Reflections

Reflections
By: Erica Henry

“Oh boy, time to go to school again,” Judianne says to herself as she leaps out of her king size bed. Judianne goes to all white girls’ catholic school. Although she is an honor student, she dreaded going to school. Being the only “light skin girl”, she sometimes feel like she’s an outcast and is subject to a lot of scrutiny. She just feels different and thinks it is all just a bit childish to discriminate against someone because of their skin color.
As she makes her way down the steps to go to the kitchen to eat breakfast, she frowns as she seen her mother and stepfather share a kiss. Her mother, Therese is a white lawyer in a prestigious law firm. Her stepfather, Jonathan, a well known owner of a real estate company, has been married to her mother for the past 7 years. Judianne’s biological father, Eric is an African American man who is a junior partner at another prestigious law firm. Her parents got divorced when she was 6. She still visits her father on the weekend very often.
“Good Morning, dear. You slept well?” asked Therese to Judianne.
“I slept pretty well. Can we please get a move on because I have a Spanish test first period,” Judianne told her mother eagerly.
“Sure, no problem, but I wouldn’t be driving you to school this morning. I have a very important meeting, so Jonathan will be driving you,” Therese responded.
Judianne rolled her eyes as she went to put her jacket on. She didn’t really like Jonathan. She never really knows him and she doesn’t want to get the chance to either. Their ride to school was a very quiet one as usual, expect when they exchanged their phony goodbyes. She was delighted when she got out of the car.
As she made her way to her locker on the 2nd floor, she felt a lot of eyes on her. Judianne didn’t know what it really was that they had against her, if there was anything. She would talk to her father Eric about it all the time and he suggested that it was probably jealousy. Even though she believed that part of it could be jealousy, she would always ask herself, “What could they be jealous of?” She let the thought get out of head as she made her way to Room 210 for her Spanish test. Of course, she knew she would pass with flying colors.

Meanwhile……
“I feel so fat! I got to lose more weight before Christmas,” Sarah said to herself. Now let me explain Sarah. Sarah weighs about 105 pounds, 5’2, and wears a size 3 and thinks she is one of the fattest girls in her school. Her main goal is to wear a 1 like all the celebrities on television. She is bulimic and denies the fact that she is because she doesn’t throw up everyday, only when she thinks she ate a little bit too much for a day. Her inspiration is Lindsay Lohan. She saw how Lindsay lost so much over the matter of like 6 months. She wants to be as skinny as her.
Sarah just lives with her mother in a 2 bedroom apartment. Her mother, Karese, is a well known hairstylist in the neighborhood and owns the hair salon, Reflections. As Karese prepares Sarah’s favorite breakfast of turkey bacon, home fries, and French toast, she notices that Sarah walks past the plate on the table and grabs a low fat strawberry yogurt.
“Sweetie, feeling okay?” Karese asked suspiciously.
“Of course, Mama, I feel great,” responded Sarah.
“Well it’s seems a little strange that I took the time to make your favorite breakfast and you don’t want it,” Karese stated aggravated. She could have used that money she spent on the ingredients to get her feet and toes done.
“Sorry, Mama, you should have asked me first,” Sarah responded sarcastically.
“Don’t be getting smart with me. Here’s your lunch money,” Karese yelled to Sarah.
Sarah grabbed her money, put on her coat and headed toward the train station. She feels a sense that her mother may be catching on with her weight issues. She doesn’t want her mother to find her that she may be a little bulimic. Her mother will kill her! Literally. She just never found a correct way to express her thoughts about her weight to her mother. The main reason above all, Sarah thought that since it was her body she could do anything she wants to it. She will be soon be in for a rude awakening.
After Spanish, Judianne has English, one of her favorite classes. She loves to write poetry and wants to major in journalism. As she walks in she notices her teacher has place a sheet of paper. “Oh, Boy, another project,” Judianne thought to herself. As she got to her seat and read the paper, she was ecstatic. The paper will be due right after Thanksgiving break, that way there will be nothing to do over the break.
The report was to be consisting of at least 3 pages and about self image. She was going to attempt to write a not only a good paper but a paper delivering her message. Instead of writing what they other girls might expect, she is going to flip it right around. She just couldn’t wait to tell her father about this, especially since she will be spending her Thanksgiving break mostly with her father.

Thanksgiving Break
Sarah usually spends Thanksgiving over at her Aunt Juanita’s house. Sarah couldn’t wait to bust it down. Hopefully she will eat enough and not a lot. Her aunt and mother will be making all the specialties. Of course, turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, candy yams and stuffing. It all smelled so good and Sarah couldn’t wait to dig in.
After they said the family prayer, Sarah did just that, dug in. She couldn’t believe herself and she ate at least 3 plates. She ate way more than she had anticipated. Even though she was trying to avoid throwing up in her aunt’s house she had to do it so she can have space for the red velvet cake. She took the decision to just at least throw up the last plate so she won’t feel guilty about eating dessert.
As everyone else was gathered around, playing dominoes or spades or watching the football game, Sarah made her way to the bathroom upstairs by her cousin’s bedroom. Her mother was in the living room and noticed that Sarah had disappeared and she also made her upstairs to see what exactly Sarah was doing.

Over at Judianne’s
Judianne was spending Thanksgiving with her father in his luxurious studio apartment in SoHo. After eating dinner, Judianne discussed her English project and asked her father’s opinion.
“Daddy, you know for English, we have to write a 3 page essay about your self-image and how you feel within your skin. What shall I say?” asked Judianne to her papadukes.
“Well, just write about how you embrace your skin and although you maybe a different from all the other girls, you actually appreciate it,” responded Eric to his beautiful daughter Judianne.
Judianne like the idea of what her father suggested. She finally realized that even though she was different, it was good. Although she felt like an outcast, she rather have it that way than fitting. She went to her room and decided to get started. Throughout, the paper she talks about skin color and although it may be different than anybody else, she embraces it and loves her skin. She loves the person she is and wouldn’t change for any reason. She realizes that she stands out and she rather have it that way than any other way. She also wanted to discuss that she may be from a family that may not be like everyone else, but she’s grateful for everything that her mother and father has given to her. Even though she can’t choose which side she prefers, it’s better if she don’t because in the end the result is just her. Hate it or Love it, Judianne will always be herself and she definitely loves it.

Back to Sarah
As Sarah was throwing up, Karese had her ears pierced to the door. “I knew it!” exclaimed Karese. She banged on the door loud and long until Sarah finally opened the door. Karese wanted Sarah to confess herself, so she acted like she didn’t know what exactly was going on.
“Darling, are you feeling okay?” Karese asked nonchalantly, as she damped at Sarah’s temples.
“Mama, I have something to tell you and please agreed to me that you won’t be mad at me,” responded Sarah.
“Sure, baby. Go right ahead,” stated Karese, feeling less tense and glad that Sarah was now opening up to her.
As Sarah open up to Karese about her bulimia, she found out that her Aunt Juanita was once bulimic too at a younger age. She got professional help and ever since then Juanita has embraced her body and love it more and more, even after having 4 kids. Karese followed the same steps she took to help her older sister at when they were younger to help out her daughter.
Sarah is now aware of the wrongs of bulimia and Karese and she has been closer than ever. Sarah now wears a size 6 and actually loving it. She embraces her plump and volutpous figure. Sarah has been known to be saying that she rather be a Beyonce than a Lindsay Lohan any day. Now ain’t that sumthin’?