Chapter 1: Where It All Started

It all started when I was 13 years of age, I was so excited that my birthday was a few weeks away; school had just ended on June 8, and my birthday was in 20 more days. I counted the days until my birthday as if I was counting down New Years Eve. I remember it like it was yesterday, I never really told people when my birthday was because I felt as if I were a cursed baby. On June 28, 1994 at 5:21 am, my mother's water broke; everyone was busy with their own personal life and problems. My father, on the other hand, was at his mother's house while my mother was going through labor. By the time he heard the big news I was already born. The worst part was not my father missing his first daughter's birth but that his father had died also; talk about coincidence. My dad could not choose whether to be happy that his first daughter was born or to be depressed that his father died at the same time. By the time I turned one it was still tears instead of joy. No family of mine has ever been fully happy when it came to my birthday. It was so bad that one day I had asked my mother if I can throw a party for my birthday because everyone else in my class would have a party, and I wanted one too but instead my mother looked down on me with disgust. The trend has been going on ever since I was born. I was planning on breaking what they so call a "curse." My grandfather was big in VOODOO, but I was not so I did not understand why I was being punished for it. My birthday was in a week and me and a couple of friends planned to go to the movies, but not on my birthday day maybe after so my parents would let me go celebrate. I went to the movies, and we end up watching Ratatouille. That movie was very funny and interesting that a grey mouse with a pink nose as small a gumball can cook better than a human. My friend's mom dropped me back home, and I went to sleep with a huge grin on my face, and nothing can wipe away my smile. The next morning the sun woke me up, and my smile was brighter than the sun itself. Two weeks later my parents took me to go buy the school uniforms; I was going to high school, and I felt as if I was all grown up, and nothing could stop me. My mom and dad were both night shift security guards. They told me I was going to high school, and I was old enough to stay home alone. This has been going on for one month, and I did not have a problem, actually I was really happy because I was thinking when I am in school, they would be home and when I am home, they would be at work. FREEDOM! One day my cousin came to my house with friends of his. My cousin Giovanni is four years older than me, but I love him with all my heart. I thought one of his friends was truly endearing, and I told my cousin, and he chuckled silently and said, "Wait for your time young grasshopper."He taps me on my head as if I was a baby. When my cousin was leaving with his friends, the one I thought that was seriously adorable slid me his number to call him tonight. I was memorizing his body like a movie scene in my head. He was about 6'2 with wide shoulder, he had a slim body. He stood like he was posting for a swim suit model with his head held high full with confidence. As he walked away from me and I could see his pants sagged a little and his platted boxers were reviled. His hair was curly like an orange peel and his lips where oh so pink and plump and it was tempting to kiss him. I wanted to call him so bad, but I did not want to seem desperate, so I held back. The next day I was home alone once again but this time, I was really bored so I cooked food for dinner. While the spaghetti was on the stove, the phone rang, and scared the shit out of me. I looked at caller id, and it was an unfamiliar name and number. I rapidly answer the phone.

Me: who is this?

Stranger: Westley

Me: Who? I do not know any Westley sorry wrong number.

Westley: I gave you my number why you ain’t ever hit me up.

Me: ohhhhh my cousin's friend

Westley: The name is Westley shawty

Me: shawty?

Westley: Sorry I just came down from Georgia straight from the ATL shawty so my slang might be different from y'alls folks down here.