Stereotype (Two Books in One) *COMPLETED*

Chapter 3: Disappointment

        The front door flew open and in walked my mother in her SEARS work uniform. I was terrified since I knew I should've been in school and I was skipping two classes. We stared at each other for about five seconds until my mom broke the silence.

"What the hell are you doing outta school!? You think you can just make your own decisions on when to and when not to attend classes!?" 

"I-I wasn't feeling well."  

""Wasn't feeling well" my ass! I dare you to ask me if you can go anywhere for the rest of the week!"

        I was dismissed and I made my way to my room. As I lay down on my bed, I played with my long puffy ponytail and thought about the party tomorrow. My mom said I couldn't go anywhere for the rest of week, but I'm glad its Thursday since the week is basically done.

        There is no way I'm missing that party because Shaun is taking me and he's my one-step-closer-to-popularity. I need to find a way to get out of this apartment tomorrow night, without getting caught. Since the party is tomorrow, I don't have much time to plan my escape.

"Kendra!" 

"Huh!" My mother yelled so loud, it jumped me out of my deep sleep.

"You think you can skip classes, then come home and sleep? Go wash the dishes, then sweep and mop the kitchen floors." 

"Alright."

        I checked my broken alarm clock that is on the left side of my room, along with my closet, and it was 4:34 PM. I ditched school after lunch, so I've been sleeping for a long ass time.

        I hopped out of bed, changed into a faded pink tank top and white fruit of the loom boy shorts. I walked down the hall silently because I didn't want to give my mom a reason to yell at me, and I started doing my chores.

        By the time it was 6:13 PM, I was done all my chores and I was tired as hell. I sat on my couch and thought up an escape plan for tomorrow night. As I was thinking of a way to tire out my mom, there was a knock on my door. I checked the peep hole and it was Janelle.

"Damn Kendra, where did you go?" 

"I decided to come home cause I wasn't feeling good." 

"Alright, well remember those party flyers at school?" 

"Yeah, what about it?" 

"I'm thinking me and you should go. We could look fly and maybe make some friends." 

"Nah, I think imma sit this one out."

        I had to make my voice sound like I didn't want to go, when really I was pissed off inside. I didn't want Janelle to know I was already going to the party, and I didn't want her to decide to go on her own, cause then she'd see me there.

"Damn Kendra, sometimes you can be so boring. How you tryna miss out on the party when its all people our age!?" 

"Cause you can't just go to every party in Chi! You tryna get shot?" 

"Look, if we go maybe people won't think we're so lame. We can both dance too. You can shake the ass you don't have, but you still look good."

        After Janelle said that I didn't have an ass, I was done with her and her negative comments. She has the audacity, with her non-swaging ass.

"Look Janelle, I'm not goin' and if you wanna go alone and look dumb as hell then go." 

"Alright, then I will. Just remember, you'll be missing out not me. Imma turn up by myself."

        I closed my door, walked slowly to my couch and plopped down on it. Now I gotta sneak out of my house tomorrow night and avoid my best friend!? If she sees me at that party tomorrow, its gon' be on for sure.

        All this thinking was making my head spin, so I decided to go to bed early tonight. I did my normal bedtime routine. Brush my teeth, say good night to my mom, say a prayer then wait to fall asleep.

        After what felt like four hours, I still couldn't fall asleep. Memories of my father kept me wide awake with a fast heartbeat.

                                                                                ***** 

"Alright ladies, you can sign yourself in here and wait for your family member to be called down."

        The big belly officer walked down the hall in the direction we came from and my mom began to write our names down on a list. After a thirty minute wait, these huge metal doors swung open and an officer asked my mom and I to follow him.

"I need the two of you to sit in the chairs over there so I can share some news with you."

        The chairs were hard and uncomfortable, but I didn't mind following the instructions this officer gave me since he was handsome. He reminded me of an older version of the teen rapper Issa because his dreads were so nice and his skin was so light. The only thing he was missing was the nice colored eyes, which disappointed me.

"Hello, I'm Officer Jefferson. I see your registration papers say you're here to visit Mr. Watson" 

"Hello officer Jefferson, Kevin Watson is my husband, and this is his fifteen year old daughter Kendra. I brought her here to see her father as a birthday gift." 

"Well about that...Mrs. Watson..."

        My mother stood up and had a worried look on her face. My heart started beating fast because I didn't know what the officer was about to say. I could tell it was bad news by the way he was stalling.

        All of a sudden, a woman came busting into the classroom sized room we were in, and she started yelling.

"Officer Jefferson! There's an emergency! Two inmates are fighting and we all know you're the best at handling these situations."  

"Sorry ladies, I have to deal with this situation and I'll be right with you."

        After he ran out of the room, it felt like he ran away with my future in his hands. Was my father in trouble? The only man I ever trusted? Whatever that officer had to say, I hoped it was news that wouldn't break my heart.

                                                                                       ***** 

       I was woken up in the middle of the night with sweat all over my face and my mother was bending over me with a worried expression.

"Kendra! I heard you crying and I jumped up out of my sleep. I thought you were up." 

"I was having a bad dream about dad. Are you ever gonna tell me why he got locked up?" 

"It's too late to have this conversation right now. We'll talk another time."

        For some reason, every time I ask about my father, my mom avoids my question and dismisses me. I wasn't in the mood to argue so I just said goodnight to my mom and dreaded falling back asleep. I wiped my tears, what I thought was sweat, off my face and hummed a song my father used to hum. Before I knew it, I was back asleep...