Her Boys [Oneshots]

Private School

"Hey babe, you're home early"  Amina walked over to Jamie, pecking his lips.

"Yeah. How was your day?" He asked his wife, neither seeming to notice their upset sixth grader.

"Mimmo, how was your day?"

"Fine" He plopped on the sofa with his diary of a wimpy kid book. It was one of the only books he'd read. 

"Do you want a snack Joey?"

"No."

"Are you even hungry, mimmo? I started-"

"No! Leave me alone" he stormed off, shocking both Amina and Jamie as he's never spoken to them like that.

"My poor baby. I think he's having a bad day. He was fine this morning, at least I thought he was. Let me change and start dinner."

"I already started dinner. Just get comfortable."

"Look at you. I didn't even know you were cooking because the kitchen is so clean. I might have to take you out tomorrow night. Get some drinks, have some fun."

"Oh stop it" He playfully mocked in a feminine tone.

"Jerk. Let me go shower and have a chat with our bambino"

"Nope, he doesn't like that. He's too old to be called bambino, he said."

"Well, our pre teen."

"There you go" She smiled heading upstairs. She walked past Joãos room and stopped when he heard what sounded like crying. It seemed muffled and she was worried. Assuming the worst, she opened his door going straight to the bathroom.

"João! What did you do?"

"Get out"

"João, put the scissors down."

"No! I want it gone! I hate it." He grabbed more of his hair and began cutting it.

"Stop. Why are you doing this? Give me the scissors."

"Give them to me, now." Hearing her stern tone he gave her the scissors.

"Why did you do this, João." He covered his face. He felt so ugly. He didn't want to be seen. Amina put the scissors down and walked over to comfort her son.

"Come to mama, João. It's okay. Let it out" he wrapped his arms around his mother as he began to sob somewhat uncontrollably. She sat down rubbing his back. Once he calmed down a bit she decided to see if he'd tell her what happened.

"They were teasing me" He spoke, Amina began rubbing his back when he hiccuped. She doesn't know the last time she's seen him so upset.

"Teasing you about what, bubba?"

"My hair."

"What about your hair?"

He reached up Touching his head which was once covered in thick curls and now had short patches covering the top of his head. He touched the back where he still had hair. She knew that they were teasing him about his hair texture. He did go to a predominately white private school now.

"What did they say?"

"It looks like a bird's nest. . ."

"Aw Joey. Your hair is beautiful. It's so full and healthy. Well, it was. . . " She ran her hands through his hair.

"Why can't I have hair like dad?"

"Hair like dad?"

"Yeah. His hair is normal and flat and he can just brush it and go outside. If I don't have help with my hair I look homeless!" Amina stifled her laughter because although that was an exaggeration she knew what he meant.

"Then they put paper in my hair all day and I didn't feel it so it was there until gym. I started changing and a bunch of paper fell on the floor and I had to clean it up and I was written up. I want to go back to my old school. I don't like it here."

"I just feel like you'll get a better education here. If you want a haircut we can get you one. If not then I'll start doing your hair weekly, okay?"

"Okay"

"I will talk to your teachers and the staff about them bullying you because I don't pay all that money for you to be teased and come home crying. They didn't do anything about it?"

"I didn't tell. I didn't want to be a snitch" Amina sighed. She understood.

"Papa and I are going to go down there on Monday, okay?"

"Okay"

"Shower and get ready for dinner."

"Okay"

"And João, don't let everyone else dictate how you feel about something. You love your hair. Continue to embrace it. The kid's at your school are not used to change and you're different-"

"You and papa still want me to go there and I'm the only black kid there. I don't like it. I like my old school"

"I understand that but your grades are better here. This school is more prestigious. It will look great when you apply to college"

"My grades are good because I have no friends, they don't let me play football here. They make fun of my hair, they make fun of how I speak. I hate it here and you don't care. I keep telling you I hate it here, I hate it here and you keep making me go. Why don't you ever listen to me?"

"I'm listening to you, João. That's why we're going down there-"

"I don't want you to do that. I want to go back to my old school with my old friends."

Amina shook her head. He was becoming a bit of a menace at his old school and she felt like he needed a shift in environment. Jamie wasn't too fond of this change either.

"Please, I wanna go back"

Amina shook her head telling him to shower and go downstairs.

She went to take a shower, herself.

-

"Mimmo, how's school?"

"I want to go back to my old school"

"What's going on? Take your hat off at the table." Amina told Jamie a bit of what's happening but not all the details. He slid his beanie off and pulled his hood over his head. That's the most he would do.

"Nothing. I just want to go back to my old school."

"Well, mama wants you in private school."

"What about what I want?"

"I'd rather you be in public school too but mama wants you in a better learning environment and neighborhood."

"Is this about that time those guys followed me home?"

"Probably."

"She said it would look good on my resume for college, I don't even want to go to college-"

"Woah, woah. Save those words for a day you're ready to fight with her."

"I don't"

"You don't what?" Amina asked sitting across from Jamie.

"Nothing, can we eat, I'm hungry?" João sighed.