Page 139 - The Life of A Teenage Girl (Stories About Finding Your Way)

UNDERNEATH IT ALL

Mom looked at us briefly and said, “You sure you girls are
comfortable wearing those… clothes?”

My sister and I exchanged confused looks, and I said, “Yeah, why

ask?”
“Because you look… different,” Mom said, pausing at some point

in her words.
“What do you mean?” Jirelle asked curiously.

“Well… y’all are Black girls, so wearing… pleat skirts won’t
really suit you. And Jirelle, you normally wear oversized sweaters and

baggy pants. Jorelle, you… well—”

“Mama, there’s nothing wrong with what I’m wearing or what
Jorelle’s wearing. As long as we like it and it suits us, then it’s fine.

Also, us being Black doesn’t mean we can’t wear what we like,” Jirelle
snapped.

Now, when I said “snapped,” I didn’t mean Jirelle raised her voice
at Mom. It’s just that in our family, we’re very honest people—even if

it means being rude. As long as it’s the truth, then it’s a little bit okay.

And Mom was kind of judging us, so Jirelle had to step in. She
promised me when I was ten that anytime someone was being mean,

she would defend me and protect me—even if it meant standing up to

our own family.
But if you’re thinking about my enemy, he’s different from the

usual bully. Jirelle has no business with me and would never have time
to meet him in school for a pep talk or something.

“Okay, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it,” Mom said.

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