New Native Land (The Next Step) (Book II)

Chapter 13 (We Rockin)

I got home and I sighed, I was late and I knew I was going to get an ear full, but I was late taking my pill and Ahm forced food down my throat and made me take the pill in front of his face. Maybe it was a mistake for me to tell him about my condition but he's been so much more attentive and caring because of it, so it was bittersweet, but more sweet than bitter.

I parked behind my dad like always and I walked into the house. I saw everyone in the living room including my mom and when they noticed me they hopped up. Trey asked me "Yo, where you been? We were worried." I walked in and my mom walked up to me and hugged me. "Oh, my baby! How are you doin?" She smelled like Texas so I embraced her just a little more, but her embrace was different and there was something not right about her.

She asked "You missed your mom?" I nodded. "Alright, then I won't let go." She said sweetly and I held her just a little bit more. I let go and then I looked at her appearance and saw some things that were very, very off. Her face thinned and her eyes started looking really dull. She was already skinny, but she started looking a little thinner and her thick hair looked like it was thinning. "How are you baby?" I smiled trying to fake my ignorance. "Fine." I replied and she looked at me. "Like I'm supposed to believe that, how are you really baby?" She pushed because her mother's intuition was never wrong.

"I'm really alright." She looked like she was going to accept my words for now. "She was probably with her boyfriend, that's why she was late. You know how kids are." My dad said to her and she laughed "Boyfriend? He let you come home late and not even introduce himself?" I sighed "He had to go to work. He's sorry." I told her and she nodded. "Can't complain about a hardworking man huh?" She winked at me and I laughed.

I was upstairs studying for my last final tomorrow when I got a call on my phone. I picked it up and said "Hello?" And waited for the person to respond. "Baby." Ahm said sounding exahausted. I smiled hearing his voice. "Yeah?" I heard him sighed out. "I just wanted to hear your voice." I kept on smiling "Why?" I asked playfully "Cause it calms me down." He answered sounding even more stressed. "Why do you need to be calmed down?" I asked him curiously. "I'm dealing with a lot." He simply said and I took that hint to stop prying.

"Why didn't you tell me you were graduating top 10?" I asked him and he paused and answered "It's not a big deal." I sucked my teeth. "If I graduated top 10 you'd be singing on the rooftops how proud you are of me." I said matter-of-factly. "That's for you though. I don't really care about my schooling like that ma." I rolled my eyes like he could see me "Don't roll your eyes at me." He said as if he could see me and I laughed.

"Well, I am proud of you regardless." I told him and he simply said "Mhm." I chuckled a bit. "How's yo moms?" He asked me and I said "I don't know, it's something not right about her." I honestly said thinking about how something was so off about her. He didn't reply for a small second "What do you mean?" I shook it off "I don't know, maybe I'm being paranoid." I said to him and he let it go.

"You were studying huh?" He asked and I said "Uh huh." Still studying my book. "I'll let you get back to it." He told me and I replied "Okay." "If you do good on your finals, I got a lil surprise for you." His voice picking up some it made me smile "Alright." Trying to contain my excitement.

The next day at school, I was in class with PB, we were waiting on the teacher to come in and give us our test. "Aye, you ready right?" PB asked and I nodded "Yeah, I studied all night for this test." He nodded "I'm counting on you to pass with me." He encouraged nudging me in the arm some and I smiled. "Bet."

When the teacher came in, she passed out our test for physics and though physics isn't my favorite science it was still easy for me. I already took the IB exam earlier this month and they said I wouldn't get my results until July. And that test was harder than this, so I knew I'd pass this class.

I finished the last question and I went back over all my answers and questions and I took it to the teacher, and she started grading it while I waited back at my seat. I sighed looking outside and saw Drew outside running around the track with some of his football buddies. I felt bad I had to come in between him and Chuck's friendship though he said that it was fine, I still felt bad.

He was flirting with some girls and one gave him their number, I chuckled to myself as I watched the encounter go down. "Reagan." The teacher said getting my attention to come back and get the results of my test, I walked up to her and she smiled at me "You numbered it wrong, but it's okay, that's a common mistake." I opened my eyes in horror, I can't believe I made a mistake like that "I'm sorry." She laughed a bit "It's fine honey." She eased my worry because it was evident on my face.

I took the test and saw I got a 94 on it. I smiled in accomplishment! "You can leave now, if you want. Have a great summer!" I nodded and said "Same to you!" I went back to my seat to grab my things and I went outside and waited for PB.

Finally, he came out and I asked "Well?" He smirked and said "90." I high fived him. "And you were worried." I teased him as we walked back to sophomore row. "I'm just glad it's over." He said and I nodded in agreement.

We went to our lockers and took out the physics and chemistry books and we took them back to the book barn. "We have the same schedules next year too huh?" PB asked. "Yeah, except, in the afternoon, I'm taking A&P." I told him and he nodded "And you can have that. I heard that class was hard." He laughed. "Maybe so, but I need to take it for my career." I explained and he nodded. "Yeah, I'm taking political science for my career too." He said looking grim. I shook my head. "We're going to need a prayer."

When I got home I saw my mom in the kitchen cooking up everything. "Mom, my friends wanted to eat some of your cooking, I hope that's okay." I told her and she smiled "Of course it's okay." I smiled a small smile at her and nodded about to walk out before she asked "Hey, how was your test today?" I sighed "It was cool. I passed." She made a duh face at me. "Of course, you did! With an A too huh?" I nodded and she beamed proudly "Keep working hard.

I turned around and headed towards the stairs, I didn't need to study anymore because the rest of my teachers gave papers to write for their finals and I was practically finished with those. I waited for my mom to finish cook so that I could take my meds and hang out with my family like old times.