The Way She Is

***I figure I should start on my character sketches?

Riley hated her hair. She always complained about how short it was whenever she wanted to tie it up high, and strands would fall out on her forehead. Sometimes, it would be too long for her and she’d threaten to cut it shorter than it already was. Her preferences always differed to whatever mood she had.

She also hated her nails, that were so short, but so bothersome. Whenever they had a chance to grow even a little longer, she’d bring her hand to her face and bite her nails off. Riley could never leave them alone like that. She couldn’t leave anything alone. Everything had to be tampered with according to her or else nothing would change. And in her opinion, that was a bad thing.

She always thought that by doing even a small good deed, she was making a change in the world. I was much younger than her, so being her little sister, of course I couldn’t understand. Still, I don’t think I could ever understand. Riley was such a complex person, so unique, but indifferent to being different. I envied her.

When my sister went out with her friends, I’d wondered where they’d gone because Riley would be tired as hell, but she’d still have the biggest smile on her face. Sometimes, she’d come home carrying a picket sign with her and claim that she was protesting for the good of the Earth. She was such a hippie.

Even her clothes defined her sometimes. She’d usually wear soft-colored shirts or blouses with flowers on them or weird designs that belonged in the 60’s or 70’s or whatever years those were. Riley would also put flowers on her hair or make necklaces out of them. She was so weird, but so happy and full of ambition to change the world for the better.

It wasn’t like she was trying to be a real hippie. It was just how she was. She cared about a lot of things and a lot of people and didn’t care if they didn’t feel the same way towards her. No matter what, she’d stand strongly for what she believed in. That’s how we were raised by our parents after all, but it mostly only got to her instead of me as well.

Ever since I could remember, Riley would be the one to ask questions about these things that mattered the most. “Why does this happen?” or “Can’t anyone do anything?” When our mother or father shook their heads to her questions, she would be determined to be the one that would be able to turn things around and make a difference.

Riley was so bright and so carefree. During one of her nights out, I was permitted to come along with her and her friends. When we came upon a green spacious park, I saw baby trees that were yet to be planted and Riley was looking at me as she held in laughter. “We’re going to be the ones planting them,” she said, playfully, with wonder and excitement in her eyes.

I only thought that she acted like that at home, but that day, I realized it was just how she was.

Poor Riley, though in all her glory of self-righteousness, would be so devastated whenever she found out some of the horrible truths of the world. For example, last night, while we were watching television after dinner, a newscast came on reporting that many animals had died due to people taking tests on them with unsafe chemicals. In response to this, she declared a protest outside of their lab facility for tomorrow night.

I don’t know how she could be so strong. For most people, finding out something as upsetting as this would usually cause them to plunge into deep depression. But Riley was one of the most determined people I knew.

Although, she wasn’t always like this every second of every minute of her life. She’d have her weak moments as well, but she would never let anyone see her at those times. Riley was afraid that if she showed any negative emotions or actions around a large number of people, it would set off a bad effect on society. That was how she saw it.

On television or the radio, we’d see things like old western movies. In those movies, the cowboys would judge upon whoever came into the bar and start a fight with them until they scheduled a duel at sunset. The other characters wouldn’t do anything really, except maybe one or two would take sides and assist or they’d all hide.

Riley’s opinions of movies such as these were of distaste. I could tell immediately that it wasn’t to her liking anyways. Anything that included guns and fighting was off her list. She watched mostly the news. Anything that would give her something to do so she could protest or write letters to the government or even pick up some garbage at the local parks.

It was always a mystery to me of why or how the garbage could end up at such a place like a park. My sister would look at me and reply, “Some people don’t understand that when they litter or leave garbage behind, they’re making filth in their own home.”

Riley was often frustrated with the others around her who didn’t have time to consider the Earth that they lived in. She didn’t mind that they weren’t like her, an environmentalist who just wants to help out with anything or even anyone that needs it, but she couldn’t stand when they’d be the complete opposite of her. Someone who purposely tried to ruin the world they lived in.