“You straight D, just tell me the truth next time.” we started to walk back into the party but I stopped and turned around to look at her. “Oh, and don't let yo pops upset you like that no mo. Ignore him. Don't be like me and fight him back.” she nodded. We hugged and went back inside.
When I walked in, people looked at me like I'd just strangled a man to death in front of them.
I walked up to Devon who had an ice pack to his jaw. His left eye was swollen shut, his lip was cut, and he had bruises on the side of his face. It looked like I did more damage than I attempted to. I stood in front of him, and the kid looked as if he was setting up for another fight. Someone’s persistent!
“Aye, man. I'm sorry, misunderstanding plus beer don't mix.”
“I'm the proof of that right”, he said bitterly.
“Naw, it was just a misunderstanding.” I shrugged. He didn't say anything, he just looked at me. “Where my man Adrian at? I'm about to dip and I wanna say bye.” I looked around.
“I ain't seen him”, Ashley said.
“Well, tell him I said Happy Birthday, and I’ll see him Thursday”
“Monday?” Adrian asked from behind me.
I dapped hands with him before answering.
“Cause, I'm pretty sure I ain’t going to school until Thursday”
“You just sad man! You ain't gone graduate with us”, I couldn't tell if he was joking or not.
“Like I care, boy, I gotta job”
“That ain’t a job man!”
“You getting a too deep for me right now. I'm a little tipsy so call me tomorrow with yo preaching,” I started for the door.
He saluted me. Me and Demetria left.
I woke up with a headache, I didn’t know why!
I heard a knock at my door and groaned from the pain it brought my head.
"If you ain't dying, go away!" I yelled out.
“Derek I'm going to the store, you need anything”, it seemed like she was muffled. I'm used to loud, not muffle.
“Ma, shut up for a minute”, I covered my ears with my hands, took a deep breath and my ears popped. “Now what?” I looked at her with an annoyed expression.
“Going to the store, need anything?”
“Yea, a pack of cigarettes”
“Okay, anything else?” my mom asked.
“Naw”, I pulled the cover over my head. She was still standing at the door and I knew why. She needed money.
“You gone make me ask”, I didn't say anything. “Can you give me a couple dollars?” she asked reluctantly.
“Here”, I gave her a fifty because I didn't have a smaller bill. “Newport”, I shouted before she closed my door.
I rolled over and went to sleep. When I woke up, it was the next day.
I decided to go to school because I didn't feel like being stuck in the house.
I got up and got dressed. When I looked in my back pocket for a cigarette I came up empty. Then I remembered I told my mom to get it.
I left my room and went into the living room. My mama was sleep on the couch.
“Ma”, she didn't even stir. “Ma, where my cigarettes”
“Oh, I---um, I forgot”
“Where my change”, I asked mad cause she ain't get my cigarettes.
“I spent it all”, she said quietly.
I went to the kitchen and didn't see any food or anything. “On what”
“Food”
“Ma there ain’t no food in here”, I half shouted.
“Derek you---”
“Ma, where my money”, I yelled and slammed the refrigerator shut.
“I don't have it”, she whispered.
“Where is it”, I asked irately.
“I gave it to Demetria for school”
I knew she was lying, but I ain't feel like arguing with her.
As soon as I saw Demetria at school, I grabbed her by her elbow from her locker “Demetria, what happened to my money”, I asked her still frustrated.
“W-What---how I'm suppose to know. You ain't giving me any money, and I ain't taking it. Derek I swear, I wouldn't take yo money no matter how much I needed it”, she said with wide eyes that said she was telling the truth. That could only mean one thing.
“Ma is doing drugs again”
Chapter 9:
Pops
Ciara
“Alright Ciara and Daniella, this is y'all house. We gotta win this.” our coach yelled to us over the crowd. We were down by 7 points with 2 minutes left in the fourth quarter, and we had the ball.
The coach quickly showed the play to us. We nodded and did our signature, “Go Gator”. We ran out on the court.
My team ended up winning by 4 points. My teammates and I huddled around smiling and cheesing as our coach sang our praises. I saw my parents and Trey close by. I waved and put up a finger signaling I'd be out in a minutes. Right as I said it I saw Joe coming into my line of vision. He hugged me tightly bringing me off my feet. When he sat me down he rubbed my head. “You did alright kid”, he said as I started to walk away
“Alright”, I asked with mock sarcasm. “Please boy, I was way better than alright and you know it”. I then saw Angie wrap her arms around Joe from behind. He smiled then turned back to her. I'd look so much better than her with him.
When I came out the locker room, I heard my parents discussing where they wanted to take me out to eat. “I just want to go home”, I said tiredly.
“You just wanna go home. You feeling alright girl. That don't sound like my best friend”, Joe felt my forehead with fake concern on his face.
“Whatever Joe! You ain't funny.” I pushed his hand away. “But yeah, I just wanna go home. I don't feel like being around a crowd right now”, I said looking right at Angie.
“Okay”, my dad said.
Joe hugged me once again. Angie said congratulations, with a fake forced smile, I can't blame her. It was taking everything out of me to smile at her.
We drove in comfortable silence until Trey said, “I godda go poddy momma”, just as we were on the street of our house.
“Just a minute sweetie”, my mom said to him. “Almost home”
When I got home, I took a shower and fell right into bed, forgoing eating or even dressing. I went to bed in my birthday suit.
Tap! Tap!! TAP!!! I woke up and looked over at my window and Joe was on my balcony. I opened it quickly so that the squeaky sound would be quick and wouldn't alert my parents.
“What are you doing here at 2 o clock in the morning”, I whispered shouted. I shivered from the outside air, and then looked down to discover that I was still naked. “O my god”, I grabbed my comforter and covered myself with it. “Joe why didn't you say anything”
“I haven't seen you naked since the what, seventh grade. I'm startin to think you do this on purpose.
It happened like this last time didn't it?” he asked with a laugh.
“No, it wasn't