Jodye
I adjusted the straps on my book bag, and stood up from the school's bench. I should've known she wasn't coming to get me, she always does this to me. She'll tell me not to walk home from school because she's coming to pick me up, but she never comes.
It never fails.
I stuck my hands in the pocket of my winter coat and took the back route from the high school to our house because it was quicker. I was ready to go home, drink some hot chocolate, and watch Netfilx. I exhale at the thought. Looking down at my worn Van's, I noticed yet another scuff mark on them, I'm not surprised, I wear these shoes everyday, should've known they weren't gonna be clean forever. But somehow I still like them, the stains, the scuffs, the tiny hole on the right foot, they all tell a story. Nothing or no one is perfect. We all have our stains and scuffs and holes, but it reminds us of what we've been through. They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. My shoes aren't the prettiest to me, but its better than having no shoes.
When I looked back up, the whole scenery had changed. I was now on Mulberry Street a.k.a the projects, where I'm from, where murders happen at least ten times a year, where people get robbed everyday, where wherever you turn you see graffiti, and where the drug dealers sell and the crackheads fiend. The fresh air has been taken away from me and instead replaced with the smell of must. Along the fence, were prostitutes. I'm not surprised though, it seems like every corner you turn, you see at least one. I just scoffed and roll my eyes. Where are the policemen? There never here, but I guess if I were them I wouldn't wanna patrol this area either. It's filthy and you might see some things you don't want to see.
And then I passed the drug dealers where they whistled and tugged on my bag and said things grown men shouldn't say to seventeen year olds. I ignore them, remind me to never take this route again. A couple of minutes later I see there are a gang of boys ahead near my house, but they look familiar. Some of these boys go to school with me. I look straight ahead walking past them.
"Aye, don't we go ta school with her?", the one with the bottom grill exclaimed.
"Oh, yeah I thought I seen ole' girl from somewhere", the one with the bottle of 40 said to grill mouth.
"Aye", he said lowly. I just looked straightforward.
"Aye!", he said a little louder. I walked a little faster.
He grabbed my arm, and I snatched away, and turned around to see which one of them put their hands on me. When I turned around I saw a dark skin boy smiling with perfect teeth and a dimple. He had long eyelashes and medium length braids that fell right across his shoulder blades under a black beanie that said ,'comme des fuc down'.
"Did you hear me?", was all I heard.
"What?"
"I said that I wasn't tryna hurt you, I was only tryna to tell you that you dropped your book", he looked down at my Biology book in his hands and back up at me with that same smirk on his face. How did I not hear that drop?
"Yeah, thanks", I backed away and turned around, but then he grabbed my arm again. I turned back around and looked at his hands on my arm, at him, then back at his hand. He chuckled and slowly removed it.
"What's your name?", he asked.
"Jodye"
"Rakim, I guess I'll see you around ma", he said smiling, backing away.
"Yeah", I nodded away, turning back around, entering the house.
And this is how it all started.
