• A Blackbird's Serenade • (GxG)

"Dandelion Soul"

Tiana

"Hit me-" My dad called from behind the hanging heavy bag. "Again." I felt it in my abs as each fist connected, one after the other. "Come onn Tianaa- that all you got!? Hit me!" I punched harder, brows knit with focus. "That's it. Again!"

This time my frustrations were used as fuel as I punched the bag twice, kicked it twice, then spun before elbowing it. And that's when my father let out a proud chuckle.

As he came from behind the bag, his hand went up and I high fived it.

"Atta girl-" he pushed my shoulder as I chuckled along. "Good warm up, take five."

Moderate heavy breaths flew from my lips as I walked to the corner of the room.

"Mama not comin' today?"

"She'll be here later," he answered as I gulped down some water. "Not for long though, you know how she is."

Rolling my eyes, I sat the large jug back down. "Yeah, I keep telling her it's not all bad."

"Eh, just let your mama be yo mama, she ain't gon' change-" we shared a laugh. "How's it going at the club- you dropped a tray of orders yet?" He snickered as I punched his arm.

"I'm actually pretty good at it- thank you very much. And everything's goin' well, actually. We just got a new singer so business has been boomin' lately."

"Mmhm," he studied me while handing me my jump rope. "You bet not be givin' that singer a hard time, Tee-"

"Wha- I ain't even done nothin!" I threw my hands up.

"Yeah but you ain't liked nam singer that came up in there since you started workin' at that place." He chuckled. "It's probably yo ass that runs 'em off."

I rolled my eyes with the shake of my head. "No it ain't- they always quit two weeks in 'cause they all some stuck up divas who expect everything to be handed to them."

My father chuckled. "What I tell you 'bout judgin' a book by its cover?"

"It ain't my fault that the inside of the books be matchin' the outside," I shrugged. "Seems to me we need better books."

Shaking his head while laughing, he picked up the timer that was around his neck. I took that as my cue to get prepared, having each rope handle in my hands.

"Ready?"

"Ready," I nodded. Then I watched as his thumb hovered over the start button.

"Go!!" The next thing I knew, the rope whipped through the air as my feet repetitively pounced the floor.

Most frown upon it, the way my father trains me as if I were the son he never had. Being the only child, I received both aspects of things a brother would pursue and things a sister would pursue. And I had zero complaints, as opposed to my mother and everyone else that knew my family.

But eventually she came around, once realizing I didn't grow up to be a complete tomboy after all.

Yes, I'm skilled in boxing, combat, shooting, and am trained in survival skills. But my passions are actually in makeup and hair. I became very interested in everything girly the second I entered middle school. So as my father would train me at home, I'd teach myself beauty skills on the side.

Coco was the one to introduce me to most of it, given she's been my best friend since the first day of sixth grade. She taught me how to apply makeup and do my hair while I taught her the correct way to punch and what to do if someone tried to snatch her.

We liked to be smart together too. After finding out we both had a dream of attending college, the two of us were pretty much inseparable. She's been with me every step of the way and was the sibling I'd always wanted, growing up.