Being Armani

Chapter 1 - Armani

"Everyone must write a few paragraphs about themselves. Telling where your from, how old you are, favorite TV shows." Ms. Porter, my English 101 teacher, was walking up and down the isle was between the desk handing out papers. "You can even spill all your deepest darkest secrets, you know why? Because I'm not going to be reading it, this is not a graded assignment."

I stared at my pencil, how was I going to start?

My name is Armani Okafor. I was born December 23, 1997 in Lagos, Nigeria, but I was raised on Providence Drive in Charlotte, North Carolina, but I attended Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia from eighth through twelfth grade, now currently attend Stanford University. My favorite color is gold. I don't watch TV much, but when I do I always watch Empire. My favorite sport is track, and I was awarded a scholarship for track and field from Stanford. My parents are David and Mary Okafor and I have an older brother named Daniel and two younger siblings Khadijah and Khaleed. My father is an Engineer and my mother is a celebrity Plastic Surgeon. Daniel, 21, attends Duke University so he can earn a degree in Neurosurgery because he wants to be a surgeon, but honestly, everyone knows that Daniel is going to be either a pro soccer player or he's going to be in the NBA. Khadijah has been modeling since she was 4. She's 15 years old now and she works with almost every single clothing brand there is and she ALWAYS goes to fashion week, but she wants to start her own charity and help underprivileged families around the world. Khaleed is Khadijah's twin. One minute and 9 seconds apart. Khaleed is the type of person who can perfect everything you tell him to do. He's an amazing dancer, he can sing, he can speak Sign Language, French, English, Spanish, and Yoruba (our family's native language, everyone in our family can speak it) he plays for an AAU basketball team, he can play the piano, guitar, trumpet, trombone, and saxophone. He can basically do anything humanely possibly. Right now, he's working on upgraded his bike to a motorbike. He's done something like that before, 6 months ago he built a homemade rocket that still hasn't came back yet. Yeah, my family is pretty cool. I enjoy spending time with them.

I looked at my paper, I thought I was done.

"Wow, you seem so lame compared to the rest of your family," I turned and saw a brunette look over my shoulder reading my paper. I felt really embarrassed because she was speaking loudly. "Wait, you were born in Nigeria? Do you have Ebola or something?" she kept talking. I just wanted to disappear.

She was chewing her gum very loudly, "Your sister is a model?! Yeah right! And there is now way in the hell you are related to Daniel Okafor, he's like, amazing and your not! How much of this stuff are you lying about?"

I felt everyone looking at me. I looked around the classroom with just my eyes and didn't see Ms. Porter anywhere.

"Aren't you going to say something?" she asked.

"Please stop, I just want to finish my paper," I said quietly.

She grabbed my paper off of my desk, crumpled it up and threw it at my head. I don't know what I have every done to this girl to hate me so much. I felt tears forming in my eyes.

"Hey, Ashley, stop that, you're going to make her cry, don't ruin everyone's day," a black boy sitting in front of me said.

"How will making her cry ruin everyone's day?" this girl, Ashley, said.

He looked at me and smiled, "No one wants to see a beautiful girl cry."

She immediately mugged me, "Whatever, I have better things to do anyway," I looked at the boy in front of me, "Thank you," was all I said.

I have been called beautiful, sexy, hot, fine, and cute many times before, by boys who are just looking for someone to hit it and quit it, but I'm not interested in boys right now. I'm just here so I can become an Anesthesiologist.

Ashley walked back to her seat and starts going on her phone, probably telling everyone how miserable she made me.

Luckily, the bell rung and I quickly walked out of the classroom.

:

During lunch I sat at a table by myself. Apparently, word got around about Ashley tormenting me and I guess Ashley is the person everyone listens to.

I opened my bag and saw that I forgot to pack my lunch, so I got up and stood in the lunch line.

"Hey baby, how you doin', you wanna spend sometime in my dorm? I don't got a roommate," a boy in some very tight pants and a v-neck said. I looked at him in disgust, "No thank you, now if you will excuse me, I have just lost my appetite," I walked out of the lunch line. I hate when I'm disrespected by a thirsty boy, it just sets me off.

I walk outside and sit on a bench. I stared at Stanford's beautiful campus. It almost made me forget about all my worries. I can't believe I've made it this far.

"I know, sometimes I can't believe that I'm here either," the same boy who stood up for me in English class was walking towards me, "May I join you?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes, "If you're going to ask for a booty call then you can leave," he laughed, "I can assure you," he sat down, "I'm not her for a booty call,"

He held out his hand, "My name is Jalen Johnson," I looked at his hand for awhile, I was afraid to shake it because he might try to grope me or something. "Armani Okafor," I shook his hand.

Surprisingly, he put his hands in his lap, "So, Armani, tell me a little about yourself," I looked at him and faked smiled, "Well, I came here to be alone, so I think you should leave,"

He smiled, "You're not going to get rid of me that easily," I rolled my eyes, "Ugh, fine whatever, you can stay here,"

"Thanks friend," he playfully punched me in my shoulder, "What the hell?" I said. No guy has ever called me friend that wasn't related to me.

"Yup, we are best friends now," he smiled at me, he had a nice smile. "I never agreed to that," I crossed my arms, "Well you don't have to because I know you need friends,"

"I have friends!"

He looked around, "Really? Because I don't see them, maybe they're bad friends who don't care about you, that's why they left you alone."

"Okay, okay, I am a bit lonely, but it's only the second day of school!"

"Sing the song," he demanded.

"What song?"

"I am so lonely, I have nobody," he pointed at me, "What am I supposed to do?" I was so confused, "Wow, you were supposed to finish it!"

"Oh, okay, again!"

He started, "I am so lonely, I have nobody," he pointed at me again, and ,this time, I was ready, "All on my own,"

And we finished together, "I am so lonely,"

"You are so cheesy, I'm just doing this so you can go away," I laughed.

"I'm not leaving anytime soon, I have basketball practice in two hours so until then, I'm free!" he smiled.

"Well, I'm not free, I have math class in-" I checked my watch, "30 minutes," I grabbed my backpack and started walking away.

"See you later Armani," he said as I walked away.

I just shook my head, "Whatever," I knew that was a one time thing, next time he saw me he would probably try to ask me out or something, but I'm not that desperate. I only just met the guy, but he does have a nice smile.