Always

Chapter 1:

Cierra & Mike's spin-off throwback short story.

*

Existing

Living

Always

*

"Devin!" I shouted when my brother came into the bathroom while I was in the shower and started brushing his teeth.

"What?" He asked with the toothbrush hanging out his mouth looking back at me as I poked my head out the curtain.

"Get out and turn the water off!" I said since it was turning my shower water cold.

"Shut up, Ci, dang!" He said.

"Mommy!" I yelled. "I'm gonna knock your son upside the head."

"Cierra, stop yelling!" I heard my mom shout back as she was coming up the stairs.

"How many times do I gotta tell you to shut and lock the door you won't have to worry about him busting in here." My mom said coming in turning off the sink water then telling Devin to go finish brushing his teeth in the downstairs bathroom.

"Hurry up so y'all won't be late and you know the drill. Text me when you leave the house, after you drop Devin off, and when you get to your school. I'll pick yall up after since I get off early and we can go grocery shopping."

"Okay." I said washing the rest of the soap off me so I can get out.

"Okay, l'm leaving." My mom said when I came out of the bathroom in my towel. "Love yall, I'll see yall later." She said kissing both of us on the forehead.

"Love you too." We both said back.

After getting dressed I threw a pop tart into my bag then we were out. I dropped Devin off at his school first before heading to mine. My little brother is 11 and I am 15.

"Hey Lala." I said to one of my friends once I got to my high school.

"Hey, boo, ooh your hair is cute. Who did it?" She asked about my box braids.

"My mom's friend. I love it." I said.

"It's really cute. Ya boo was over here asking where you were at. I was like I ain't her damn keeper."

"You rude as shit." I said laughing. "He texted me tho."

I don't have a boyfriend, but I do like this boy named Ryan that is two years older than me. We text all the time and we talk when we see each other, but it hasn't been more than that. I like him and he seems to like me too, but I think he's hesitant for things to go further because I'm younger than him. His friends always clown about him liking a freshman.

•

"Mom, can I have some money to go to the corner store?" I asked my mom while she was making dinner.

She picked us up from school like she said and we went grocery shopping now she's making dinner and cutting watermelon.

"Yeah bring me my wallet from out of my purse." She said shutting the oven after putting the baked macaroni in there.

"You want something?" I asked when she handed me ten dollars.

"Yeah get me two of the little strawberry swirl cakes I like."

"Okay." I said knowing the one she's talking about.

"Devin, you coming or you just want me to get you something?" I asked my brother.

"I'll come." He said putting his Nike slides on.

I noticed Ryan in the store soon as I walked in. "I texted you." He said coming up to me.