Mind Of a Maniac

Chapter 1

I glare outside the window of the U-Haul truck. The palm trees make my stomach turn. I wanna go home back in Boston, why did we have to move so far. I sigh as my mom pulls up in front of the house. "Home sweet home" my mom smiles and pats my knee. I get out the car put on my blue bandanna to add some spice my bun and pick a box out of the trunk.  Home sweet home , I think to myself. Gifford, Florida is not home Boston Massachusetts is. I have always lived in the hood but I never thought I was going to have to live in the "hood hood". Time passes and as I continue to help my mom put furniture into the house I see a group of boys staring at me. It makes me uncomfortable. They all got tattoos and grills. I make eye contact with one by accident. He smiles real big. It's creepy and sends chills down my spine. I quickly look away and walk into the house oddly attracted.

I sit the last box on the counter. "Why did we have to move down here". "Nikiah" my mom raises her finger "don't start with me today". "But Ma", I suck my teeth, "we were doing just fine in Boston".  "Nikiah I am tired, and we aren't going to talk about this right now" my mom opens one of the boxes. I fold my arms. "But Ma". "NO-KEY-AH"!  my mom glares. When she breaks down my name like that I can tell she is very frustrated.

"Nikiah go outside walk down the block and interact with people" my mom takes plates from one of the boxes and places them in the cabinets. "WOAHH" my eyes widen. "So I can get kidnapped"?! "Fine", she turns around "then you can just meet people when you go to school tomorrow". "No way" I laugh. "I am not talking to anyone at school tomorrow". I pause. "TOMORROW"?! "Yes" my mom walks down the hallway. "You start school tomorrow". "No. I can't... I don't know anyone" I pout. Nikiah throw a tantrum if you want, this is our new life. Deal with it" my mom looks in my eyes. Fueled with anger sadness and confusion I storm out of the house on to the porch and cry.

I hate change, why did we have to move. As I have my hands over my face crying I feel a presence next to me. I turn my head to see the boy I am oddly attracted to after that smile next to me. He was so silent I couldn't hear him, but I could feel him. "Aye why you cryin'" he asks. "N-no reason" I stutter. He stares at me and his chains shine in the sunlight. His dreads are nicely twisted, his hair is brown and some strands are a blondish brown and he is dark skin. "Um" I wipe my tears from my face ¨don't you think it's weird to creep up on someone while they are on their porch¨ I say. ¨Don't you think it's strange to be crying out in the open like dis¨ he shoots back¨. He has accent so when he said think it sounded like he said thank. I stare at him. ¨You aint from down here are you¨ he lights his blunt. ¨Is it that obvious¨ I put my hands in the pocket of my hoodies. ¨Based on that U-Haul truck¨ he points ¨yea¨. I give out a awkward chuckle. ¨Yea I'm from Boston, Massachusetts¨. He puffs his blunt and nods his head. His demeanor is so odd, so mysterious. His tattoos are interesting and his accent intrigues me. Everything about him is turning me on but I can't let him know that.

¨I'm Jemell but dey call me Melly¨ he puts his hand out as if he wants to dap me up. ¨I'm Nikiah¨ I keep my hands in my pockets. ¨So you just gon' leave my hand hanging like dis¨ he smiles. ¨Uh sorry¨ I say. ¨I just saw that little handshake you and your friends did and it looked hella difficult and I'm not tryna embarrass myself¨. ¨What makes you think they my friends¨ Melly sits up properly. ¨Oh¨ I scratch my head ¨I just assumed because yall were hanging with each other¨. ¨Ah¨ he takes another hit from his blunt ¨you one of them assumers¨. I bite my lip. He laughs. It's unique he sounds like a windex bottle.. he's basically cackling. ¨I'm just fucking wit'chu¨ he smiles. ¨Oh and we all blood down here baby¨ he takes off my blue bandana. ¨Oh um okay¨ i twiddle my fingers. ¨So I guess I'll see you around Nikah¨ Melly stands up. ¨I guess you will¨ we smile at each other and I walk back into the house.

¨I seen you outside talking to some little boy¨ my mom says as I walk into the house. ¨Oh my gosh mom¨ I roll my eyes. ¨So you spying on me now¨. ¨I sure the hell am¨ she puts her hands on her hips. ¨Stay away from those boys they are up to no good¨. ¨Well it would be hard to stay away from them considering you forced me to move down here and they live across the street¨. I take off my hoodie. ¨Nikiah don't get smart with me¨ my mom sits on the couch. ¨Not getting smart, just saying¨ I shrug. ¨Just saying my ass¨ my mom rolls her eyes. ¨Look I know you aren't happy about the move but work with me, everything is going to be just fine, it won't be too different down here¨. ¨Then what was the point of moving¨ I fold my arms. ¨Nikiah¨ my mom sits up ¨I'm really getting tired of your attitude, I'm really trying here and all I am asking for is your encouragement¨. I smile sarcastically and do jazz hands. The rest of the night I spent letting up my room and only got about 5 hours asleep.