Jae POV
"I'm worried about her James," I hear my mom say to my dad. I was just about to walk in there to let them know I'm going out when I heard her. They must've not heard my loud foot steps approaching. I stop, pressing my back to the wall and straining to hear what she says next. "She's not my little girl anymore."
My dad sighs. "She's growing up, Gi."
"That doesn't excuse her behavior," she hisses. "She's always high. Or drunk. Or both. And her English teacher called and said that her grades have dropped. She...she doesn't tell us anything anymore. She didn't even tell us that she was pregnant, James." Her voice gets chocked up and I pray she doesn't cry. I wouldn't be able to handle it if she cried. "She doesn't talk to me anymore, at all."
"She doesn't talk to anyone from what Nae said."
"But I'm her mom," she nearly screams. "Her not talking to her friends and not talking to me are two completely different things."
It's quiet for a while and I was just about to just leave when my dad suggests: "Maybe we should get her to talk to someone. A therapist. She's been through a lot lately."
I hold my breath, anticipation running though me for my moms next words. "I just don't get...I don't get how one boy could have this big an impact on her. She used to be our strong and independent girl and now..."
Not wanting to hear anymore I tip toe away and leave the house. Among all the swirling emotions inside of me I was now pissed. As I got in my car and drive to the house party I was going to tonight, my moms words run like a broken record through my mind.
Not my little girl anymore
She used to be independent and strong.
"Who the fuck does she think she is!" I mutter angrily to myself like the crazy person I was. "I am strong and independent. I don't need nobody."
Thoughts like that continue to run wildly through my head the short ride to 23rd street, where the house party for tonight was being held. It takes me a while to find parking on the already crowded street but once I do I sit in my car and smoke half a blunt. I get out once I start feeling the high, which was instant, and make my way to where all the loud music and drinking teens were. I get a lot of looks and greeting and lewd remarks. I was use to them by now and respond back appropriately.
The house where the party was being held was old and kinda run down, like most of the houses on this street. I don't care though cause as long as there would be music and niggas and drugs I would be cool.
"Jae!" The boy that was collecting the entrance fee beams. I don't know him at all but he seems to know me. I smile prettily at him anyways and say hey back. "We didn't know you were comin'."
"When am I not a party nowadays?"
He chuckles. "True. Well have fun." He lets me oin without having to pay the five dollar entrance fee. I'm always getting in without paying. I have always been a partier, but in the past few months whenever a party was being held then I was there, though coming to them alone wasn't really something I usually never did.
I only came to this one by myself because I didn't want Nae, Kelly, or Em bothering me about how much I was drinking or smoking or what I was dancing on. They were starting to get in my nerves, so to avoid losing them I just told them that I was staying home. I know there was a chance for one of them, Kelly most likely, to show up here but I didn't really care. I'd just leave if she did.
I make my way through the house, greeting and smiling at people when they recognize me until I was coming across a big keg. Most house parties didn't have alcohol but this one did and I don't waste time with filling up a red cup with the no doubt strong liquid and drowning it. I refill it and was just about to drown that cup too when a pretty brown skin girl with a bright red lace front comes up to me with a smile.
