Aleena
I stood staring into the back of our U-Haul truck. We had been moving into our new dump since six in the morning. It was now twelve in the afternoon and we still had so much more to go. It's funny you never realize how much crap you have in your house until you get ready to move it all.
I looked over at the boy who had been watching me for the longest. He waved. I was not in the mood for creepy kindness. It was hot, I was tired and sweaty. It was one hundred degrees outside.
"He'd better stop freaking staring at me." I said to myself and stepped up into the truck.
As I placed a box full of kitchen appliances on the ground I saw him walking toward me. "Aw hell naw."
Now it's not that the dude was bad looking because he was far from it; tall, brown skinned, looked to be the type that would never leave the house if his braids and line up weren't straight. He wore a Jamaican flag tank-top with black polo jeans and some slides.
Just as he was about to open his mouth my mom walked out of the house with my ten year old brother, Jake. She smiled. "Hey."
He comfortably smiled back. His deep blue eyes pulled my attention. "I was just gon ask if you need any help?" his voice was deep almost baritone sprinkled with his Jamaican accent.
My mom smiled harder and I knew she was noticing the same things I did. "Well thanks. You can help me with this sofa."
I went inside with the box of kitchen supplies to escape my mom's embarrassing behavior. When they came inside I was on my way out. Dude was nowhere in sight until I went to lift the dining room table. He was right at the other end. I looked up and his eyes meet mine. I froze trying not to stare into his eyes.
"My grandfather was white." He said reading my mind.
"That explains it." I said lifting the table. We past my mom on our way back to the truck.
"My name is Donovan." He said realizing that I wasn't about to volunteer an introduction.
"Aleena." I said.
"Pretty." He smiled.
"Thanks." I looked around the Omega apartment complex.
"So do you know how long you'll be staying here?"
"I don't know. How long do you think it takes to get off of public housing?"
He shrugged as if he wasn't sure he was supposed to answer the question or not. "I guess you'll be going to Edgewater High with me."
I nodded. "I guess." We unloaded the rest of the truck in silence.
I went into the kitchen where my little brother was eating a bowl of frosted flakes, milk dripping from his lips. Mom walked in smiling. That smile meant she had spent another night at the club looking for a Mr. Right.
