My Mind

Chapter 3

I opened the door for Zariah and Mia. For the past two weeks Segal and I had been going back and forth to the department of housing. There was a waiting period of a week for the new title deed ownership to change.

"So this is all yours?" Zariah asked as she walked passed me. I made a few changes here and there but nothing extravagant. I noticed a bruise on Zariah's arm and a slight one on her back just below her neck. Her mother had been laying her hands on her but Zariah refuses to report her. I wanted to report her but it would be my word against hers and I know Zariah would defend her mother. So I just let it be.

"Yup. It's all mine. How's your mother doing?" I asked her as I took a seat on the bar stool in the kitchen. She looked at me then averted her gaze to Mia. Mia just looked down. I know she felt embarrassed.

Mia cleared her throat, "When will you invite us for a sleep over?" She asked changing the subject. This is how this conversation always goes. I bring up anything about Andrea, Mia changes the subject. I thought of way to talk about Andrea and that's to talk about her when Mia is not around.

"You can sleepover whenever you want to." I dryly replied. She has a way of getting under my skin. I was never Mia's friend, she was Zariah's friend. They came as a package deal but because I got used to hanging around her I got better at tolerating her. She's not a bad person.

Zariah grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and sat it on the counter. She just stared at it. "Are you okay?" I asked her but she didn't move; her gaze was fixated on the bottle of water.

"You know what's funny?" She finally spoke, still looking at the bottle. "Mia your father abandoned you just like mine did. Charison your parents recently passed but you know what you both had that I didn't, love from your parents. Mia you have your mom who loves you to bits and Charison you had your parents who loved you unconditionally. I sometimes envied you both. I wished I had that but I wasn't so lucky."

"Then why don't you just report her?" I asked.

"I can't lose her."

I just looked at her. I had nothing to say. I can't say anything because I don't have the slightest clue what she's going through. I never experienced any abuse from my parents but what I do know is that no one should be laying their hands on her. At all.

"Okay fine let's just drop it. Have y'all smoked weed before?" I asked them and Zariah was the only one that shook her head. I bought some weed from this drug dealer that I met down the street. I'd always wanted to try weed but I couldn't. I was around my parents almost all day so I never got the opportunity to do so.

Mia grabbed the baggie from me. "I can roll it." She said confidently. It took me by surprise.

"Since when do you smoke?" Zariah asked her. Mia said nothing as she began to roll the blunt.

"Is this good?" Mia asked me holding up the blunt which was perfectly rolled. I nodded mt head then took it from her. I lit it with my lighter then took a puff. I felt the smoke burn my lungs which made me cough frantically. Mia and I passed the blunt back and forth to each other while Zariah watched. "Stop being judgemental." I said to her.

"I'm not."

"Yes you are." Mia stated.

"Why are you even smoking that? Is it peer pressure?"

"What? No. Just wanted to try it. Seems like Mia has been smoking it for a while now." I said as Mia passed the blunt back to me. After taking the last puff I put the bud in the ashtray.

"It hasn't been that long. Maybe a couple of months."

"A couple of month?!" Zariah was in disbelief. And here I thought Mia was a sweet, naive being.

"That's not bad Zee." I said to her.

"Stop encouraging her Charison!" She yelled at me.

"How am I encouraging her? Mia is not a baby and she's been doing this for months. And don't you ever raise your voice at me!" She has some nerve. I'm not going to treat Mia like she's a ten year old. She's old enough to make her own decisions, she knows right from wrong.

Mia cleared her throat, "Zariah maybe you should focus on reporting your mother to someone. The police, social workers, teachers; somebody that can help you."

"I DON'T NEED FUCKING HELP!" She yelled and got up. She was turning a light shade of pink as she huffed and puffed in my face. I just looked up at her because I know her anger wasn't directed to us but if she layed a hand on me I would knock her out.

"I'm leaving. Charison you can take your new best friend home." She said and walked out the house. I looked at Mia and she shrugged. "Wanna go get more weed?" She smiled at me and I laughed. She's not bad.