Finding Peace Within Him

Chapter 5

Kayla Williams/17

January 11 2023, Tuesday

Crescent Lane*Primrose, May Pen Clarendon

I woke up out of my slumber to see Sophie standing at my door, I opened the dyes and sighed. Morning just lights the John Crow ready to pitch already, I can't bother. Looking around, I noticed Tamper wasn't here. I wondered what this woman wanted so bright and early.

Even though Sophie had cooled down on her abuse towards me, I was still afraid she was bipolar as hell, and I just couldn't handle it. The fact that she made me go to school bothered me; it felt like she was planning something terrible.

"Where are the twins, girl?" Sophie shouted as I got up from my bed. Why was she shouting so early in the morning?

"They're at Auntie Vanessa's house for the rest of the week. They're going with her in the morning to cut down on taxi fare," I replied, picking up my phone and checking it. I saw four missed calls from Auntie Vanessa.

"You think you can leave my children anywhere you like, girl?" she yelled like a raging bull. Sophie never had a problem when I left the twins with Auntie Vanessa before, so why was she acting up now?

"Look, I need to get ready for school," I said, turning to face the bane of my existence. She looked red in the face, her cheeks puffed up.

"Remember who you're talking to, little girl. Just because you're going to school doesn't mean you're a big woman now, doesn't mean you're smart now, girl," she said, picking up the alcohol bottle and flinging it at my head.

The bottle connected with my forehead, sending me crashing to the ground. She walked over to where I lay and started kicking me in the side. I cried out in pain, but nobody could hear us since nobody else was at home. I guessed Tamper had left early to go to her man's place.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked, trying to stand, but I couldn't. I couldn't be late for the second day of school. She spat on me and stalked off to wherever she needed to be.

Fuck, my side was killing me. I lay there for a minute before managing to get up and quickly heading to the bathroom. I bathed myself as fast as I could, then brushed my teeth and combed my hair in record time. I put on my uniform, grabbed my bag and phone, and bolted out the front door like Usain Bolt.

Choppa was already out the gate, smoking a joint. He must have been waiting for me. Since nobody else was in his car, I figured he was waiting for me. He looked me up and down before putting out the joint.

"Kayla, you alright?" he asked as I got in the front.

"Mhmm," I settled down, feeling the pain in my side intensify. That woman messed up my side badly.

The rest of the drive was silent. I texted Auntie Vanessa, and she told me to say she wanted more clothes for the twins since they were staying the week. Other than that, she asked me about my first day of school and lectured me about working hard, etc.

Choppa stopped the car at Guinea Tree, parked it in a cool shade, and then went inside. When I checked the time, it was 30 minutes to 8, and I was late as hell. A couple of minutes later, he came out of the building with a brown bag of juicy beef in his hand.

When he got back in the car, he handed me the bag. I looked up at him, ready to reject his gesture, but the look he gave me made me swallow my pride.

"Look in the bag, Kay," he said as he pulled out of the parking lot. I glanced at the bag and saw two cheese patties and coco bread with tea. My stomach rumbled, realizing I hadn't eaten breakfast.