Chapter Nine

The evening breeze was cool, I wore my hoodie and covered my head with the hood as I held my little drawing kits tightly.

"Where should we go buddies?" I asked my kits, I was used to it. Talking to them, it always felt like I was talking to my best friends. I passed by a lady who was sitting at the park, her hair was packed in a ponytail. She was putting on a gray blazer and skirt and a matching pair of silver heels.

I walked over to her with a smile, she raised her head when she saw me.

"Hello ma?" I said and waved at her, she was hesitant for a while but also waved back at me.

"Uh…is there any way I can help you, ?" She asked, I laughed and sat beside her.

"No," I said and stretched my drawing book to her, there was a look of confusion on her face.

"What is that for?" She asked.

"It's my drawing book, I want you to go through it and tell me if you like it" I replied.

"Oh! That's good" she said and collected the book from me. There seemed to be a look of amazement on her face as she flipped through my drawing book. "You're a great artist, I must say" she said without looking at me.

"Thank you ma'am" I replied, in a few minutes, she was done. She stretched the book back to me.

"Thank you Young girl" she said.

"So, can I take a drawing of you? " I asked.

"Uh… the bus might-" I interrupted her without allowing her to finish her statement.

"It won't come now, and I won't take much of your time" I said, she looked at me and sighed.

"Okay," She said, and I jumped up in excitement.

"Don't take a lot of time girl," She said.

"I won't" I replied and removed my slippers, I kept it in front of her, making it as my seat. I sat on my slippers and started my life drawing.

♥♥♥♥♥

"We're done!"I exclaimed and stood up, I stretched my body and walked towards her with a proud look. She was smiling as I handed the book to her.

"Oh my goodness!" Her eyes were wide open as she stared at the sketch in disbelief. "You…you…you…" She was beyond words as she continued to stare at it. I nodded my head and smiled at her.

"You're shocked, aren't you?" I asked and laughed, I took my seat beside her again.

"You're such an amazing artist, how could you draw a sketch of me in some minutes? You're incredible!" She said.

"Thank you ma'am"

"How much do I have to pay for it?" She suddenly asked, she was still staring at the sketch. I scratched my head in embarrassment.

"It's for free, ma'am," I replied. "You don't have to pay for it"

"I'll give you twenty dollars for it young girl, you did an impressive job" she said, I collected my book from her and stood up.

"There's no need for that ma'am, I'll get going" I said and ran away before she could say anything.

♥♥♥♥♥

"Who do we have here today?" Ronald asked as I entered his shop, as usual, he was busy drawing. Ronald was the best artist in the community, he was popular for his great works.

"Susan," I replied and took a seat beside him, he was drawing a sketch of a man and his wife. He was staring at his phone and at the same time drawing.

"How was school today?" He asked.

"I got into a fight with some girls, in short, today at school was bad" I said, Ronald stopped drawing and turned to me with a serious face. Ronald took me as his daughter, he never joked with me.

"What happened? Isn't it your first day at school?" He asked.

"Of course it was"

"Then how did you get into trouble?" He asked again, and I narrated everything that had happened to him, starting from how I got into a little fight with Jason until how I still fought with him this evening. Ronald was listening attentively to me, he seemed like a father who was listening to his young daughter.

"That was it" I finished and exhaled, Ronald stared at me without saying anything. "What is it?" I asked when he wouldn't stop staring at me.

"Can't you overlook things for once, Susan?" He asked, I frowned and looked outside the shop.

"No" I replied.

"Why? Why can't you stay out of trouble for once, Susan? You're a-" I cut him short without letting him finish his statement.

"That's enough Ronald, I'm sick and tired of you reminding me that I'm a girl, as if I don't know" I stood up from my seat in annoyance. "I'm off!" I said and walked out of his shop.

This was it, one thing I hated most, was being reminded that I was a girl. As if I didn't know my gender. I stared at the busy street and thought of where to go instead of going back home, just then I spotted Stephanie, the tomboy from school about to enter a local restaurant.it.

I quickly chased after her, I entered the restaurant and there she was, sitting in a corner about to book her food. I rushed to take my seat at her table.

"I'll take the same food as my friend," I said to the waitress, the waitress was hesitant as she stared at Stephanie. Stephanie turned to face me, she chuckled when she saw it was me.

"What's up girl?" She asked, still laughing. "She's with me, bring the same thing for us," She said and dismissed the waitress.

"You're a big girl, Steph," I said and winked at her.

"Every girl is big, as long as you have something to do," She replied and shrugged.

"Tell me Steph, I have nothing to do," I said and dropped my drawing skits on the seat next to me, Stephanie noticed this and asked what it was. "They're my drawing skits," I replied.

"Come over let me whisper something into your ear," She said. I moved closer to her, and she started whispering into my ear. I gasped at what I was hearing, Stephanie smirked after seeing my reaction.

"That's a lot!"