Layla POV
Growing up in Jersey wasn't always the best. Between having a deadbeat father and a mother that's always gone with one of her many boyfriends, I don't know what's worse. It wasn't always like this. Everything use to be ok. My dad use to come around and my mom was happy. When my father up and took off on us is when everything went wrong.
My mom was incomplete without my father. You could see it in her eyes. So to distract her from the pain of my father leaving, she went after other men. At first it started out with one, but after that, she went up to two and soon after that she doubled up to four.
I guess you could say my mom was a whore, a slut, every name in the book. It wasn't a secret either. Everyone knew about my mom and if they didn't know they must have been living under a rock.
Enough about my parents, time for me. My name is Layla King. Im born and raised in Jersey and I'm currently seventeen years old. I have a little sister named Amani but everybody just call her Mani. She's five and let me tell you, she's a handful. When I turned fourteen, Mani became my responsibility. Basically, I've been taking care of Mani her whole life. As soon as I was old enough my mom left her for me to take care of. I didn't complain one bit though. I love my little sister to death. That little girl is the only person that keeps me sane. Id die for her in a heartbeat.
Speaking of Mani, I needed to wake her up for school. I take her to my grandmas house in the morning and she goes to school from there.
"Mani, wake up! Time to go to school." I yelled walking into my little sisters room and turning her light on.
Her favorite movie was The Princess and the Frog so her room was decorated with every single piece of Princess and the Frog merchandise you could think of.
"Lay, I not going." Mani said sleepily. She turned around in her bed pulled the covers over her head.
"Mani, you goin to school so get yo butt up and go brush yo teeth."
I snatched the covers off her and she stood up out of her bed pouting.
"You get on my nerves!" she yelled, crossing her arms and stomping towards the bathroom.
"You better watch that little attitude." I replied following her to the bathroom making sure she was doing what I told her.
"I'm sorry Lay."
"You good, just hurry up so I can take you to granny house. I gotta go to school today too." I said grabbing my toothbrush.
We brushed our teeth and I helped her get dressed. After she was dressed I made her some breakfast and then I went to get myself ready.
I didn't really have much. I made a little money by teaching a few kids dance lessons down at the community rec center when ever I had the time.
Between school and Mani, I didn't really have time to have a real job so teaching lessons would have to work for now.
"Mani, you ready?" I yelled from my room.
I grabbed all my belongings and my keys and made my way to the kitchen.
"You ready baby?" I asked Mani grabbing her now empty plate and putting it in the dish washer.
"Yes, can I have a toy later?" Mani asked getting up and getting her book bag.
"Umm, ima see what I can do later."
I hated not being able to have enough money to buy her things that she wants.
"Aight Mani, let's go." I said grabbing her hand and leading her to my car.
My mom did get me a car. That's the one thing besides my sister that I'm grateful for.
