Meet Melanie Strange, Auset Bookhart [readict books .txt] 📗

Melanie B. Strange. You've never heard of her have you? Perhaps not, and well, I don't blame you.
In Melanie's town, she's not well liked. Oh, her parents love her to death, but there's only so much of a parents love a girl wants, am I right? Ha... of course, without them, what would poor Melanie do?
No, Melanie is not a troubled kid who causes everyone around her grief. She's a nice person, but no one got to know her. They based their opinions of her, and the way they acted to her, on rumors they heard around town or at school. Even the teachers were cautious of her, and passed on the rumors to other

teachers.
People judged her based on her looks most of the time. She was called " a stupid goth girl" by many children, even though the actual goths wanted absolutely nothing

to do with her. Sure, she had pale skin, blackish hair, and wore dark clothes. That was her choice. She wasn't trying to make some fashion statement.
Of course, people will believe what they want. The rumors never stopped and she was ostracized wherever she went.


```


"Oh, honey, isn't she beautiful?" Mrs. Bethany Strange looked up at her husband with a tired smile. Mr. Strange nodded. " A work of art."
Mrs. Strange kissed the little girl's head. Suddenly, she looked up at her husband, a worried look crossing her face.
"We haven't got a name for her! What if we give her the wrong one? We need to find a name that fits her!" The two new parents stared down at their little girl intently.
"How about... Emily? She looks like an Emily," Mr. Strange suggested. Ms. Strange grimaced.
"I had an aunt with that name. She used to get into car accidents all the time. A few years ago, before I met you, she got into a horrific car crash and her car exploded. The only thing left was a large burn mark. Come to think of it, all the Emily's I know have led horrid lives or had gotten into terrible accidents." Mrs. Strange looked ghost white by the time she finished talking. Mr. Strange patted her shoulder.
"That does

sound pretty bad. How about... Charlotte? it sounds pretty, doesn't it?" Mr. Strange gave her a gentle smile, and hoped that she would not start talking about unfortunate relatives who had met a bad end again. Instead, she sighed loudly.
"It is cute honey, but, don't you want all of our names to rhyme. I want something real cute that sounds like Bethany and Jeremy." Mrs. Strange got a dreamy look on her face. Mr. Strange sighed and sat down on the little plastic chair situated next to Mrs. Strange's bed.
"This is gonna take a while, isn't it Bethany?" Mr. Strange raised an eyebrow. Mrs. Strange smirked.


```


After quite some time, the tired couple came up with the name Melanie. This made Jeremy grin, especially since he knew what the name 'Melanie' ment.
"Honey, you don't know how perfect this is. Melanie means 'black' and just look at her hair! Then again, Melanie could mean dark-skinned..."
"Don't worry, i love it dear." Betheny cradeled little Melanie in her arms and looked down on her with eyes so full of love. Jeremy beamed down at his two girls, his biggest accomplishments.


...


Melanie's first birthday was a normal one. Her cousins, who where around her age were invited, and they all crowded into the rather spacious living room. There was alot of talking and cooing over the birthday girl, but Mel did not appreciate the attention. She just wanted to push all of them away. Thus, began her descent into an anti-social lifestyle.


...


Over the next few years, her anti-social behavior was getting worse. She prefered being around with her parents and was visibly upset when her mother took her to a suprise playdate. A year before she was to start First Grade, Melanie was home schooled. Melanie's mother just wanted her to be happy, so she rarely let Mel meet other people. Melanie's father however, was getting tired of having to shelter his daughter, and all because she did not want to talk to other people.
"Betheny, I don't think cooping Melanie up in the house will help make this anti-social thing go away. She should start First Grade next year. This is just some phase she's going through."
Betheny glared at her husband. She was NOT sheltering her daughter. She was doing everything to make her daughter happy. If her daughter didn't feel comfortable learning with other students then she wouldn't force Melanie to do something she didn't want to do.

Text: Auset Bookhart
Images: Auset Bookhart
Editing: Auset Bookhart
Translation: N/A
Publication Date: 05-15-2012

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