FACADE

01|AGE ELEVEN P

PAECYN

"Paecyn baby wake up."

"Cyn?"

"Paecyn Grey me tell yuh fi gah you bed ah night time enuh likkle gyal!"

"Girl..." I finally mumble a response to my mother.

*She always angry and miserable fi no particular reason*

Today is my first day of High school... and I'm a little anxious. It would be nice if she comforted me or supm, instead, she a raise her voice. I know I might present, speak and look a little beyond eleven years but the fact is I'm literally just a baby.

"You have mouth fi correct me but you neva wah answer the wake up call," mommy continues, "me ago take weh dah tablet deh yerr? Whatever a distract you so late ah night soon get cut."

"Ah just games mo–"

"Cyn get up outa the bed before the noodle get too cold. Me put franks in there today just like you like it."

My smile twists upwards at the sound of that.

"Franks?" I throw Blankie to the ground, shove my feet into my bunny bed slippers and shoot past mommy—out to the kitchen.

"Cyn stop the running!" my father's voice comes clear.

*Well look who made an entrance for our first day*

"Daddy?" I look around, trying to pinpoint the voice.

"Who you think bring frankfurter?" he flashes me a smile– the old gold tooth from God knows when, smiling at me too.

My daddy is a delivery driver. Don't get it twisted, he owns all three of his trucks. Mommy say half the time two of the three bruk down, but one is always on the go. He does contract delivery for wholesales, supermarkets, medium sized shops and other things weh mommy no like talk 'bout.

When anything no deliver quick enough, he brings them here. Mommy always say 'supermarket say it no cold enough but I say it's just like when the taxi take thousand turn off and me fish start get warm.'

I'm not completely sure what that means yet but I'm sure she is right. She's mommy.

"Thanks daddy!" I launch at him, hugging him tight because me know him soon gone again.

*Sigh*

"Eat your food Cyn, so you can cool off in time fi bathe. Remember you a walk go bus stop today because the car ah overheat."

Obeying her, I shift from daddy to the plate of ramen noodles. The first thing I shove in my mouth is half of a frank.

My mind then races to the thought of taking on my school route myself. During summer school, mommy or daddy would take me. I knew eventually I would have to learn to take public transportation alone, but on my first day???

*Me kinda excited*

I am, yes... but I'm still scared. Mommy always ah say man wicked and if them look pon me too long, call 911...

Or a 119?

... Supm like that, but call the police. There also is a million rules when it comes to picking a taxi or bus.

Mommy say make sure I can see other school uniforms in there, at least two women, it must have red plate, no tint and the driver mustttt be skinny and meek looking...

... So I can fight him if anything.

Oh! and me must send her the picture of the license plate.

I might not be observant when it comes to taxis, but me never see anybody do the last one before. Kyan just jump ina bus freely and me no see them take weh she all now.