Ese.

Six.

July 1st, 1992

Isamariá

After my shower, I put on my oversized tee and my Jean overalls. Kaylani handed me my All-Stars and I quickly slipped them onto my feet. I made sure that my hair was completely dry because it would be tragic to have water leaking all over my clothes. 

"Isa, your mother told me to tell you that you need not to be late for school!" I heard George yell from the living room.

Of course he was sitting on the couch, drinking beer and running up the cable did as he did every single day. He was such a bum and I couldn't understand why. What grown man could be so foolish to act like he does?

"Did you hear me, Isa?" He yelled again. 

"Yes, I heard you!" I shouted back. "You don't have to keep talking to me!"

"And you don't have to have an attitude with me because I didn't do anything to you!"

"Sure you didn't." I mumbled.

"Can you give me a hug before you go, Isa?" I heard Kaylani say.

"Of course, Ky." I smiled. 

I picked her up from her bed and wrapped my arms around her, giving her a bear hug. She giggled as she wrapped her arms around me. Moments like these made me realize how much I loved my little sister.

"I'll see you later." I said. "I have to go to school, alright?"

"Alright." She said.

I put her down and she looked up at me and gave me a goofy smile, "I love you, Isa. You're the best big sister in the world."

I chuckled, "Thanks, Ky."

I left the room and tried my best to avoid George as I made my way to the front door. I got out of the house without having to speak to him, and that was a miracle.

I was on my way to summer school, and to tell you the truth, I wasn't even the least bit excited about it. I didn't wanna sit up in a stupid classroom all day when I could be hanging out with Jada and Josh. The really bad part about this was that If I didn't go, I would be retained for sure. So, I guess I didn't really have a choice.

As I got closer to the school, I saw many people hanging around with each other in the front of the campus. Many of them were the popular guys that other people at my school considered to be "Jocks." Some of them were their girlfriends and cheerleaders, or just popular students in general. Jada and Joshua always thought they were jerks and never bothered to talk to them, but they were always kind to me so I didn't think badly of them.

"Isa!" One of the guys shouted out to me. "Looking fine, Chica!"

"Thanks." I laughed.

"Where you going?" Mary asked. "Are you going to summer school?"

"Yeah." I responded. "I'm guessing you're going, too?"

"Yeah, unfortunately." She sighed. "We have Mr. Walker. What about you?"

"Mrs. Jenkins." I giggled.

"Too bad we don't have the same class." She said. "Maybe next time, chica."

She winked at me and everyone else who was with Mary waved me goodbye.

"I'll see you guys around." I said as I walked off.

The only good thing about Mrs. Jenkins' class was that she didn't teach anything. She just sat behind the desk and ate her food and wrote in her journal. If you didn't bother her, she wouldn't make you do any work.  Some days she put on a show for the principal to prove to her that she was "doing her job." But, I'm pretty sure we all knew by now that Mrs. Jenkins didn't really care for her job.