Stone Heart

Chapter One: Carlisa

"Mom, I'm staying at Imani's for the weekend. Imani's mama wants you to pick me up Sunday afternoon. Call me back when you get this message. Love you mama."

I don't understand why she didn't pick up. She always answers my calls.

Me and my best friend Imani were walking to her house so we could drop off our bags. We had just gotten home from school. We go to Jefferson High School, which isn't too far from her house, that's why we didn't ride the bus.

It's so hot today.

We walked and talked going on about how Imani's boyfriend was supposedly cheating on her with some other girl from class. Imani's relationships never lasted longer than two weeks. She could lose and gain a boyfriend at the drop of a hat, and anytime she had a problem with one I got an ear full. She has been my best friend since third grade, now we are both 15 and I only see us getting closer in the future. She's very funny and outspoken; she speaks her mind and is a little aggressive, but I love her for that. We are kind of one in the same. We act just alike, so we've bumped heads a couple times, but we have never given up on our

friendship.

"That cockeyed bitch think she just gone take my man. I don't know what the fuck they do in Virginia, but here bitch.. In Chi Town.. We run it when somebody take some of ours."

I tuned out for a while after I heard that. I knew she would go on and on about this girl the whole walk to her house.

Imani lived in an apartment complex in the middle of the city. It was close to school, but secluded from a lot of other places, including my house, but that didn't stop us from spending time with each other. Her apartment building was known for gang violence and drug distribution, I'm just glad Imani has always been safe.

The sun. It's so bright.

There were no clouds in the sky, at least the parts I could see. All these skyscrapers and buildings made it hard to see the sky. Building after building. Light post after light post.

We were a block away from Imani's house now. We'll be there in a few minutes. We'll...

" CARLISA!!!" Imani yelled at me furiously.

"Huh, what bitch, DON'T BE YELLIN AT ME!" I retorted quickly.

"Carlisa calm down. You just been lettin me talk the whole time. You haven't been talkin none, I hope you ain't gone be like this the whole weekend. What are you thinking about?"

"It's hot."

"You got on a tank top. Take your shirt off."

We were at Imani's apartment entrance when I finally took her advice. I looked around to see if anyone was watching, but i saw no one. We stopped and I slipped my Hollister t-shirt off. Sweat had beaded up on my neck and my breast were glistening with from the moisture  that collected on my chest. My hair cascaded midway down my back like a waterfall made of oil. My hair is my favorite feature about myself. It's soft, straight and long just like my mama's.

Why hasn't she called back.

We walked up a flight of rusty metal stairs to get to Imani's door. She unlocked and opened the door, and a cool breeze of air hit me as we walked in. There was a man sitting in a chair watching T.V. He looked at the two of us blankly and he looked strange, like he was inebriated. I couldn't smell weed, so I assumed he had been drinking. He looked young, maybe in his early twenties. He was tall, maybe six foot one, with curly dark brown hair. He was light skin; he looked mixed, like me.

"Hey Imani," he said bashfully and akwardly. He stood and stumbled over to greet us. He wrapped one arm around Imani and gave her a sloppy kiss on the forehead.

He stumbled again and almost fell to the floor.

He's definitely drunk.

"Who's your beautiful little friend here?" He burped and the smell of alcohol consumed me. Imani introduced me and I gave low cough and said hi.

"Well Carlisa, I am Santino, Imani's step daddy. If you need anything don't... don't be scared to ask me." He grabbed my hand and kissed it then he winked at me. I blushed and gave a half smile then he went to his bedroom.