The Perfect Imperfections

Alone.

Author P.O.V

Once was a sunny day turned into a stormy night. The rain flooded the streets of North Carolina like they were never there. The wind blew the trees and made the water ripple. Everyone was inside their houses awaiting for the sunny day to return.

There was one boy who stood near the window. His hand touching the cold glass as the thunder shook the house.

"Get away from the window sweetie. You don't wanna turn into a fried fish right?"

The woman glided her hands from his cheeks to his cold hands. The warmth from hers made his heart flutter.

"And if you do turn into a fish, mommy is gonna eat you!" She said as she began to tickle him.

He replied with a laugh and a smile just like his fathers.. with some teeth missing.

Realizing that his father was not present. He remembers why he was at the window.

"Mommie, where's p-pops? " he breathes out slowly. He's trying to get used to calling his father a more comfier name.

The thunder shooked the house once again.

She sighed ruffling her long hair. "He's at work Deonte. But I'm sure he'll be back soon to tell you all about his day."

She sat her son on her lap. Caressing his hair and he played in hers.

He closed his eyes as she began to sing.

Lightning popped the ground like popcorn.

One shot.

Then another.

The last one was the biggest of all.

The last one was the one before little Deonte fell into slumber.

The woman continue to caress her son's hair as tears flowed down her face. For she knew that this was the last time she was seeing her beloved..

*8 Years Later*

Today marks the anniversary of the last day Donovan Christano Seth was seen. Days flew by then days turned into years. Deonte was now 14 years old living with his mother on minimum wage. She was a housewive who turned into the breadgetter. Deonte stayed at the house alone, sometimes with his friends but he would always be home when his mother came from work. Her light brown eyes became a dull black and her young face was filled with wrinkles.

She was exhausted. But, she would always smile for her son. He would return the favor but every time he did, the now full toothed smile he gave, reminded her of her love. It was never his fault but deonte thought otherwise as a tear fell. He would stop immediately and return to what he was doing.

She would slug to the kitchen and cook the food from the cans, if they had any. She could barely keep the house up by herself let alone feeding him and her. Once she was done she would go up to her room. Goodnights were never swapped since no nights were good.

The next day Deonte himself got ready for school and kissed his mother on the cheek before he caught the bus. Deonte wasn't the smartest boy but he did what he could and he did it well. He would dap his friends up and go to his classes. He would eat as much as he could at lunch so that his mother didn't have to cook. He was a ladies man as he held doors for the girls who would giggle and thank him. He nodded and smile, the smile of his fathers.

No doubt the girls loved him. Even though he was a quiet boy. He was secretly a heartthrob he was just waiting for someone to give his love to. But he was only a young man, he knew nothing but what his father told him..

"Son, you're gon' see girls of all kinds but you will know which is your ride or die"

"Fath- pops, what's a 'Ride or Dead'?"

The man chuckled as he mushed his sons head.

"A Ride or Die is a person who is with you through good and bad times. A person who makes you feel like a new man. A person who keeps you sane. Your gon' love her for who she is not the way she looks." Donovan took his shades off looking at his confused son with his green eyes. Smiling in his face.

"Dun' worry boy. You'll find her soon"..

That was the last thing he said to Deonte that stayed in his heart.

Love huh? He chuckled at his thoughts.

School was over and he was walking home with his friends. He dapped them goodbye and reached for his key. He went to the door grasping the knob for it only to open without using the key.

He peered through the door into the house filled with the sun's rays.

He knew his mom should be at work but he went into the room--

"Mom?.. Ma. MOM?!"

Anyways. He went to her and touched her cold face. He turned her hand over to see a medicine bottle.

Is this what he meant? Is this what ride or die means? Where was he to go? He has no one.

He knew that she didn't want him to cry about her. So he kissed her forehead as he did when he left to the only thing he knew.

The Streets.