No. 99 (Joey Bada$$)

95• You Know Better

   Thirty minutes into 10 p.m and I still ain't got shit to do. I'm tired of being bored so I decided to sew. Aliyah was teaching me how until Demetrius popped in the living room.

"Aliyah." He said

"Yes?"

"Come help me cook." He said.

"Your husband is such a nice dude." I said. "Go on, I'm sure I got it. Backstitch only."

"You got it Leslie and ok, what are we cooking?" She got up and followed Demetrius

"You'll see." Their voices disappeared down the hallway.

Laila came out of no where and threw a bag of candy at me.

"Ouch my nose!"

"Shh. Sorry." She whispered. "Found this bag of goods in Quincy's room. We can eat them and watch Scared Straight."

"What if he comes down here?" I said while putting the bag on my lap and holding my nose.

"Don't worry. He's fast asleep, so is Oliver."

"You sure?" I used a tissue to see if my nose was bleeding or anything.

"Yes I'm sure and that bag hurt you that bad that your nose is- oh shit your nose is bleeding."

I held my head up. "It's cool. Trevor has punched me there so many times that I guess it got fragile. The bag was pretty hard though."

"Poor thing. I don't like the way he's treating you, Demetrius doesn't either. He's the only one that beats on his girl. For no reason."

"I can't do anything about it, Laila." I wiped my nose. "He's proved to me that I'm weak."

"You can do something." She said

"Like what? Act tough and get my ass kicked again? No thanks, you see all these bruises?" I showed her my stomach, arms, legs and back.

She covered her mouth. "Leslie! You need to do something about this."

"It'll heal." I grabbed another tissue from the coffee table.

"I don't want you to get used to him putting his hands on you."

"You're a little too late." I said.

"I just want to know. If you don't like get your ass kicked why act out? Act good."

"This ain't no elementary school. I'm not going to pretend to be something I'm not, I ain't no goody goody to him."

"You are pretending to be something you're not. His step stool- a rug. He can't be walking all over you like that."

"Laila you a month late telling me all this. My job is to make him happy, I try." My nose finally stopped bleeding. "Why don't you go on and kiss your wonderful man on the cheek and pray for him."

She shook her head in disbelief. "You need help."

She took her bag of candy and went to the kitchen where Demetrius and Aliyah were.
   I huffed and thought about what she said, she's right. He can't walk all over me but it is what it is, I can't do nothing about him. This is what my life is now. Scars, tears and heartbreak. It ain't nothin' new anyway so why even bother with all this bull? He hit me so what? Just put on some makeup and scar cream and it's all good.