*𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬*

004

MINI CUPCAKES
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J u s t   A   F r i e n d - ♫

"SOMETIMES YOU EXPECT A LOT FROM SOMEONE BECAUSE YOU WOULD DO THAT MUCH FOR THEM"
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September 12, 2006

f l a s h b a c k

First day of first grade. Gasira didn't know what to do or what to think. She had her hair in two ponytails with white ribbons and a white shirt with black words along with a black tutu and white K-Swiss shoes. Her backpack with plenty of polka dots on it was filled with folders, crayons, paper, and all the other school supplies she needed to succeed. She looked at her grandma scared for her life as they waited at the bus stop with Amaru. "Grammy I'm scared," Gasira said holding onto her grandmother's arm. "Love don't worry bout' nun' of dem' chern'. You go to school and you do what you pose' to do. Get ya' work done and have fun. Ain't nobody gon' mess witchu'. And if they do they just mad cuz' you prettier den' them," Her grandmother said caressing Gasira's face causing her to smile. "Maine' them kids betta' not mess wit' ha'. There's a boo-coo a kids at dis' school who ain't got no room to talk or pick wit ha'," Amaru said, putting his backpack on his shoulder. Gasira saw the bus coming and felt her heartbeat speed up rapidly. She heard the sound of the bus hitting the breaks stopping right front of her. See the school Gasira went to, they didn't let 4 year old's or 5 year old's get on the big bus with the big kids. They get on the little van, with all the other little kids, and they even give you assigned seats. But this is completely different. Bigger kids, bigger buses, and bigger responsibilities. The bus doors opened and an old black man was looking at us. "Good morning Ms. Joyce. Hey Amaru," He said with a kind smile. "Wassup Mr. Mitchell," Amaru said getting on the bus. "Hey Mr. Mitchell, I got my granddaughter on dis' hea' bus so I want you to watch afta' her when he can't," Ms. Joyce said causing the man to look at me. "Don't worry, I'm watching the pretty young lady for you miss," he said giving me a genuine smile. Gasira gave him a shy smirk. Than Gasira saw the window on the bus slide down and two boys' heads pop out of it. "Hey, Ms. Joyce. How you been," The two boys said in unison. "I'm good my babies, ask yah' momma's can y'all come over for some col' drinks afta' school," Ms.Joyce says waving at them as they nodded their heads and closed the windows. Ms.Joyce turned to look at Gasira. She crouched down to Gasira's height and held her hands. "I need you to be strong for me okay love, don't let what anyone tell you to get to you. Be strong and be wise. If anything goes wrong just talk to god or call me on your flip phone."Gasira gave her a gentle smile and nodded her head."I gotcha grammy." Gasira gave her a big hug and stepped on the bus. She saw all the kids playing and blasting music in the back, that's where Amaru was sitting. She sat right behind the bus driver's seat. She sat back and tried to calm her nerves. She looked around a little and saw some of her classmates from last year and some new ones. She looked in her backpack and found her bracelet. It had plenty of charms on them. She put it around the wrist. It was her protection. Just in case she found herself in a messed up situation she could put it on her knuckles and punch harder. She also had a lock on a keychain but she left it at home because she thought that was too much for the first day. Her Grammy taught her that one. She just hopes she can make it through the day.

••••••

It was later on in the day and everyone was standing around outside waiting for their bus driver's name to get called. Gasira was proud of her self for making it through the day without any altercations. Then she saw this light skin girl with long brown hair. She had a tray of cupcakes in her hand. Mini ones. She was passing them out to some people and I got excited ready to eat a cupcake. She walked over to me and mean mugged me. "I hope you weren't thinking you were getting a cupcake looking that dark," The light skin girl said causing everyone to laugh. I kept my pride and sucked up my tears. "And I hope you weren't thinking that I wanted some of your store-bought cupcakes in the first place." Everyone oo'd and awed. She rolled her eyes and walked to the next girl. She was vitiligo. You can tell she was mainly caramel skinned but she was still pretty. She had nice pretty eyes and medium length curly hair. "You not getting one either. You look like a panda," The light skin girl said to the vitiligo girl and she tried to not cry. Everyone was eating their cupcakes in a circle except me and her. Gasira walked over to the vitiligo girl and tapped her shoulder. She turned around looking at me. "Aye don't listen to her. She just jocing. She didn't even make those cupcakes." The girl looked at me with a shy smile. "Aye, how about you come to my house. My grammy the frozen cup lady on Villard. Me and you can get some free cups." She looked at Gasira in joy and wiped her tears. "Really."