Tiana (More Than a Story Book 1)

I WAS ALMOST THERE

"Where are you Tia?" Lotte screamed at me over the phone. "Class starts in a hour!"

I yawned and rubbed my eyes as I sipped my morning coffee, balancing my phone under my chin. "I don't see your problem. I live 20 min. from campus."

I heard her gasp on the other side of the phone line. "Are you okay Tia. No really I'm concerned!"

"Huh-"

"You promised you would come over my house and help me pick out a outfit, Remember?"

"Oh, your right!" I yawned again, covering my mouth with my arm. "Im sorry girl. I was up all night with that paper, I forgot all about that."

"Ugh. Tiaaaaa, My professor chose me to give my oral presentation today and I gotta look finger-licking-good or it will be a disaster!"

I chuckled a little. "Well, you could FaceTime me you know."

"It's not the same." She whined.

"Well it will have to do for now, hold on." I hung up and then called her back in a matter of seconds.

"Ok, so what you got."

Lotte looked horrified. "TIANA WHAT IN THE NAME OF MONTANA HAPPENED TO YOUR FACE?!"

I squinted my eyes, " Well thanks Charlotte. Love you too best friend."

"There's bags under the bags under your eyes, your lips are chapped, your eyebrows not on fleek, your curls are frizzy, your edges are-"

"I get it!" I screamed. "Shut up, okay?"

"No. Go upstairs and fix it, okay?" She mocked me.

"But what about your clothes."

"I think I'll manage. Its not even second semester yet and you already look like the walking dead! Unacceptable. Now go get some make up on that face."

"I don't have time for-"

"Go!" And then she hung up. I bowed my head in defeat and went upstairs to try to fix myself.

I sat in front of my vanity and stared at my reflection.  I was wearing my black graphic t-shirt that said "I can sleep when I'm dead."  And a picture of a head stone that had Z's engraved on it. I chuckled a little because that is how I truly felt right now, but my smile slowly faded as my eyes traveled downward and checked out my bottom half. I hated these mom jeans, they made my butt look disgusting, but they're the only pair of pants that's not dirty or stuffed in the back of my closet.

My mind wandered to my paper I spent all night working on and I frantically started looking for it. I found that I already put it away in my backpack, which put my mind at ease. My eyes drifted to the picture of my dad on my dresser which brought the smile back to my face.

"Don't you worry daddy," I kissed my two fingers and touched them to the picture frame. "We'll be there soon."

I quickly grabbed my favorite lipstick and swiped it on my lips. I saw that I was running out of the burgundy-ish color and made a mental note to buy some more. Deciding that was enough, I slowly walked to my bed across the room and collapsed in a tired heap on the soft sheet. It felt like I closed my eyes for five minutes when mama poked her head in.

"TIANA YOU GONNA BE LATE BABY. CLASSES START IN HALF AN HOUR!"

"WHAAAT!" I popped my head up and hurried off my bed. "Oh God, Oh God, pleaaaase let me make it,"

I grabbed my bag, swiped a granola bar, and dashed out the house screaming. "BYE MAMA!"

"HAVE A GOOD DAY BABY."

I almost missed the bus but I made it just in time. I payed at the front of the bus and then sat down praying the whole way. Lord please let me make it. Don't let me be late...again."

20 min went by and I made it to school. I took off at full speed to my class, and thank GOODNESS I got to my seat just in time.

"Class take out your notebooks and pass your reports to the front." Instructed the professor. I did as I was told and then situated myself,
trying hard to forget the weight of my heavy eyelids and focus on the information being poured out to the class.

Learning mode ACTIVATED....

If only that actually worked
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"Hi Mama." I dragged my feet inside our small house and closed it behind me. I walked in the kitchen and found mama washing dishes by the sink.

"Have a good day?" She asked without looking up.

"No." I slumped in my chair at the kitchen table.

"Oh? Why not?"

"I'm tired, I couldnt pay attention in any of my classes, Im tired, Lotte yelled at me 'cause of my outfit today, Im tired, Some creep asked for my number on the bus, my boss threatened to fire me...again, I'm tired, I'm tired, and I have a LOT of studying to do....Oh yeah, did I mention I'm tired?"

My mom just laughed. "I'm tired too baby, but look what I found in the cabinet today."

I put a hand to my chest. "Daddy's gumbo pot."

My mom looked at me seriously "Tiana, your father wouldn't want you going 'round here as tired as you are. Your functioning on half a brain, honey."

"Mama I gotta do what I gotta do, and it won't be like this forever. I'm saving up my money and getting my education so I can make daddy's dream real." I grabbed her hands and looked at her in her eyes. "Mama, I'm almost there."

Mama broke away from me. She looked really upset. "Mama-"

"I don't wanna do this. Baby, I love that you have a dream, and I just hate crush it like this."

"I don't understand."

"I can't afford it anymore Tiana. I wish it was different but...college is too much for us. Honey please understand, my shop isn't doing very well at the moment and even if it did being a seamstress doesn't really pay all that well."
I could'nt bring myself to say anything, just taking it all in. " I...I think you should finish off this semester, and then maybe pick up another job."

"Another job?" I asked in disbelief. "Were doing that bad?"

"If we weren't I wouldn't have ask this of you!" She exclaimed with a little anger in her voice.

" I'll just use some of the money I have been saving up to pay for it."

"No you won't. That money is for your restaurant, only. You will continue to save money so that one day you can have your dream...your daddy's dream, come true."

"But I wanna go to school!" I said, on the brink of tears. "I wanna be tired, and I want a million things to study for, and I want to stress over papers!"

"I know Tia. But lets get back on our feet first." She pulled me close and rubbed head on her shoulder, she rocked me like she did when i was young."Then I'll send you back. I promise."

"I was almost there."

"I know baby." A tear rolled off her cheek and dropped onto my head of messy curls. "I know."