Jay's POV "Jay, before you say anything, I can explain. Just please don't be mad," I heard Vanessa say as she walked in the house.
"I'm not mad Vanessa," I told her.
"Wait, you're not? That's a relief," she said.
"No, I'm not mad. I'm just disappointed," I replied.
"Oh my God. That's worse," she sighed as she plopped down on the couch next to me.
"Why didn't you tell me that you were having trouble in math? I could've helped you, or we could've found you a tutor. You can't fail Calculus, V," I told her.
"I know. Look, I'm sorry, but I just didn't wanna tell you. I didn't want you on my back about this. I thought I could pull my grade up on my own without you knowing," she said.
"So, you decided to just lie to me about it?," I asked her.
"I didn't lie. I just didn't tell you," she added.
"A lie by omission is still a lie," I told her.
"I didn't want you blowing this way out of proportion, like you're doing right now. It's just one class. It's not that big of a deal. We don't need to have this whole conversation about this. I'm sorry. You don't have to be disappointed or anything. I'll work harder. I'll pull up my grade. End of story," she said with an attitude as she got up and headed upstairs.
"Stop right there Vanessa! You come back here," I said getting upset as I stood up.
She sighed as she turned back around and walked back downstairs.
"Look, I don't ask you to tell me every little detail about your life. I give you privacy because I trust you, but if you don't start telling me about stuff like this, the important stuff, that trust is gonna be gone. Yeah, it is just one class! One class that can stop you from graduating! And if you don't graduate, if you don't get an education, your life will not be easy," I yelled at her.
"Okay Jay. I get it. What's done is done," she said.
"No, I don't think you do get it," I said sternly.
"Yes, I do Jay! That's enough with all the yelling! You're not my dad!," she yelled back.
"Yeah, you're right. I'm not Dad. I'm just the only adult who gives a damn about you! I'm just the person who took you in at eight years old and always had your best interest at heart! I'm the one who clothed you and feed you and made sure you had a place to lay your head at night! And lately you just seem so ungrateful!," I yelled.
She stayed silent as I continued to talk.
"You're my baby sister, and I love you. That's why I took you in, and I don't want anything in return for the things I've done for you. All I've ever wanted for you is for you to have the best life possible, the best education possible. I wanted you to have so much more than what I did growing up. When I was a kid, way before you were born, I would have never dreamed of having the things and opportunities that you have now. Mom had a lot of mental health issues, and Dad was barely there. We were always moving around because she couldn't afford to pay rent. At one point, we were homeless. And when you were born, I knew that I couldn't let you be subject to that. I wanted to get you as soon as I got on my feet, but then Mom went to rehab, and Dad was nowhere to be found, and I couldn't leave you to be bounced around from foster home to foster home because you didn't deserve that," I told her.
"I know Jay, and I am grateful, but you don't have to breathe down my neck all the time about stuff like this," she said.
"Yes, I do Vanessa. I don't want you to be struggling like I had to. When you get out in the real world Vanessa, I want you to be prepared. I want you to have an education. That's why I'm on you about school because there are a lot of things in this world that people can take away from you, but the one thing no one can ever take away from you is your education Vanessa, and people our skin color have to work twice as hard for the things we want in this world. You know that. That's why you graduating from high school and going to college is so important to me. You don't need to be failing any classes, so I need you to do better starting now. You're to special and intelligent to let all life go to waste," I explained to her.
"Thanks Jay for believing in me, and I know that I need to do better, and I will...in all my classes. I'll get a tutor and whatever else I need to do. I don't wanna let you down," she said to me.
"Just keep being you and doing your best," I told her as we sat back down on the couch.
"I will," she smiled.
"Good, and take it from me. Not doing your best in school will come back to bite you in your behind. I didn't do a thing in high until the very end just to graduate, and trying to get into colleges with my GPA was hard, and once I finally got into college, doing the work was even harder because I had to try to catch up and learn all the stuff I was supposed to learn while I was goofing off in high school," I told her.
"You had double the work to do?," she asked me.
"Yeah, I did, but by the Grace of God, I made it," I said.
"Oh no way. I'm gonna start making straight A's. There's no way I'm gonna do more work than I have to do," she said.
"Well, if that's what motivates you to do your work, then I'll take it," I replied.
"Thanks for taking care of me all these years Jay. I know sometimes I don't see like I am, but I really am. Without you, I'd be in the system, and there'd be no one to look out for me and fuss at me to do better and get onto me about my grades, but you're still not Dad," she said.
"I know that Vanessa, and I'm not trying to be, but I just want the best for you," I told her.
"Wait, you didn't let me finish. You're something so much greater than Dad ever will be," she said to me.
"Thank you V," I smiled.
"Love you big bro," she told me.
"Love you too baby sis," I replied.
Thursday
Jay's POV I walked into Vanessa's teacher's classroom for my meeting with her today.
As I entered the classroom, I saw a woman standing over her desk with her back turned to me.
"Hi, um, are you Ms. Lopez?," I asked her.
She turned around when she heard my voice.
"Hi, yes I am, but it's after hours. You can call me Jennifer," she told me extending her hand for a handshake.
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"Alright. Well, I'm Shawn Carter. Vanessa's older brother," I said introducing myself and shaking her hand.
"Nice to meet you Shawn. Shall we get started?," she said.
"Yeah," I replied to her. _____________________________ Another chapter!
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I hope everyone had a happy holiday! I wish you all so much love and happiness! I hope you had a great time with your families and friends!
