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Jaleah Sanai Royale 📍Atlanta, GA 4:00 pm
It was Jaleah's first day back since her being kidnapped and since Savanna's death. She knew it was going to be difficult going back to school knowing what people thought of her, but difficult was an understatement.
Her first day back was a living hell. The stares and whispers weren't even half of it. The people here were actively trying to bully her.
When she walked into her first bell she had gotten a welcome back from her teacher and when she went to sit down, a student put there leg up on the chair so she couldn't sit.
That was only something slight. As the day went on she had been yelled at multiple times, pushed into lockers, had books knocked out of her hand, at lunch a girl spilled her milk on her and made it seem like it was an accident when the teacher asked what happen.
It felt like she was a white girl in the movies who constantly got bullied in high school.
She was completely overwhelmed that after lunch she stayed in the bathroom for the rest of the day.
Even when she was in the bathroom a group of girls were talking about her. They were saying Jaleah set savanna up because of the incident that happened between them when savanna said her and Jahmir were messing around.
They thought Jaleah asked her uncle to kill her over Jahmir and Jaleah thought that shit was stupid as hell. Why would she do that?
It felt like they were fishing for reasons to blame her when in reality it's not her fault. They skipped over the fact that she was kidnapped too and was almost sold or killed.
When it was finally the end of school Jaleah practically ran out of the building and to Jasmine's car where Jahmir, Keyonte, Nova and Antonne were waiting for her.
They tried talking to her and asking her where she had been but received silence in return. They only knew about the milk incident since they were all seated at lunch together when it happened so that's what they thought she was upset about.
"Can you take me home?" Jaleah spoke up causing everyone to look at her.
"You don't wanna go to Jahmir's?" Jasmine asked her brows furrowed.
Jaleah only shook her head shocking everyone. Jaleah would never pass up the opportunity to spend time with Jahmir and everybody knew that. She had to be having a really bad day.
"I thought y'all was good." Antonne whispered to Jahmir in confusion.
"We are." Jahmir said looking just as clueless as the rest of them.
When they arrived at the house they watched as Jaleah got out of the car and went inside the house without saying anything.
"What's going on with her?" Nova asked.
"I don't know." Jasmine mumbled. She would ask her about it once she got back home.
Jaleah entered the house dropping her book bag on the couch as her facade broke, tears began flowing as she covered her face with her hands.
Everybody hated her so much. Jaleah didn't know if she could ever come back from this.
"Jasmine, Jaleah? That y'all?" Jaleah heard her dad's voice from up stairs causing her to wipe her face quickly.
"It's me," Jaleah said sniffling quietly as she slowly walked to the staircase.
"I thought y'all was going to Jahmirs after school." Durk said and when his eyes landed on her bright red face he paused. "What's wrong?"
Jaleah shook her head and was about to lie but what happened at school today had the tears falling once again.
"Come here," Durk opened his arms and Jaleah instantly walked into them, sobbing into his chest as he rubbed her back.
He knew exactly why she was crying. Both durk and India didn't want her to go back to school so soon knowing how everyone felt towards her, but Jaleah insisted.
She wanted to make sure she was all caught up so when it was time to walk across the stage she wouldn't have anything holding her back.
"What happened," India sat up in the bed, pausing the show they were binge watching to look at them as they entered the room.
Durk gave her a look that said it all as he slowly guided them to the bed. India reached out for her daughter who got in the bed with her, feeling India wrap her arms around her as Jaleah laid her head on her chest.
"Y'all were right," Jaleah sniffled as Durk left the room to go grab something.
"I wish we weren't." India said sadly, rubbing her hand against Jaleahs back soothingly. "Do you wanna talk about it?"
"I thought that if I pretended that everything was okay, it would be okay. I wasn't even in the building for five minutes before almost everyone was being so mean." Jaleah cried.
"Don't let them get to you, Jaleah. You know what happened, I know what happened, everyone close to us knows what happened. Anybody who thinks otherwise is dumb as hell. One person said it and everyone took it and ran with it, not even knowing the full story. Im so sorry that they're putting you through this. It's not what you need right now."
Jaleah didn't deserve nor need all the hate she was getting. She needed love and support to surround her to keep her sane. It broke Indias heart to see her receiving the opposite.
Durk entered the room with two Ben and Jerry's pint ice cream and two spoons, handing them to the girls.
"Thank you babe." India said as Durk sat down next to Jaleah who had sat up, taking the lid off the ice cream. She needed this bad.
"Thank you," Jaleah told him, scooping some on her spoon feeling better already.
"Ion want you to go to school tomorrow if i'm being honest, but at the end of the day it's really up to you and how you feel." Durk said and Jaleah slowly nodded.
"I think ima stay home," Jaleah told them.
"Whatever you're comfortable with. We can switch you to remote learning for the remainder of the school year, whatever you want to do." India suggested and durk agreed.
"Okay," Jaleah agreed. She was too overwhelmed. If everyday at that school was gonna be as bad as it was today, she would probably lose herself. It was best to do online classes until she graduates.
"Okay, I'll give your principal a call." India nodded looking at her, pushing Jaleah's hair out of her face.
"Thank y'all," Jaleah said.
"Don't thank us. We're doing what anybody would do for their child." India told her durk nodding in agreement.
"Yeah, we love you Jaleah." Durk said and Jaleah smiled softly.
