Head or heart

Two

I was just with a friend dad it's fine I say rolling my eyes

DO ALL FRIENDS KISS YOU GOODNIGHT he screams

I could smell if from a mile away

Have you been drinking? I ask getting angrier by the second

That's none of your business young lady

Ohhh young lady?! Dad you know you can't be drinking remember what happened lastime! You beat the shit out of a bunch of kids and got put on probation! I scream back

Go to your room he screams

My dad and I never fight. Not like this. Before I knew it I was slamming our apartment door shut. At the same time so was someone else

Oh hey sorry diaz says looking a little stressed out

No im sorry I didn't think someone was out here

Are you guys okay? He asks coming up to me

Yeah just a fight with my dad. Itll blow over I say smiling him trying to convince him everything was okay.

Oh Same. My mom doesn't like that I'm doing karate. She's pretty mad he says

How did she let you do it in the first place? I ask him

I told her I joined debate he smiles and we both start laughing

So I'm guessing she hates me and my dad since he's the one who taught you karate I sigh

No! She doesn't hate either of you. She just wants me to be safe he says

We were both now just sitting against one of the walls on the outside of our apartments scared to go back inside our homes

Sometimes I hate my mom he says breaking the silence

That hit home. Too close.

You shouldn't say that I sigh turning my head to look in his eyes seeing if he meant it.

I know I know it's just I wish she didn't care about me so much she is so over protective he says looking back at me

There was another comfortable silence between us. I could see him look down from my eyes to my lips but I knew I couldn't do that so I quickly looked away

My mom died when I was ten I sigh looking up into the starry night sky

Oh- I- I'm so sorry he says sitting up from his once slouched position on the wall

Not a lot of people know... when people hear johnny talk about his ex wife they assume she was my mom. And she is my birth mom but a different women raised me since I was born. A long with my brother. She was my mom my real mom I say

Were you really close with her? He asks

Yeah actually. She's the one who taught me to dance I say smiling at the thought of my mom

She taught me without dad knowing. She knew he would hate it and be jealous I took her roots instead of his. But once she died he saw me dancing in the livingroom one night. I thought he was going to scream at me but he didn't. He just laughed and said Everyday I remind him more and more of my mom. And that he's glad I have dance because it's like... I stop and choke on my words slightly.

It's like she's still here almost. Like I still have her with my connection to dance I smile through the few tears in my eyes. One falls slowly and I quickly wipe it away when I hear a door open.

Oh hi mom miguel says getting up and helping me up.

Honey it's time to come in she says smiling at me