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JAIYA MORANT POV
SOUTH, BRONX;; MONDAY, 6:45 A.M.
KAHLIL
be there in 15 mins
happy b day lil sis. love u. ❤️
come outside
I stare at the last texts from Kahlil. I've read them every morning since he left... and every time, it brings me to tears. I just want to be able to call him again and hear his voice, not through an old video in my phone.
"Jaiya!" I can hear my mom shout from outside my door, "Getcho ass up girl! Before you be late on your first day back."
"Yes ma'am. I'm up!" I call back so she won't come busting in my room.
I know if I don't get up, she really will. And if she sees me still in bed... I wipe my tears quickly before getting out of bed. I make up the bed because my mom be tweakin about the house being super clean and neat. I shower, brush my teeth, comb and straighten my bob, and get dressed. After grabbing my messenger bag and my phone, I leave, avoiding looking down the hall at Kahlil room.
I go through the living room into the kitchen to see my mom made pancakes and orange juice. She's sitting at the table, waiting, and when I sit down, she makes us say grace before we start eating.
"You already know what I'm expecting of you Jaiya. This is senior year. Every grade count if you wanna go to a good college. And you know ya brother woulda been on yo head too." She says, laughing when she mentions Kahlil and how he used to act like my dad, always asking me about my grades, "Your teacher Mr. James called me, said something about a scholarship. See what that's about and come back and tell me. And stay away from them lil bald head, fast ass girls that just be there to show they ass. That's not what you there for. Go there, learn something, and bring ya ass back. Don't be out in them streets. You hear me?"
"Yes ma'am." I tell her, "I hear you."
My mom smiles.
"I got some good kids." She says quietly before her smile turns somewhat sad.
