Free at last ...Mal tag Any

[Mal Harper]

[Character name: Mal harper]
[Location" Sitting on her car in the parking lot]

Mal hated the cafeteria. It was filled with preppy girls who worried about what they were eating. It reminded her too much of home. The past month had been hell. her parents were trying to get more involved in her life. She would rather they not. Sometimes she wished she could fast forward to graduation and move out. No such luck.

Either way school had its benefits. It was a break from the family drama. Apparently something was going on with her mom and older sister. Who knew. Mal barely thought about it. If it was am emergency she was sure they would have told her. Mal decided the best place to have lunch was on top of her car. So she jumped up on the hook and took out some food and ate it.

She put her headphones on and turned on her Ipod and laid back down on her car and just laid there. Now this was nice. peace and quiet. Or it was until someone blocked her sun. Not that she cared. She opened one eyed and looked at a shadow, "Can I help you?" She wondered who it was, but was too lazy to sit up. She did removed the headphones so she could at least hear what the person had to say.

[Wiki Mistress]

“You looked sad,” the thickly accented voice replied blue eyes staring intently at the girl on the car. “What is making you sad?” There were so many sad people around the school that Selby often didn’t know who to help first. Those she had helped before? Those whom she had yet to reach out to? It was often a very difficult choice and one that she would rather not have to make. Yet she did make it. And often. She had to. To ignore another human being’s sorrow was just as bad as creating it.

The blonde Ruski continued to study Mal and a very small wrinkle appeared between her eyebrows. The girl’s aura was out again. So much pain for such a young individual. It wasn’t right. Whatever was causing it needed to be stopped. Whatever it was, it COULD be helped. Selby just needed to learn what that was. She needed to know that Mal was getting help. That she was being cared for, and was caring for herself.

Her father’s gentle reminder that she couldn’t save everyone herself, pressed against her thoughts. Perhaps she couldn’t save them herself, but she could help them save themselves. Yes. That was what needed to be done. Often people didn’t realize what GOOD they had in their lives. They were so focused on the negativity, the pain, hurt, anguish. It was a sad truth that the pain often out weighed the good in many situations, but there was good to be found. Happiness, joy, jubilation. It just needed to be pointed out.

[Mal Harper]

Mal sat up and slide off her car. She leaned against the hood and studied the girl. She was like Malibu Barbie except with out the bathing suit. Was she for real? Just looking at her made her think of her sisters at home. Their perfect smiles and perfect cloths and perfect hair. It made her sick, but that was not this girls fault. "You're perceptive aren't you." She replied when asked what was making her said. Mal was sarcastic as ever.

She thought the girl might go away, but no such luck. Looks like she would need to answer for that to happen. So Mal sighed and smirked, "well let's see....life sucks, school sucks, people suck, family suck...oh wait but friends are good. Take your pick." Mal told her. She had issues every where but mainly with family. Yet who really talked about family with a stranger. Mal was not about to spill her life story. At least she had Brit, JJ and the others. Her saving grace.

"Before I really spill my guts, why don't you spill your name? I'm Mal." That's all she had to say. No point in giving a full name. She never got that. Why did people insist on giving a last name when being introduced. Did it really make that much of a difference. Who cares what the last name was. As long as Mal knew what to call her she did not care. She would call her Barbie if the was her name. But she really hoped not.

[selbyzolnerowich]

“People often use the word “nosey” when they mean “perceptive” to describe me,” the wide eyed blonde admitted with a smile. Obviously she didn’t mind one way or another. She wasn’t going away, though. Not when someone was so hurt, hurt enough to blurt it out with such venom. Selby’s heart ached for her. For this girl, Mal. She wanted to make things right for her, but the insistence for a name was there.

“Selby,” a fae like hand extended to shake the other girls. “And you have much to be sad about. But you said you had friends. This is good! Very good thing. Friends are family we choose for ourselves.” Perhaps it was an over-used saying, but it was true. And thus WHY it was over-used. Selby liked it anyway and pushed wisps of blonde hair away from her face, though the breeze was turning into a wind it didn’t bother her. Quite the opposite. That it swept her bohemian skirts around her legs allowing bare feet (quite against the school dress code, but she often forgot her shoes) to peek through.

“I can listen though. If it will help.” And the Russian really hoped that it would. Talking often helped ease the weight of troubles, to share them meant you also shared their weight and thus unburned yourself that much more. “And perhaps your aura will return to full brilliance.” Yes. That certainly needed to happen. “It is pretty aura. Will be prettier when your smile reaches your eyes.” Two forefingers touched the corners of her own eyes where small wrinkles always formed when a person truly truly smiled.

[Mal Harper]

"Nice to meet you." mal shook the girls hand. She was skeptical about this one. She seemed not to be from here. Mal was not sure that was a good thing, "Aura, smile with your eyes...what are you like a gypsy?" Mal wondered. Was this girl for real? She was not sure what to make of Shelby. So far she seemed very....well Mal did not have a word to describe her.

"You really want to hear a stranger talk about their problems. You have patients I can only wish I had." Hell this girl had stamina Mal wish she had. No way would Mal sit with a stranger and listen to his or her problems. "My friends would love to meet you. Especially Brit." Poor Selby did not know what she was in for if she met Brit.

"Well feel free to lean against the car and listen. Why not. Since you offered." Mal shook her head. This was weird, but no one else was around and sometimes it was better to talk to a stranger. Someone who was not so close to her parents and already had an opinion of them. "Its my parents. They want me to be someone I am not. They did not approve of my friends, boyfriend, or how I dress."

[selbyzolnerowich]

Taking Mal’s suggestion and leaning against the car, Selby’s bare feet crossed at the ankles and she peered up at the other teen. Perhaps she did have more patience than some people, but she wasn’t a gypsy. At least, not that she knew of. If there was any Roma blood in her family line Selby wasn’t aware of it.

The Roma, however, were sorely misunderstood people. Chased from their homes many years ago and living still today both in squatter communities and integrated within society. It was possible, she supposed, but unlikely.

Listening to Mal as she began to talk though, Selby wanted to warp her arms around the girl and just hug. Perhaps she looked differently. Spoke differently, even had different ideals about what the world should be like. It didn’t matter. She was a human being, and they were both on the spaceship Earth. The teen couldn’t imagine what it was like to have her parents disapprove. Were most families like such? Was there truly so much sorrow in the world that families weren’t together on things.

“Why do they not approve?” she asked quietly, wondering what it was exactly about this Mal that caused such a reaction. Or what it was about her parents.

“It is best to be true to yourself,” she intoned with feeling. “There will be people who disagree, but it is you who needs to be happy with yourself.” Selby paused for a moment, then tilting her head to the side added, “The important question to ask is ‘why’. Not of them. But of yourself. Keep asking why, until you cannot ask it anymore.”

[Mal Harper]

Mal was almost beginning to think she was hallucinating. She did not do drugs, but perhaps someone slipped her something. Mal felt like she was on some spiritual journey because it sounded like the girl was speaking in riddles. It was quite amusing. Mal pinched herself. Ow....no she was not hallucinating. Mal was not sure if that was good or bad. She looked the girl over. Mal would admit Selby had a unique style.

"What's not to approve. My mom and sisters are all right out of the Stepford wives and look at me. I do not exactly fit into their Barbie persona's." Mal told Selby. Mal must be very upset to spill her guts to a stranger, but oddly enough it was not too bad. Brit was busy with Evan and JJ was doing his own thing, not that she minded at all.

"Plus they do not approve of my boyfriend or my friends. I do not fit into the family image they want." Which led to constant fights and bickering all day. What fun. It was why she spent most of the day with JJ. "Ask myself why? Why what?" What was she suppose to be figuring out. The girl reminded her of the riddler from Batman. Mal took a sip of the water she had and thought for a moment. "But I love them. So I have to deal." They were family no matter how messed up they all were.

[selbyzolnerowich]

It was good to hear that Mal loved her family, yet it was most unfortunate and quite sad that her family could not accept Mal for who she was. Who she wanted to be and become. Whatever that may be. Selby knew she had a great homelife, and her parents would support her in whatever she chose to do (so long as that choosing did not lead her to a life of criminal behavior it was all good.) She was even aware of the rumor that was being spread about her in regards to drugs, but it neither dampened her sprits nor burdened her soul. She was who she was and so long as she was happy it didn’t matter what other people thought.

“Ask why to anything. Is single most important question a person can ask.” Selby nodded solemnly. Small children had it right, but the “why” phase was often squished by the surrounding adults who had forgotten how to ask why. Too, they’d forgotten how to look at themselves and see if they were where they wanted to be.

“Is best to find something that makes feel very strong emotions. Either happy or sad, and ask ‘why’. Follow answers to root.” Maybe she did speak in riddles. For other people anyway, Selby knew exactly what she was talking about and what she meant. It never occurred to her that others might not.

“Is good you have friends. People who care for you as you are,” she paused for a moment then smiled. “I like you.” And she didn’t even really know her. But then Selby liked everyone.

[Mal Harper]

Mal guessed that made sense, but she was still confused. Yet asking her parents why they felt like they did might help. Also asking her self why she felt the the need to rebel against her mothers stepford values. Perhaps Selby was right. Maybe it would help, "but what if you don't like the answer or are afraid of the question?" Mal was scared. She did not want to ask because what if she did not like the answer. Mal would rather not know.

"You are very interesting. Forgive me if I have a little trouble understanding, but I think I get it." Or so she hoped. Riddles was Brit and JJ's thing. They were the song writed. Mal just shot the music videos. She was good with music. That was her safe place. "Um....thanks...I like you too...I guess." Mal nodded.

"You're different. Brit would get a kick out of you. So would my boyfriend." It would be interesting to see the three of them interact. She figured tweddle dee and tweedle dumb would just drool over the poor girl. Mal did like her. She would not consider her a best girl friend yet. Sshe had Brit and Cat for that. But Mla would not count her out. Why not. A girl could use friends. Besides if she ever took Selby home.....well that would be funny. But not as funny as JJ. Mal loved taking JJ over to freak out her parents.

"Thanks for listening...I will be sure and ask why...." Mal smiled and shook her head, "you are definatly not what I thought. I expected Malibu Barbie." Yet she got...well she had no idea what to make of Selby, but the girl was pretty cool.

[selbyzolnerowich]

At the admission that Mal liked her too, Selby beamed. Regardless that she wasn’t what the other girl had expected it mattered little really. People would surprise you, and hopefully, for the better.

“Is good!” She meant about the others liking her as well. “People should get along.” Her clipped language and the accent may be part of why it was difficult for Mal to understand her but that was all right, the were communicating well enough with each other. And Selby was quite enjoying it herself. She did like Mal. Liked that she was open to new experiences and people. She listened, and not just listened, but thought.

Being self aware was the first (and a major) step in any struggle. Once you understood yourself, and realized that you are a creature of both habit and change. Once you accepted that, you could open yourself up to everything else. You didn’t have to like what was out there, but knowing that you could be a change was a good thing.

Something puzzled the Ruski though, and she decided to ask.

“What is Malibu Barbie. I know girls named Barbie, but none are from Malibu.” Ah, the problem with not watching TV. Not really having any interest in material things. Selby was very…Selby.

“Is good you will ask ‘why’,” Selby grinned again and added a wink. “You will learn much!”