Two Worlds Same Minds

Justice

The bell rung, and Carmelo still wasn't here. " Where's Carmelo? " I asked myself. I had this really bad feeling, that something was going on. I was about to walk into class, until my feet dragged me away, and I didn't even know I was moving or where I was going. It was like I was floating on a cloud. I bumped into Terence. " Do you know where Carmelo is? " I asked. " Naw. " He shrugged. He pressed his lips together, and had this worried expression plastered on his face.

He knows something I don't.

" Terence what's going on? " I asked. He shook his head, and I squinted my eyes. " Tell me!" I said crossing my arms. I blew a sigh. " I can't tell you. " He shrugged and walked away. " Fine! " I shouted.

I walked out the school, and sat on the bench. I just sat there, and my heart was thumping hard. Something ain't right.

I got up and went to my car. I drove to his apartment, and went to the third floor. I remember him walking to the third floor and waving that day I dropped him off. I walked past doors, and then heard crashing and yelling. I knocked on the hard. I don't know who they are, but something's going. I looked under the mat, not seeing a spare key like usual houses.

I took a bobby pin out my hair, and played with the lock, and it soon opened. It felt wrong to bust into someone's house. I closed the door behind me, and walked down the hall. I heard a woman crying, and a man yelling.

I ran down the hallway, and saw a lady trying to push a man off someone. But then I saw Carmelo, on the floor underneath the man. I was about to walk away, but I pushed myself into the room, and helped his mom. I bit on my bottom lip, to keep from crying.

My heart was pounding, and then I punched the man in the face fast and hard. He got off Carmelo, and walked towards me. I just stood there froze, but then I pulled my fist back and swung at him, he caught it grabbed my arm, and twisted it.

A scream escaped my lips, and I jumped up and kicked in the stomach. He fell back, and I got onto the ground and swiped my feet underneath his making him fall. I popped back up, and ran to Carmelo, but then my shirt was being grabbed, and I was choking. The man put me in the air, and I tried to wiggle free.

He punched me in the face, making me scream in pain and pushed me into the wall.

Carmelo got up with a struggle, and he had a cut on his lip, above his eyebrow, across his cheek which was bleeding, his nose was bleeding, he held his side.

" Fucking bitch. " I heard his dad mumble. Carmelo walked out and I followed him. He turned around with his fist up, and froze when he saw me. " What you doing here? " He asked his eyes wide. Both eyes were bloodshot red. Even his white tissue.

" Never mind. " He said and ran to the kitchen. " I had a bad feeling that something was going on with you. " I said quietly when he came back. " And? I can take care of my damn self. I don't need your fucking help! God, mind your own fucking business fucking bitch. " He snapped with anger and attitude. I swallowed and tears fell down my face, as he walked away brushing my shoulder, making me stumble back.

My heart began to ache. I didn't even know what to do. Then his mama came out wearing shades, and a big jacket that covers her face. She stopped when she saw me. " Are you okay dear? " She asked. I nodded, but she didn't take it. She pulled me inside a bathroom. " What's wrong? " she asked. I bit my lip to keep the tears, but i could I sobbed and slid down the wall.

" Are you Latoya? " She asked and I nodded. She smiled, and I wiped my face. I don't know how this is a smiling moment.

We were silent for a little. " You want to be alone? " She asked, and I nodded. " Okay. " She rubbed my shoulder and walked out.

I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror. My eyes were red and puffy. But also a dark grey, my lips were bigger, and my face was red, and I had veins popping out my forehead. That only happens when i'm crying hard and for a long time. Then I had a cut on my chin, and my back was sore. I lifted up my shirt, seeing a bruise.

I cleaned myself up, seeing the water turn pink from my blood. I then walked out, and his mama was sitting at the dining room table on her laptop. She closed it once she saw me.

" He's gone. " She said. " Who? " I asked. " Carmelo's stepdad. " She said. " So, tell me what's wrong? " She asked. I wiped my face and tried to figure out what to say.

" Well i'm in physical pain, and Car- Carmelo. " I said and told her what he said. She looked taken back. " I'm sorry, he's just mad right now. I bet he's crying into his pillow. " She said patting my arm. " Its okay, need to go back to school. " I said. " No, you can stay here if you'd like. " She said alarmed.

" Oh its fine. I have a test today and I can't miss it. " I said. " Okay. " She nodded. " For what class? " She asked. " English, and i'm missing it. " I said. " Well it doesn't really matter now does it? " She asked. " I guess not. " I said.

There was a moment of silence, and I stood there confused on what to do, so I just sat back down. " So your the girl he was blabbering about last night. Your even more pretty up close. " She complimented. " Thank you. " I said looking down.

" Mom! " I heard Carmelo yell. I suddenly jumped up. " I should go. " I said. " No, just because he said something to hurt you doesn't mean you have to be alarmed. " She said.

" Okay. " I said.

She got up and disappeared into the hall.

A couple minutes later, Carmelo appeared, and I started breathing heavy. " Wanna talk about it? " He asked. I shook my head. " Come on i'm sorry Justice, I ain't mean it. " He sat down next to me. He took my hand, I looked away and down at the floor as I felt tears welling up in my eyes.

" I promise I didn't mean it. " He said turning my heads towards him with his index finger and thumb. I bit on my bottom lip, to keep in a sob, but it bursted through.

" I was just mad, and I took my anger out on you. " He said and it was quiet except for my sniffing since I was still crying. " Please stop crying Justice, you gone make me cry. " He pleaded. I wiped my eyes, and he pulled me into him. " I love you. " He said. " I love you too. " I said. I wrapped my arms around him tight,and leaned my head into his chest.