The Influential Seed(s) 18+

1. Neighbors and a Friend

Knock.

Knock.

Knock. Knock.

Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock!

"Miabella... It's your neighbor! Mrs. Harotunian! Can you come to the door? Are you ill?" A woman's squeaky voice said from the direction of the front door.

Ugh! What could this woman want now? Doesn't she know it's hard to get out of bed at 7 am on a Sunday? My neighbor, Mrs. Harotunian, whom I call Mrs. H because her name is too god damn long, is one of those annoying neighbors.

I wouldn't usually be this grumpy in the morning but the woman had done the same thing for the past two days. Asking me ridiculous questions like if I owned any animals or if I had any plants or if I was religious. I've been living at this apartment complex for about six months now, it's about 15 minutes away from campus and it's perfect. Except for the neighbors. Don't get me wrong none of them are drug dealers, or car jackers, or ghetto junkies or anything, they're actually the exact opposite. They're all too perfect, from cops, to lawyers, to housewives like Mrs.H, it's too much to bear. I wish a little loud music would be played once in a while, maybe some reckless teens? I don't know, but the only disruptions I ever hear or see are from the apartment complex across the street. It's just about the same style and fanciness as the apartments I live in, but it's booked with all the students from the academy.

My brain finally decided to tell my legs to stop being lazy, and after the hundredth knock I opened the door.

"Oh Miabella! Dear you frightened me, I was just about to call Maureen from apartment 210? See her son is a newly graduated officer for the police department here in Socahtoa County and well I'm sure she would have known what to do. But anyway enough of my babbling, are you ill? You took quite a while to open the door. A woman like me needs things quickly dear and-"

"Mrs. H, I'd really love to stand here and talk to you all morning," I said to her politely and with a smile. " but I'm afraid today is going to be a busy day for me. Did you need something Mrs. H?" The only "to-do list" I had today was to sleep, and wake up at 10 pm to get my clothes ready for school tomorrow.

"Oh yes! I came here to ask you if you were ready to head to church this fine Sunday morning?" She said with judgement, pursing her lips and staring me up and down.

"Excuse me?" I looked at her confused. Was she inviting me to church or just asking if I was going? Well I sure as hell wasn't going either way. It's not that I'm not religious or something, I pray to God and Jesus, and the Virgin Mary or whatever. I mean my mother raised me catholic but as soon as I left high school I didn't really even think about church on Sunday mornings.

"I asked if you're ready for church?" She eyeballed me skeptically."Honey are you a satanist? Let me tell you that Jesus is the only answer! Do you want to go to hell? In the bible Jesus said-"

"Mrs. H, I really have to stop you there." I interrupted and paused thinking about what to say so that way she would leave.

"Oh! Am I offending you?" She placed her hand over her mouth and added a fake gasp to her surprised expression. "I don't mean that just because your... Well black.... That your a satanist. It's just-"

Okay! I've had enough with this woman! You racist b-..."Mrs. H, I'm sorry to inform you that my Latina mother and Black father were very much Catholic. And although I won't be going to church this Sunday, I do have things to do. Goodbye."

"Oh wait, it's-" I shut the door in her face before she could say another word. The older people around here were always like that. They always seemed to think that because I'm a young, colored girl that I make bad decisions. Well they are definitely mistaken. I walked to my bedroom, towards the shower so I could get started with my day.