(Trigger Warning)
A chime rang out as the door opened, the only sound Amir heard today. Folks were coming in and outta the little corner store like it was Walmart.
Most of the shelves were damn near empty of snacks. Amir, almost eighteen, had been working here since he was sixteen; he knew everybody who walked in and out.
When the bell chimed again, Amir looked up, ready to greet the person, but his words got stuck in his throat. The brown-skinned beauty smiled at Amir when she saw him. She came there often—it was one of her favorite spots considering the low prices and the boy behind the counter.
They'd gotten to know each other over the past two years, They'd become good acquaintances over the last two years, Amir having taken a liking to the pretty girl. "Evenin'," she smiled at Amir, grabbing a bag of chips from the almost empty shelves. "Y'all been real busy today, huh?" Chuckling, she walked to the back and got herself a slushy, mixing all the flavors.
"Yeah, p-people been coming b-back to back today." He stuttered. Amir didn't stutter 'cause he was nervous, though he was very nervous; he'd always had the stutter.
It wasn't so bad when he was younger, but his home life made it worse over the years. Amir watched her walk to the counter, hips swaying. "You alright, Mir?" she asked, frowning. He looked tired.
"I-I'm fine, M-Miyah, t-thanks for asking." Miyah hadn't noticed before, but she found Amir cute. He had this shy thing going and was always so sweet. Anything he said made her smile. "Seven fifty-two," he said, and she handed him the money.
She grabbed her chips and drink, thanking him. "Have a good rest of your day, Mir." She walked out the door.
He watched her get into the passenger seat of a car and drive off.
——-
Miyah got into the passenger seat of a black car. "You got my chips?" her mom, Keisha, held her hand out. Miyah scrunched up her face.
"Well danggg," she dragged out. "I can't even buckle up before you start begging," she joked.
"Girl... gimme them chips." Keisha laughed. Keisha and Miyah looked just alike; if you didn't know better, you'd think they were sisters. Keisha was only forty but looked twenty years younger. She was absolutely gorgeous.
She'd modeled in her teens and early twenties, but when she got pregnant with her late son, Malachi, she gave it up. She wasn't upset; she'd planned to open her own soul food restaurant, Traditional Soul, which was now one of the most popular black-owned spots in Georgia.
"Yo lil boyfriend in there?" Keisha asked, glancing between her daughter and the road.
Miyah furrowed her brows, confused. "Who my 'lil boyfriend'?" she asked, using air quotes, now looking down at her phone.
"What's his name? Amari or something like that?"
Miyah sucked her teeth, looking up. "Girl—you mean Amir? He ain't my boyfriend." She shook her head, laughing, putting her head back in her phone. Keisha only side-eyed her daughter. Mmhm, she thought to herself.
———
Monday morning came around fast. Amir groaned hearing the loud ring of his alarm. He didn't want to go to school, but he didn't want to stay home either conscious to the fact that both places are bad for him.
He got up, going to the bathroom, trying to be as quiet as possible knowing his parents.
Amir placed his hand on the front doorknob. Now fully dressed, he'd just hoped his parents didn't hear him. Too loud to them was everything Amir did.
He congratulated himself silently, making it out the house perfectly fine.
"Please be a good day." He repeatedly whispered to himself.
———
Amir kept his head down as he walked through the crowded hallways of Lincoln High. It was the start of another day, and he hoped it would be different from the last. He fumbled with strings of his book bag and tried to blend in with the sea of students. The sounds of laughter and conversation surrounded him, but they were distant, like echoes from another world.
He turned a corner and saw the familiar group of boys. It had always seem like they were waiting for him. His heart sank. There was no way around them. Amir took a deep breath and continued walking, hoping they might ignore him for once.
Amir always knew he hoped for too much.
"Hey, Amir!" one of them called out, he was tall and fit, broad-shouldered.
Amir tightened his sweaty fist, ignore he'd just wanted to get to class. "Aye nigga, you ain't hear me?" The boy had caught up, shoving Amir against the wall.
A crowd had formed at this point making Amir anxious. He grasped the boys shoulders pushing him back. "L-leave me alone."
"Oh you want me to leave you alone?" The boy laughed, punching Amir's face, blood splattering on the white tiles of the school's hallway.
Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Ears ringing. Amir braced himself for more pain, having been used to it, but it had seemed to get worse every encounter. Punch after punch, pain rippling through his body. Each one harder than the last. Amir had always been very lean and had trouble gaining weight, no muscle support. He felt weak, and in his mind, he was.
A security guard pulled the boy off of Amir, and another one came to help Amir up. "Y'all get to class now!" One of the yelled out to the kids causing attitudes.
"He ain't talking to me!" One of the kids shouted drawing laughter from a couple of students.
Amir wiped the blood from his face and winced at the pain.
"Are you okay?" the guard asked, though it was clear that Amir wasn't.
Amir nodded, unable to find his voice. His face throbbed, and he could taste blood in his mouth. The crowd of students began to disperse, the excitement of the altercation fading now that the authorities were involved.
"Let's get you to the nurse," the guard said, gently guiding him down the hallway. Amir's legs felt shaky, but he forced himself to keep moving.
———
Amir sat with his head down in the front office waiting area. He held his sides, feeling the bruises forming. Amir's body was weak, craving the release of pain shooting throughout. The principle's office door opened, Amir looked up seeing his persecutor come out. He gave Amir a mean look, leaving the office.
"Amir, sweet hart, you can go on in." The lady at the desk announced, sounding like a southern bell.
He sat hunched down in the uncomfortable chair while the principle spoke. "Amir you're a good student and I was going to let you off the hook, but after review the hallway security camera's I'm suspending you for a week."
Amir felt like his heart about to beat out of his chest. "W-w-what did I-I do?" He asked frantic. Amir had never got suspended, let alone in trouble at school. He's always been a good kid.
"You retaliated by pushing him," he spoke. "We still count that as bullying." The principle spoke checking his watch.
"I w-was d-d-defending myself!" Amir scoffed. He couldn't believe he was actually getting suspending for defending himself.
"Look Mr. Davis, rules are rules," He said dismissively, "I also called your parents to let them know what's going on." Amir physically couldn't speak. He sat back in the chair with tears brimming his eyes. He just couldn't catch a break.
———
Excuse any mistakes
