Communication| b.x.b. X/CB

Venting #1

Yee.
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March 1, 1968

"Ma, I told you, Jahseh is perfectly fine." I huff as my mom asks me for the thousandth time if Jahseh was alright. I grab a cup that was freshly washed by her and fill it with water. Leaning back against the counter, I watch as my mother washes the other dirty dishes lying in the sink.

"Boy don't get no attitude with me! I just wanted to know how the boy was doing after what happened to him." She snaps, profusely scrubbing a dirty pan.

"Well, he's doing just fine." I mumble.

"It's just a damn shame. Y'know, it wouldn't have happened if he wasn't gay. If he could just like a girl, he would've been fine. "

I hate my families view on homosexuals. They don't understand that people are just who they are. Everyone isn't what you would consider "normal".

I roll my eyes. "Things like that can happen to anyone, Mama. It was random, and random things happen all the time. "

"Nah, That was meant to happen. Somebody was waiting for the perfect moment to hurt that boy because he's a homo. "

"Maybe the just wanted his money. It had nothing to do with him liking boys. It was because he makes stupid decisions. " I say. Ma looks at me and raises an eyebrow.

"You know who did it?" She asks. I uneasily shake my head no.

That was a damn lie and I'm surprised she couldn't see right through it. I know damn well who did that to Jah; and I know exactly why they did it. I did it, and it wasn't necessarily due to his poor decision making. It was because he said didn't love me anymore, and had the audacity to call himself dating that clown.

"Anyway, when am I going to meet this girlfriend of yours? You've been going out a lot here lately, so it must be because of her. "Mama smiles. Because of him, but I can't tell you that.

"I told you that I don't have a girlfriend. Samuel just read something I was writing for school. " I casually lie. Mama believed that one too. Gosh this family is so trash. My own mother doesn't know when I'm lying.

"Oh, well who've ya' been going out with? I taught you better than to sleep around, Christopher. " Mama scolds. I chuckle. This is literally like the first time she notices that I'm not home. If only she knew anything.

"No, I haven't been sleeping around," lie, "I just be with my friends. We are teenagers with lives, y'know?"

"Mhm, all I know is I ain't raising no more kids. "

Jahseh can't even get pregnant, but once again, I can't tell you that. I nod and go into the living room where my brother and father were. My brother was staring at the television with this sickened look. My father looked disgusted as well. I sit on the sofa next to my brother and his look intensifies.

What the hell is wrong with these people?

"Uhm, What's happening, guys?" I break the ice. My dad's eyes land on me and he begins to talk.

"You need to stop hanging with that kid. He's gonna get you hurt,Christopher. "My dad voices. My brother agrees.

"Or ruin your reputation. "Samuel adds.

"What do you mean?"

"He got attacked, Chris. I don't want you getting hurt either, so your best bet is to quit hanging around 'em. There's enough young black men getting killed and beaten already. "Dad says tiredly.