friends.

I know Sydnie is speaking the truth about Alchemy and telling me to fuck what other's think about me being adopted. I know Alchemy's attitude is changing and has been changing for a long time now, ever since we entered high school. I started filling out body wise more, my boobs got bigger along with my thighs and butt.

I couldn't help it. I was hitting puberty and Alchemy was not. I knew this. However, Alchemy is my only friend so what am I supposed to do? Making new friends for me is never a hard thing to do, but with my mindset, I often ponder who would want to be friends with someone like myself?

Am I supposed to cut off my friend or am I supposed to keep the friend I have even though it's hurting me mentally and emotionally? These questions swim through my mind until I go to sleep.

Sirrah watches the girl she had befriended over the few years she'd been here, get ready to leave the orphanage for good. The girl puts on the new coat her new parents had bought her and she looks at Sirrah's tear stained face.

"Oh, little Sirrah, do not cry," she wipes her tears with the pads of her thumbs.

"But, you are leaving me and never coming back." Sirrah sobs.

The girl sighs and tears form in her own eyes, "You have been the best little sister I have ever had. I will never forget you and if they let me, I will try to write to you."

Sirrah hugs the girl, "I don't want you to go, though. I want you to stay here with me." Sirrah hugs her tighter.

The girl hugs Sirrah back, "I can't stay. But, one day," The girl kneels in front of Sirrah and wipes more tears off Sirrah's face, "you will be adopted into a family who will love you and take care of you."

"You promise?" Sirrah sniffles and wipes her runny nose on her long sleeve.

"I promise." The girl kisses Sirrah's forehead as her new parents call for her. "See ya later, Sirrah."

Sirrah waves to the girl as she stands in the doorway. The girl gets in the car and looks at Sirrah through the window until the car drives off.