Back to the Hood

Moving to the Hood

I got off the train, walking into the warm weather of Miami. I hopped in a nearby cab and made my way to my mother's house. I stared out the window looking at the town. People was on the streets, the kids were running and laughing while a man yelled at them, I smiled to myself as we pulled up in front of my new home. I got out the car handed the man his money, and walked up the street having trouble with my suitcases. I grew more excited to see my mom after all these years. I wondered to myself, what will it be like living here? A whole new neighbor hood and having to meet new people.

I knocked on the door then sat on the steps, two girls on a motorcycle passed by going full speed with a police car behind them. I kept watching what was going to happen but was cut off by the sound of somebody clearing their throat. When I heard her clear her throat I sharply turned around and hugged her. I looked up at the lady I haven't seen since I was 10. She looked just like me, tan skin and long black hair. I gave her a smile as she narrowed her eyes at me,

"What are you doing here?" I was taken back by what she said. I looked down at the ground before she continued, " I said what the fuck are you doing here!" She yelled. Tears stained my vision, I answered her "grandma said I should come, I came here all the way from Trinidad!"

She huffed, "The bills are tight around here and I don't got no room for you to be here." The lady I called my mother said harshly, but then thought about it and said "just get in here damn." I walked inside slowly as I looked around the house. Clothes were everywhere and trash was all on the floor, I looked at my mom.

"As long as you are staying here you have to clean up and get a job to help with the bills." She looked me up and down and said, "you can sleep on the couch too." I was stressed already and I just got here.
"Now go say hi to your sister." She said while lighting a cigarette. I put down my bags and ran upstairs to knock on her door.

"Mom go away!" She yelled, I opened the door and saw her trying to twerk. I held in my laugh as she turned around shocked, her face turned red as she stomped towards me. "GET OUT MY ROOM" she yell angry. I ran down the stairs mumbling, "fast ass lil girl." As I moved the stuff off the couch and sat down momma leaned against the door frame as she blowed out a cloud of smoke

"You have to be enrolled into school after dinner you go and do it. I'm bouta go to work tell yo sister get her ass down here to make dinner." She said grabbing her keys. I ran back up the stairs and knocked on Keke's door.

She opened the door. "Oh my god the hell u want?" She walked to her bed and sat down. "Mom said go make dinner she bouta go." I said to her. "Ight!" She got up and went downstairs, I followed. We went into the kitchen and Keke starting preparing dinner.

I watched Tv for 15 minutes, then Keke said the food was ready. "Here," she gave me a plate with a grilled cheese on it and ran back up stairs. I broke a piece off and the cheese wasn't even melted, I threw my plate out and left.

I put the directions of the school into my phone and it was only a 5 minute walk. After I walked I stood infront of a school as big as a office building. I walked inside and felt the cool air of a air conditioner, I went to the administration office. "Hey, I'm Kianna Brown, I am here to enroll to this school." The lady searched me on her computer. "I'm sorry but I don't see your name anywhere, you must have the wrong school."

"Well do you know any other schools around here?" I asked concerned. She looked it up on her computer, she moved closer to the screen pushing up her glasses up.

"Yes, Edgewood High. It's right down the street dear not hard to miss." I nodded putting my phone in my back pocket walking out of the office. I walked down the street looking for another school. 3 minutes later I finally found it, Edgewood High. I saw that in the parking lot it was a few cars and a motorcycle. I made my way inside the school, the hot air hit me hard as I looked around it was writing on the walls and lockers were open. I turned down a hall to see two twin girls, to be exact the girls that were on the motorcycle I made eye contact with the one leaning against the locker.

The girl waved for me to come over there, I walked nervously over to where the twins were. "You don't look familiar, wassup?" The first thing that I noticed about her was her tattoo it looked so cool I just wanted to touch it, I snapped back into reality.

"Yes I'm new here, I moved here from Trinidad," I said. She nodded and pushed herself off the wall while the other twin stayed glued to her phone. "Im Paris and this my twin Kharis." She nudged her sister who looked up at me and smiled. "Im Kianna, um can you show me to the administration office please?" I tucked a string of hair behind my ear as the twins looked at me weird.

"You mean the main office?" Kharis asked I nodded as she and Paris started walking the way I came from. As we walked I looked at them, you could tell them apart not because of Paris tattoo but because Kharis nose was a little bigger than Paris and they had different personalities. Kharis was also more social while Paris was laid back. Without noticing we were already at the office door. "Well this is the office." Paris said while resting her arm on Kharis shoulder. "Thanks and I hope to see you both around!" They both nodded.

"Yea we will see you." Kharis said as they waved and walked down the hall pushing each other. I walked into the office praying that this school will accept me here.

"Hey, I'm Kianna Brown and I want to enroll here." I said politely. "Ok dear let me check my files, one moment." The lady said, man she had a bad weave. She checked the computer and looked up at me. "Yes you are in room 27A starting tomorrow." She said smiling. I nodded as she printed out my schedule and handed it to me.

I walked out school and walked back home, I opened the door and saw my sister making out with a boy on the couch. Remind you I gotta sleep there. "The hell!" I cleared my throat to let them know there was someone in the house now. They jumped off each other.

"Oops sorry." Keke said while leading the boy to her room. I rolled my eyes and started cleaning for a little while then I got myself ready for bed. I watched YouTube until I got tired. I went to sleep making sure I was rested for tomorrow.