on the other side.

beautiful stone.

kemala yukimura was a reserved girl. many found her quiet and timid, with her short height and the way she covered herself up. her hair was a wonderful wave of brown, cascading down her shoulders down her back and down to just below her shoulders, nearing her chest. it was one of the only things she loved about herself. her hair.

the young woman covered herself up rather well; she usually wore a hoodie with a simple pair of jeans, if her mother hadn't forced her into a ankle length skirt. her eyes were a deep dark shade of chocolate brown. her skin was a slight pale shade and her lips were cute and plump.

to the outside eye, she seemed quiet. but, inside her head...she was nothing close.

kemala often felt like she was confined in a box, unable to jump out and reach out to the things she wanted. she could never have what she wanted. it was impossible. she didn't know if it was because of her heritage - her japanese father and her overstrict indonesian mother - or if it was because of her culture..

all kemala knew was that she hated this. she hated being confined. she hated being trapped. she hated not getting what she wanted.

she hated having to study science,

or the expectations her family held on her.

she wanted something different.

kemala... she wanted freedom. she wanted truer friends. she wanted acception... and love.

she wanted a girlfriend.

of course, nobody knew about her forbidden secret. she kept it to herself, in the deep dark cave she called her heart. nobody could know. nobody. it's just a phase, she'd tell herself, even if she's been feeling like this for years. it's just a mood..you'll get over it.

mum and dad don't have to know.

nobody needs to know.

seventeen year old kemala had been telling herself these lies for years..and things don't seem to be getting better. she felt a tug, a painful pull in her heart, knowing that she could never be herself.

kemala could see it now. her. forcing herself into the science field. forcing herself to become a doctor. forcing herself to marry a man, to marry the man that her mother would have matched her up with. she would be unhappy. she would never feel true love, true attraction to this man...only serving others around her. pleasing her husband and her parents. she would die an unhappy woman.

-the thought made her lower lip tremble.

kemala slammed the pencil on the table, ripped off her earphones and stood up hastily.

fuck this chemistry homework.

---

she had abruptly left, leaving her father with a brief - 'im taking a walk' - before storming quickly outside. she needed to breathe. she needed air.

kemala closed her eyes and her long black eyelashes met with one another. her free caramel brown hair blew softly in the wind, as she tucked her hands deeper into her coat pockets. she exhaled a cloud of mist which escaped her lips and her slightly tanned cheeks tinged with a small shade of pink. feeling her arms shake, she balled her hands into fists in her pockets and squeezed her eyes closer together. she could feel the wet tears starting to from on the edge of her eyes and threaten to roll down her porcelain skin.

but no. she wouldn't let them. kemala wouldn't cry here out of all places, not in the park. there were parents, people, children..

her thought was left drifting away as she heard the abrupt sound of what resembled a herd of storming elephants. she felt her heart skip with dread, as she slumped in the seat she was sitting on.

"great," she muttered quietly to herself with discontent,f her little moment of peace and silence was just disturbed. kemala could hear the shrill screech of a maniacal bitch laughing.

"shut up!" the bitch cried, laughing, her voice reaching to tones higher than a siren could make. the sound of laughing slowly died down, so did the sound of heavy footsteps, when they got a little closer. kemala could feel a looming presence above her, but was yet to open her eyes.

"so ya a hobo now?" the girl smirked, not that kemala could see, as she stared at the closed eyed girl. muffled snickers could be heard behind her.

kemala sighed. she was far too used to that girl's antics by now. even though some things she said got to her... she tried not to show it. she kept her lips closed.

"suits you... you fucking immigrant," she was mocked by one of the bitch's friends. she clenched her jaw, opened her eyes and flinched at their words. ouch. that hit a sore spot.

kemala felt a shove to her right shoulder and took a deep breath.

"please stop," she said quietly. her voice was meant to come out confident but it was weak and meek, like a lamb baa-ing. the gang of adolescents laughed quietly at her pathetic attempt to defend herself. kemala clenched her fists, gritting her teeth as anger, more at herself began to bubble up within her.

"well maybe, i. don't. want to." the bitch giggled in a high pitched sound, like a little girl teasing.

her fingers dug into her thighs as she stared into her lap. she was too afraid to let the bullies see her broken gaze, the teary haze that welled up and threatened to slip from her eyes. her skin turned paler, though it was unnoticeable in the cold british weather. god, she had never hated one girl so much.

the group of teenagers had seemed to be cornering her even more now, surrounding her as they looked down at her with scrutinizing, judgmental eyes. of course..she was the only brown girl in her year group. the only hint of diversity. deciding to take a bold move, she suddenly shot up and pushed the bitch back quite roughly, giving her enough space for an exit out. without hesitation kemala bolted away from them, as the tears dropped to the floor. it was cowardly, but she couldn't handle them for a second longer.

so then she ran. kemala ran. she couldn't go back home, nor could she go back to the park. she took a couple lefts, followed by a few rights turns until she walked through the pavement of the correct street. kemala stumbled fowards, knocking on the door with a tearful look in her eyes.

unsurprisingly, door opened.

---

a/n:

kemala meaning: beautiful stone.

also big thanks to @Splishysploshy for proofreading this! she's awesome go check her out!