Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
SIENA • • •
My first day of high school was one of the scariest days of my life. New school, new people, new friends and new found issues I never thought I would have.
By the time my freshman year was over, I had fallen in like for the first time, got my heart broken, made and lost a best friend, got my ass whooped and learned to fight. I had lost my grandmother, watched my aunt and uncle battle a divorce, and dealt with my aunt's relocation to Jamaica after my parents' wedding. I missed her, but I knew why she was gone even though it was one of those family secrets we were supposed to take to our grave. She had killed her father, but I didn't feel any sympathy for him. He had done a lot of damage to everyone he came in contact with. Both of his biological children, my aunt Alysia and uncle Chase, and his step daughter who played the role as my mother, Megan. Watching my dad remarry the love of his life might've been the highlight of that whole year. It seemed to be the only good thing to happen to me and our family.
My mother, who easily gave me up at only four, and my father who ignored my existence since before I was even born had gotten married and had another baby who they loved to pieces. Lucky baby. I was happy for them. If the baby was lucky, he wouldn't get the shitty version of Crishon and Sinai. If Sincere was lucky, he'd have two loving parents like I had growing up. I prayed he'd always have that.
They thought that because they had made things right for them and for my little brother, Sincere, that I was supposed to fall into the last piece of their puzzle. But I was perfectly content where I was. I already had two parents and younger siblings. They were a little too late.
I had spent that one year as a cheerleader before I made my way back to my first love, basketball which sent my dad over the roof with pride. And I let all of my frustrations from that first year out on the court, landing me a spot on varsity at only a sophomore.
Sophomore year was just as bad, socially. My family life seemed almost perfect. My parents were going to therapy to make sure their marriage was happy and healthy, which made our house happy and healthy. My baby sister, Milana came that year and if I wasn't dealing with high school shit I might've been the happiest person in the world.
My sophomore year was King's senior year and that whole year I had to watch him flaunt his ugly ass girlfriend in my face. They broke up once a week, and I knew she was only convenient sex for his final year of high school, but it didn't make it hurt less. This was the same guy who had told me he didn't want to be serious because he was leaving soon, yet got into a relationship. Niggas were jokes.
But thankfully for him, I got buckets that whole year. Almost more than he did.
He thought that we were supposed to be cordial, but I hadn't spoken a word to him since he tried to tell me he even had a girlfriend. Not even when he graduated with honors at the end of the year.
