Ups and Downs: Can't Run From Pain

9.

2 years later...

KAYLA

"And this is the clip" I say pointing to it. "You did good." Jerry says smiling wide. I smile back. We in the living room. And he's been teaching us a lot these past 2 years. I know about a lot of stuff, that's gang related; especially protection.

"Now take it apart" he demands handing me the gun. I start taking it apart as fast as I can. "Damn that was fast" he mumbles looking at the pieces laid out on the couch. I smile putting it back together.

"You think you so good, I can do the shit with my eyes closed" he says grabbing the gun. He closes his eyes taking it apart. He opens them. "Oh whatever" I say laughing.

"Jack" I call. He comes running from the back. "Hey boy" I say petting behind his ears. Jerry trained Jack to be a violent dog but I'm okay with it as long as he nice to me. He buff now, like buff to where his arms stick out.

Ken walks through the door. "Hey Kayla" he says. "Jerry. You can rap for a minute?" Ken says growing serious. "Yea" Jerry says hopping up and walking to the back with Jack following them.

I see Kaylee walk through the door with Joseph. "Hey Kay" I say waving and smiling. "Kayla, we saw boom" She says running into my arms. "Huh?" I say looking at her. "Don't tell Auntie" Joseph says in a serious tone while rushing to the back. "It's not like she would care anyways.." I say shrugging my shoulders.

They all came back into the living room. "We gotta borrow Jack for a minute" Jerry says grabbing the gun off the table. "Stay in touch" he says throwing a $12 dollar Walmart phone at me. I nod my head.

I grab Kaylee and go upstairs. "Hi mom" I say since her door is wide open. She looks at me then back at the tv. I walk into her room. "Can I go to the Movies and Mall with Grace?" I ask. "Don't care. Take Kaylee with you." She says not taking her eyes off the tv. I nod walking out.

Me and Grace are walking around the mall at the moment with Kaylee in the stroller on her tablet that Jerry bought her. "Kayla" Grace says. "I think I'm pregnant" she says. I reluctantly stop. "What?" I ask.

She nods. "I've just been sick lately and stuff. Im not gonna tell my mom though" she says shaking her head as a tear falls. "Girl you are in the ninth grade you way too young for a child right now! You a child yourself!" I fuss. "Kayla I need you to be my friend right now, not my mom" she says back.

I take a deep breath. I nod. I take a seat at one of the tables. She sits across from me. I position Kaylee's stroller to where it's facing me. She so into that movie. I put a kid friendly movie up on there from Netflix.

"The first question is Are you keeping it?" I ask. She slowly nods her head. "Yea" she says nervously. "Second question is who's the daddy?" I ask. "Don't get mad at me but it's your brother" she says. My heart drops.

I blink out a few tears as my mouth drops. I try to reach to wipe my tears, but my hands are shaking too bad. I think I'm in state of shock. I feel like my body wants to move and I can't respond how I want too.

"I know, and I'm sorry. I did it a while back, and I didn't want you to think that I was hoe. Cause I hear how bad you talk about the girls that he has sex with. I'm so sorry. I swear I am!" She cries. I slap her out of nowhere making her fall out her seat.

"I didn't mean to do that" I say helping her up. "I-I deserved it" She says getting up, holding her face. "I'm so sorry" I say sitting back down and putting my head on the table. My brother is in the eleventh grade with a child by my best friend. Jesus why me?

"Are you mad at me?" She sniffles. "I'm disappointed in you" I say shaking my head. "I'm so sorry" she says again. "What are you going to tell your mom?" I ask.