Always

11

Shawn rummaged through all of the cupboards in search of something to eat, he loved coming home from school to be with his mom but he often forgot that life at home was far different than life at school. At school he never once worried about what he was going to eat or if there would be electricity because there wasn't a doubt in the world that the school was filled with rich kids who's parents would accept nothing but the best. At school he didn't worry about the drug dealers next door or the prostitutes which asked to come in every so often so they could freshen up before going to the next client. Luckily for him he had come to know one or two of the prostitutes and so they were the only people who knocked; they warned the other's to stay away from his house. They knew that he was often home alone and didn't trust people in his mothers apartment so they watched his back. People often judge prostitutes, they assume them to be dumb, drunk or drugged women who let men abuse them and sell their body because they're incapable to do anything else but Shawn knew that wasn't true... not for all of them anyway. The ones he knew were pretty smart, very kind and very honest but stuck in a lifestyle they didn't choose to be in. They-like Shawn- grew up in these projects and the only way for them to get money was to do what women had been doing for centuries. They were in High school and doing pretty well but that didn't put food on the table, they were masters of seduction and tactical in the ways they travelled without being caught. They weren't what you'd think they were, in fact they were just unfortunate most of the time. He finally found his goldfish snacks and then walked into the living room turning the TV up a little bit. Shawn was 10 years old when there was a knock at the door, he got up and turned off the TV making his way over to the door. He was too short to see out of the peep hole so he took the small stool beside the door and stood on it to look out, there he saw his mother with a brown bag of groceries in her arms. He jumped down from the stool and opened the door taking the bag from her and placing it on the kitchen counter. 

"Wow, you've never brought this much at once before" He commented as she closed the door behind herself and  walked toward him. 

"Well you're home and I thought you might like some decent meals" She joked as she rubbed his head and kissed it, "You can make me that pasta you've been going on about over the phone" He looked up at her with bright eyes and nodded his head fast. 

"Did you buy everything I need?" He asked excited, 

"I did, it might not be the same brand but I can't afford the expensive stuff they give you at school" She felt a little bad within herself for not getting him the expensive things but of course he reassured her the way he always did, 

"Oh no momma it's fine" He hugged her tight and rested his head on her chest, "You're the best!" He yelled before pulling away and looking up at her, "Thank you so much" He climbed up on the counter so he could kiss her cheek and then climbed down so he could start putting the food away. Gloria wondered what she had done to deserve such a sweet boy, she knew she raised him well and she knew he had a heart of gold. He made her want to cry because often she felt like she wasn't good enough but he always knew what to say and she loved that. "Oh you're going to love it so much! I was thinking of you the first time we made it at school, I knew you'd love it" He rambled. 

Shawn POV

Stars lit up the night sky and the moon shone brightly without a care in the world, the wind was rough and you could tell by the way the grass and leaves all blew fiercely in the wind. Standing by the window I gazed out on to the large grounds and glanced at the lights in the distance wondering what it might have been like to be a child in this house. When you put it into perspective it's so easy to get lost and it's so easy to run as far as fast as you can but still be on land owned by your parents. The house seemed so isolated from the rest of civilisation which explained Beyoncé's shyness as kids and why she was often awkward around other kids- I don't imagine she was really around any other kids at all. I turned away from the window and began walking toward the stairs when I heard some movement coming from the top of the staircase,