Chanel's Story

Chapter 1: My Family

"Ma! You saw my striped blue sweater?" I asked my mom as I tried to get ready for school.

"Chanel, you know that I don't go in or touch anything in that junk pile that you call a room," she yelled back at me. "I thought you let Emyriah borrow that thing anyway." 

My mother was right, I let my best friend Emyriah borrow it for the date that she had last weekend. Now I was trying to figure out what I should wear for school. It was the Friday of the first week back after winter break and now there were about 4 more months left in school.

"Chanel! Can you please hurry up. It's 7:50 and I have to drop Lailah off at daycare, you off at school and be to work by 8:00. If you're not ready in 2 minutes you will be walking to school." 

I quickly grabbed a solid black sweater off of my bed and headed down the hall. My mother and little cousin Lailah were already in the car waiting for me to come out.

"I wouldn't have to worry about you leaving me if I had a car," I told her as I slid into the front seat. "I can even drop Lailah off so you wouldn't be late everyday."

"You would have to talk to that dead-beat father of yours about that," she said harshly as she could see the look on my face. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't talk about him like that in front of you."

My mother and father met while they were in their 20s. My mother was a student at the university and my father was the local drug-dealer. They had a hood type of relationship for 3 years until my mother found out that he had a 2 year old son, Clayton. By then, she was already pregnant with me.

"You really shouldn't. Anyway, we're going to have dinner tonight. Me, my dad, and Clayton so don't expect me to come home until late. I'll get Clayton to drop me off," I snapped at her. 

Until we made it to Rosie's Fundamental Daycare, me and my mom rode in silence and she got out to take Lailah in. "I'll be right out."

Lailah was my first cousin. Her mother, my mom's sister was addicted to drugs but turned cleaned a while after she found out that she was pregnant. She was good for a couple of months but relapsed and couldn't take care of her anymore. One summer night last year, she left a letter and Lailah in a basket on our front doorstep. It said:

I can't take care of her anymore without hurting her or myself. I left 20 dollars so you can get her what she needs. I'm going to rehab where I can get clean. See you in a couple of weeks when I get out.                                       -Tammy

We haven't heard from her since. While I finished thinking, a text was sent to my phone and I reached to see it was my boyfriend Malik:

Malik: I can't wait to see you tonight ma. I want you hella bad. 

Chanel: I know right. Can't wait to see you. I bought a new bra and underwear set that you gonna really like.

Malik: Don't tell me more. Imma pick you up around 9 from your pops.

Chanel: <3 <3 Love you bae ;)

My mom got back into the car and I put my phone back into my purse. My dad never really got out of the drug game. Now he was pushing different dudes around the southside and one of them was Malik. We actually met because of my dad and they really bonded over me. I was daddy's little girl and Malik was my boo. They both wanted to protect me.

My mom pulled off and before I knew it, we were in front of Simon High School.

// ** \\

Does her family seem interesting to you?

What's gonna happen with her and Malik?

Comment what you think? It WILL get juicier.