Diary of a Broken Doll

Loosen Up Sweetie

I wake up the next morning and go about my normal routine of getting ready. Of course I have no intention of going to school. Instead of my books I put all of my letters from my dad and grandma into the bag.

On the way out I call Drew to pick me up. "I'll be on the corner from where you dropped me off waiting."

"Aight." He answers.

My suitcase is leaned against the stop sign and I'm sitting on it, sitting on it and kicking a rock back and forward between my feet. Fifteen minutes go by before I see Drew turn the corner and come toward me. Relieved I stand.

"Hey babe. You ready to go?" He asks jumping out and grabbing my suitcase and throwing it into the backseat.

"Yep. Let's get the hell outta here." I mutter.

"You want something to eat?"

"Umm. Yeah." I decide.

We pull into Denny's. I'm kinda in a hurry here, but I don't want to complain. "We'll order to go." He says apparently reading me.

"Ok. That's cool. Uh, could I use your phone? I wanna make sure everything is in order." I say.

"Yeah." He gives it to me.

"Just get me whatever you get." I say wanting to talk in private. I reach into my pocket and pull out two fives.

"Yo money ain't no good here, Shawty." He shuts the door.

"You sure?" I ask, but he's disappeared into the restaurant.

I dial Marla's cell phone number figuring school shouldn't start for ten more minutes.

"Hey Marla. What's up?" I say as soon as she answers.

"Girl where you at? What you doing calling me blocked?" She questions.

"I'm on somebody phone. I'm sick, though. I need to speak to Camille about getting my homework and stuff." I lie.

"Oh she right here sitting with Robert. I was tryna give them some space." Marla replies.

"Hey." Camille answers.

"Hey. I'm with Drew. He let me use his phone. We're on our way." I confirm.

"Oh that's sweet." She croons.

"Remember don't tell nobody where I am. No matter how worried you get." I recap.

"I'll remember. Don't you think that's kinda crazy though." She doubts.

"Well how about this, if you don't hear from me for three weeks tell your mama. But if someone by a strange name calls or writes, it's me." I attempt to reassure her.

"Alright I guess that's better." She settles.

"Ok. Well bye. I'll try to find a way to call at least once a week." I add.

"Ok, bye. Talk to you later."

Drew comes out and gives me a pancake breakfast. I eat while we ride.

"I have to do a few things before we go. You're not in that big of a hurry are you?" He asks.

"As long as we get from around here, I'm good." I shrug.

We ride for a while before we head toward what I know to be Garland Del Portico, a gated community near Lewiston Mall. We pull up to a substantial sized brown stucco house, with big posts jutting down from either side of the opening on the porch.

"You can get out." He says turning off the car.

I step out of the car apprehensively while he walks around to the back of the house and through a tall wooden fence. I follow.