Shine Bright Like A Diamond

"Reverend Theadore?" I called out

He came out of his office looking more tired than usual.

"Diamond! Im so happy you came." 

"I want to join the choir again, I'm trying to fix my life and I want to be in the choir again."

"That's wonderful. Come tomorrow after your school hours, we will be practicing."

"Thanks Reverend." I replied walking out

"No problem."

I nodded and walked out. It was an eerie dark outside and I was quite afraid honestly but I sped home walking as fast as I could

* 

Dominique hadn't talked to me in a week, this had me all types of confused. I thought guys only want sex? Making my way to school I walked in feeling good and confident, that's just today though... 

I went to my first class arriving early, turning in homework and such when Jessica walked in. Although we may not be friends during this time I felt some sort of obligation to see how she was doing since last time we talked I threw her out of my house and she supposedly had HIV.

I decided to save the talk with her for lunch although she kept looking at me throughout the entire class period. I wondered if she knew I had sex with Dominique, I wondered if her and Dominique were back together and that was why he hadn't talked to me.

It sort of occurred to me that I didn't know much about Dominique. He was mostly a stranger who would pick me up seeming as though I only been to his house once and the other times we met were in fast food reestaurants.

I worked through the class period raising my grade average in the current class. After I visit the church I might find myself a job, I wanted to make my own money and not turn out like my mother.

*

At lunch I walked boldy over to Jessica's table. Her table full of laughter stopped as I stood behind her, she turned around with a slight smirk on her face. I disregarded it and continued to see through my task.

"Can we speak privately for a moment?" I asked with all the politeness and niceness I could muster up in my body

"What is there to speak on?" She replied back quickly her attitude turning sour quickly

I bent to speak in her ear quietly, "I don't know if that disease that you have is making you meaner but I suggest you act more happy go lucky seeing as though you might be close to the end of your life." I replied

The smirk was gone from her face and I didn't feel  the least bit rude or sad about what I had just said. She got up from the table and we walked out of the cafeteria. I could feel the eyes of her table follow us mysteriously.

"Tell me the whole story." I said once we stepped out

"After I aborted the baby, my mom took me for a check up, and that's how I found out. I think it was Dominique who had it and I see you hanging with him... I don't why I told you anyway. " She shrugged it off

"How are you sure Dominique has it though?" I asked calmly

"All you care about is that son of a bitch? We been friends since middle school Diamond!" she went on to yell

"Jessica just tell me! I need to know!" I tried to reason remembering how he spilled his seed into me and how I had let myself forget to not do anything about it.

"He was my main sex partner until after I aborted the baby." she said weakly

*

I walked inside the church which looked more lively considering it was one of the times that I visited when a) it was daylight and b) people were inside besides the Reverend.

Reverend Theodore smiled at me when I walked in, I took my place on the stage of rows. 

I may have looked misplaced seeing as I was wearing jeans and a shirt and the rest of the choir members wore their blue robes. 

I sang loudly with much emotion and as I sang I thought of what to do about Dominique and the possibility of me having an STD, rekindling with my mother and possibly bringing her to the church one Sunday. It may be a dream but I will certainly talk to her about it.

After rehearsal was over I scrambled to make it home before dark.

* 

I would look for a job online at the school library tomorrow and decided that it was now a good time to talk to my mom. I walked in the house closing the door and locking it behind me silently hoping she didn't have any customers. 

I knocked on her door to her room and waited until I heard a faint "Come in." I walked in slowly to find my mother curled in a ball on her bed of dirty sheets. 

I sat in a rocking chair in the corner of the room as she spoke to me, "I know I may seem like a whore or a bitch to you but it's only because I'm doing this all for you." s

I immediately replied, "That's why I came in here mom, I joined the church choir again and I'm looking for a job, we can both get legit jobs and maybe we can rent a small apartment or even fix this place up? Then you won't have to give your body away anymore."

She shook her head up and down rapidly tears continuously falling down her cheeks. "Diamond, I love you so much, your father would be proud of you."

I nodded as we hugged each other tightly and I smiled a genuine smile for the first time in a while. "The first step is washing these sheets now." I grinned as we both laughed.