Layla walked home in the dark, kicking rocks and murmuring annoyed curses to herself, quietly. "meh meh meh ill show them. I'm not some weak little girl.. I'm old enough to know how to do things!" she whispers to herself. Yet, despite her bravado she sounds pretty sad.
Mientras caminaba Layla, reflexionaba acerca de su escuela
Maybe I just need more friends... if I had more people around me who cared about me, then it wouldn't feel so lonely. But no, everyone at school thinks I'm this weirdo freak, so why would they want to be my friend? Maybe it's because I am a weirdo freak...
But wait, not all freaks are unlikable! There has to be someone out there who understands me. Someone who appreciates the fact that I'm just trying my best in life, even though it might look messy from the outside. Maybe one day...
She finally made it home, her room feeling like a safe haven compared to the loneliness outside. She changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed, curling up into a ball and letting out a sigh of relief. But despite the comfort, she still felt that emptiness inside. Perhaps tomorrow would be better... or maybe not. Life never seemed to go as planned for Layla. She drifted off to sleep, hoping that in her dreams she'd find someone who understood her and didn't think she was a freak. Just one person... that's all she really wanted right now.
Pasa la noche y llega la mañana, Layla se dirige a su escuela, mientras escucha rumores de un estudiante nuevo, dicen que es atractivo y tiene un buen físico
Maybe this will be my chance to make a new friend... or more? The thought sends a shiver down her spine as she imagines finally having someone who accepts and understands her for who she is, without judgment. With renewed hope in her heart, Layla makes it through the day, occasionally stealing glances at the mysterious new student.
But when they finally meet during lunch break... well, things don't exactly go according to plan. The boy gives her a dismissive look and turns away, leaving Layla feeling even more alone than before. Was it all just wishful thinking after all?
Me acerco a Layla mientras ella se pone nerviosa "hola, como te llamas" le pregunto mientras espero su respuesta
Layla hesitates for a moment before finding her voice. "Uh... hi. I'm Layla." Her tone is soft and shy, barely audible over the din of the lunchroom. She meets his gaze briefly before looking away, suddenly feeling self-conscious about how she must appear in front of him: plain, average, uninteresting. Tears well up in her eyes as she wonders if he'll ever give her a chance to be something more than just another background character in his life.
"es un gusto Layla"
She nods, her tears beginning to fall silently. "It's nice to meet you too... I-I guess." Her voice cracks as she speaks and she tries to compose herself, wondering why this boy's opinion matters so much to her already. Maybe it's because she's just so lonely and wants someone - anyone - to care about her for once. "Sorry, I'm being weird... I don't usually act like this..."
"no te preocupes, de hecho es un poco gracioso" digo en un tono un poco burlón
She laughs nervously through her tears, a sound that's more like a sob. "Yeah... I guess it is kind of funny." She wipes her face with the back of her hand, trying to compose herself once again. "So, uh... what's your name?" Maybe if she can find something in common with him, maybe he'll start to see her differently, as someone worth talking to or even being friends with.
But even as she asks, she doubts that anything will come of this conversation. He seems perfectly content just being dismissive and insulting, which only serves to make her feel worse about herself than before. She wishes she could disappear from the world, become invisible again, so that people like him wouldn't have to suffer through having to talk to her.
"me llamo Abdiel, y como estás"
Layla takes a deep breath before responding. "My name's Layla... and I'm fine, I guess." She pauses for a moment, wondering if that was the right thing to say. Should she have said something more interesting? More funny? Something that would make him want to talk to her more? But then again, maybe honesty is better in the long run.
"So... how's your first day here going?" She asks, hoping to steer the conversation away from herself and towards something they might have in common. Maybe if she can find some shared interest or experience, he'll see that there's more to her than meets the eye.
"bien, supongo, realmente no pongo tanta atención a las clases"
*Layla chuckles softly, partially in amusement and partially out of sympathy. "I can relate to that... sometimes I zone out too." She shrugs sheepishly. "But at least it's nice to have something to do during those boring parts of class."
She pauses, considering her next words carefully. "Do you have any hobbies or interests? Maybe something you could recommend that might help with the whole 'paying attention' thing?" It's a delicate balance between being friendly and pushy, but she figures it's worth a try.
"bueno, mis pasatiempos son divertirme con cualquier cosa e ir al gym"
That's actually pretty cool! I've always wanted to go to the gym but never had the courage to try it out alone. Maybe we could work out together sometime? Or at least find a class or something that we could both join and have some fun with? It might help me stay motivated if I had someone else to do it with, ya know?
She bites her lip nervously, unsure of how Abdiel will respond. Will he think she's weird for suggesting this? But part of her doesn't care; the thought of spending time with him and maybe even becoming friends is exhilarating in a way she never expected.
"claro, podemos planear algo"
Her face lights up at the prospect. "Great! Maybe after school tomorrow we could go over our schedules and find something that works for both of us?" She smiles shyly, suddenly self-conscious about how eager she sounds. But then again, why shouldn't she be excited? This is the closest thing she's had to a real friend in a long time.
"Hey... thanks for talking to me today," she adds quietly, not sure if it comes across as too cheesy or forced. "I appreciate it."
"no tienes por qué, sabes, eres muy buena persona, no como varios dicen"
Her heart swells at his words, and she feels warm inside. "Really? But I thought everyone hated me..." she says quietly, her voice trailing off as she thinks back to all the times people have teased or ignored her. It's almost impossible for her to believe that someone could see her in a positive light, let alone find her likable or interesting.
But then again... maybe things are starting to change. Just this small conversation with Abdiel has already made such a big difference in how she feels about herself and the world around her. And if they can continue talking like this, who knows where it might lead? Maybe one day soon she'll have more than just one real friend after all.
"por qué te odiaría, yo no soy como los demás"
She gives him a small smile, grateful for his words and the hope they bring. "I guess not everyone is like them... there has to be someone out there who understands me." Then, a thought occurs to her. "Hey, if it's okay with you, I'd love to hang out sometime after school today? Maybe we could go somewhere and just talk or do something fun?" She's nervous making the request but eager at the same time; finally having someone who seems interested in being around her is exhilarating.
"claro, entonces, te veo después de clases"
Smiling brightly, Layla responds with excitement. "Great! I can't wait to hang out with you." As they part ways at the end of lunch period, she feels a renewed sense of hope and happiness that has been missing from her life for far too long. Today was easily the best day she has had in months.
For now though, she focuses on getting through the rest of class without any more disruptions or teasing. She might have made one new friend today, but there's still a long way to go before people at school start treating her better overall. But with Abdiel by her side, anything seems possible.
Terminan las clases, y nos reunimos en la salida
After the final bell rings, Layla waits anxiously by the exit with Abdiel. Her heart races as she wonders what they'll do together; anything sounds fun at this point. As he approaches her, his friendly smile makes her feel even more at ease.
"Hey," he says warmly. "You ready for some fun?"
She nods enthusiastically, her cheeks flushing with delight. "Yeah, absolutely!" She can't help but grin from ear to ear; it feels like she's finally found someone who truly understands her and appreciates her for who she is. With renewed confidence, they set off together towards an adventure of sorts - whatever that might mean in their tiny high school world.
Mientras salimos, unos chicos se acercan y se burlan de Layla "como te puedes juntar con el 'bicho raro'"
Layla's heart sinks as she hears the taunts, but Abdiel steps forward protectively and gives them a defiant look. "Leave her alone," he growls. "She's my friend." The bullies back off slightly, surprised by his boldness. Layla feels a surge of gratitude towards him; it means so much that he's willing to defend her like this.
"Let's just go somewhere else," she whispers, linking arms with Abdiel as they continue walking in the opposite direction. The rest of their afternoon passes without any further incidents, filled with laughter and conversation instead. For once, Layla feels truly happy and accepted for who she is.
"oye Layla, que no te afecten sus burlas y comentarios"
I try not to let them get to me too much... but sometimes it's hard when they've been saying those things for so long. Thanks for standing up for me, by the way. It really means a lot.
Acaricio su mejilla mientras asiento" no tienes nada que agradecer, tu eres mejor que lo que digan ellos"
My friends never used to say things like that... they'd always be nice and understanding. I wish it could go back to how it was before everything changed. But I guess I can't have everything, right? At least now I have you as a friend, and that means more than you know. Thank you for being there for me today. It really meant a lot.