Choosing Peace

chapter 1

"Shit" I said. I'd clip my finger again on the raggedy ass bed I had, for the like millionth time. I was in a group home, in and out of foster homes and after running away from a few homes, we stopped looking for one. I had to share a room with 2 girls, there was 3 but one got locked up.

I was 18 and soon I knew they be kicking my ass straight to the curb. I ain't have my life together yet, but I had enough of it figured out. I'd been in this group home for about 4 years and it was enough time to stack my money. Even though I could've went many routes to get some, I stayed on a legal route and got a 9 to 5.

I had got my friend Ri 'hook me up' because I needed somewhere to stay until I was back on my feet and she was going to hook up me, maybe wit one of her dealer friends. My phone rang, "Hello" I answered the phone. "Ay, I gotta empty room at my crib and it's been like that for a while. You can have it if you wanna." She said, wasting no time. "You're for real?" I asked her, sitting up on the bunk bed. "Yeah, Bunny." She confirmed. "Yes thank you. I'll text you tomorrow, thank you so much Ri" I praised her.

To say the least I was happy, I was getting out of here and I was able to stay with somebody I know, I rolled over and layed my head down. With my eyes closed and my head against the pillow my mind raced with thoughts that I couldn't hold on to long enough to understand. Next step, moving out.

It was the next day and I was helping make breakfast, each day we were assigned to certain group tasks to help us try to make bonds, to be a family. "Hey Phil" I said to Omar, messing with him. "It's Omar, mama. Y'know this." He said and helped crack eggs. He was older than me and was moving out today. He became one of my best friend shortly after I was placed here a few years back.

"So where are you going, since you're leaving?" I asked him. "With my cousins, around the block. I'll come to say hey sometimes." He said whisking. "You plan to stay out of trouble." I start adding seasoning and milk in go to the eggs. "Yeah, Imma stay off all jail logs, ion wanna talk to no piggies" he keep whisking. "Keep up on your Spanish, I might wanna talk to one of your fine cousins." I said nudging him. "Oh no, mama. The last one was obsessed about you." He reminded me. "Oh yeah, damn." We laughed about our crazy senior year with the memories filled wit his obsessed cousin. "He was cute but crazy" he shook is head.

After breakfast I talked to Lei about moving out. "Momma Lei, Im moving out." I told her and sat down in one of her office chairs. "Oh really" She asked I had told her this many times before so she wasn't 100% believing me. "Yeah, maybe tomorrow. When I get packed up and stuff." I said stealing a piece of candy off of her desk. "Oh, your being serious." She averted all her attention on me. "I need some boxes for all my stuff, but I can do the rest by myself."

After all the kids had went to school, Momma Lei took me to Home Depot to do get some moving boxes and tape. I texted Ri and asked her if she wanted for help me pack before we left the store. She met me back home and we packed up all my stuff together. I gave some stuff away to the other girls in the room and some I donated to smaller kids in group homes too. After we got everything settled I taped and closed everything together the only thing that's as left was my mattress and old nightstand.

Ri and I took the boxes to her car and decided to stay so I can say my goodbyes. I made my way to Momma Lei's office. "Hey, we all done." I said closing the door behind me. "Oh really. I thought you said tomorrow. That's 2 of y'all gone today." She said, in her voice there was a small dab of sadness. "I guess I'm just ready to grow up and be independent. I wanna thanks you for everything. I love you Momma Lei." I told her and hugged her. A tear cascaded down her cheek and she smiled." Your mother would be so proud of you. You look just like her." She hugged me tight, like she was hugging my mom again. She gave me a box "Your mom would've killed me if you didn't get this. You go on now before I cry again." I left the room say that Ri texted me she was in the car.

I was making my way out of the door and Omar was doing the same. "Oh shit mama. Member when we hated this place so bad." He chuckled in memory. "You put mad holes in these walls, poor Momma Lei." I reminded him "You were bad as hell, too fighting and shit but I'ma miss it and Momma Lei" he said. We stood there staring at the house for a little. He put the box in his hand down. "I gotta get going but I'ma miss you, mama." He hugged me and I retaliated. "Bye Phil." I said walking off with my box. "Bye mama." We parted ways.

I got in the car with Ri. "We can always visit." She said. I gave her a heartwarming smile "Yeah" I said it was more like a goodbye and she drove away from the curb. "I'm not gonna lie but you have more stuff than I thought." I tend to collect shit sometimes but it's good shit though." We drive to my now, new home and listened to music talked about her new life full of events and girls.

"The guys should be gone so it'll be quiet." She told me as she pulled up to the house driveway. She helped me take some boxes to my room then she said she had to take a shit so she left. I continued to carry the boxes and most was heavy since we send the heavier stuff at the bottom. The guys had came, we didn't speak to each other but one of them stayed in the car, I could tell he was talking on the phone and he eyed me as I unloaded the car; not in a weird way more of an investigating eye.

Unloading the car was the easier part. I knew had to decorate the room and the space was bigger so I didn't have to think small. The room had a bed, still in plastic, a night stand and a body mirror the stood beside the dresser who sat underneath a television. I, of course made the bed first and started with box after box. There were 2 knocks and then the door was open. " I don't wanna be rude, Im Rex." He cautiously stepped into the room. "Sunny" I told him. "That shit hard" he pointed out my paintings. "Thanks, did it in grade school." I told "I'ma let you be but I'll see you around" he made is way out. I continued to hand up my art and other decorations then followed many putting up my clothes.

After I was gone with everything, cleaning and all, it was 10 and I needed to take a shower. I got in and after I while I got out. I went back to the room and started to put my some shorts because I couldn't just walk around in a bra and panties. The door opened, "Aye" he saw that I was getting dressed and closed the door. I pulled my shirt on quickly and walked to the door as he re-opened it. "Shit my bad, Ri want you" he told me and I said ok the was made my way to Ri.

He then stopped me. "Aye. By the way I'm Ja." He introduced his self. "I'm Sunny." I introduced myself, he repeated my name like he was trying to remember it then we parted ways.