When Sapphire moves from the hills of LA to Atlanta to get away from her mother, she gets tangled in a whole world of gang affiliation. Can she handle it? Or will she break trying?
Jah Micheals is a troubled teen with a questionable past. He doesn't...
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Sapphire Westlock
I wake up to Jah's breathes getting heavy against my chest and his body moving around uncomfortably.
"Jah? Jah" I call out and he wakes up with a sad look. "Nightmares, again?" I say defeatedly. "Yeah. They came back a couple days ago but I woke up quickly" he buries his head into my neck and tries to sleep again.
We both drift off until Nile starts crying. "Fucking hell" I mumble and tap his head, telling him to get up. I was asleep on the couch and Nile was in his stroller, on the kitchen table.
I turn the light on and give him a tired look which stops his crying. "You such an attention whore, Nile" I laugh, heating up a glass of milk.
"Jah, where's your pen?" I ask. "In my coat pocket" he mumbles with his head in the couch cushion. I get the glass out of the microwave and concoct his food.
I go back over and pick him up, sticking the bottle in his mouth and rocking him back and forth slowly. "Nile I have school. You can be waking me up like this" I sigh and he smiles at me.
"You have no teeth lil boy. You should stop doing that" I laugh and stick the bottle back in his mouth. He falls back asleep halfway through me feeding him and I place him back down.
I get Jah's pen and hit it a couple times so I can go back to sleep.
"Sapphire?" my dad calls me, waking me up. "Oh. Hi Dad" I hug him. "Hi baby. Where's the infant? I'm taking him to Ms. Florence's house" he asks.
"Wait, no. I can take care of him. I swear" I nod and he laughs a little. "Yeah, Jah told me he's a little attached to you" my dad laughs and Jah peeks his head out of the dining room, holding Nile.
"I'll tell you what kiddo, you can see him everyday before and after school. He can even sleep here. Ms. Florence and I work at an office building with daycare and I can take him home from there. Sound good?" he asks and I get excited and nod.
"Yes yes yes! Thank you Dad!" I hug him tightly and he laughs a little. "It's a big responsibility, Sapphire. Are you sure you can handle it?" he asks and I nod. "Okay. It's just temporary until his mom comes back" he reassures me and I nod again.
Jah hands the baby and towel to me. "He throwing up again?" I ask and he nods. I place him gently on my shoulder and tap his back until he lets out the smallest burp.
I wiggle my finger in Nile's face and he grabs it with his whole hand. "Alright baby, I gotta go to work" he reaches for Nile and I hold him closer to me. "Right now?" I ask and he nods.
