Write About Me

Chapter One: Writer's Block

December 17th, 2003 - Harlem, New York

Phabiola Fenty.

Tapping my pencil on my lip I huffed. This is the third time this week I had writer's block. I hated it. I was writing a story about an Arabian princess who was captured by an English King in trade for her father's loyalty. But, a brave knight who was loyal to her father went on a quest to get her back. She was soon to become queen. I sat on my bed in the apartment I shared with my mom. We lived in the projects. The reason for that is because my father was an abusive man towards her. And when she had me, we fled. Apparently I'm not even from America. I'm from Barbados. My mother used her life savings to get the first plane ticket to New York. She told me growing up she heard stories of how amazing it was. So that's why we ended up here. My mom, at the time, twenty didn't have a job. We lived in a homeless shelter for a few months she told me. Then she got a job at Taco Bell and has been working there ever since. We moved from the shelter to a one bedroom apartment just her and I. In Harlem, it's been fourteen years since then.

"Whatcha got there 'lil bit?" Chris asked swinging in my window from the fire escape.

See, Chris lives right upstairs from me. He's nineteen. Ever since I moved here he would come see me. We grew closer over the years. Now he's like my big brother. He protects and looks out for me. My mom treats him like he's her own. He knows I'm unfortunate. So he promised me he'd do anything to make me happy, see me smile everyday. He even talked me out of being grounded several times!Even though he runs the streets and dropped out of school. He cares for us, whenever I need him he's there. He even walks me to, and from school every day that he can.

"Just that story I was telling you about!" I beamed, he snatched my notebook from me.

"Give it back Chris!!"

"Nah, I wanna finish reading where I left off."

He flipped through some pages of my notebook, finally coming to a stop. He looked really focused on my book. I watched his lightly toned, permanently paint hands scan the lines. He read three entire pages until he got to where I stopped writing.

"Why you stop? This shit was gettin' good b. Like the knight fought all them guards and shit, and went to where they was holding the princess. I wanna know what happens next Phabi." He hit my head with the notebook causing me to laugh.

"I got writers block. I wanna make a twist but I don't know what!" I groaned.

He furrowed his eyebrows, and rested his chin in is hand.

"What about making her not be there, like what if another knight from a different kingdom came and took her already?" He suggested.

I thought about his idea, swirling a even better one to go with it in my mind.

"Oh my god! Yes!!! Thank you Chris!" I wrapped my arms around his neck hugging him tightly.

He chuckled and wrapped his arms back around me.

"Wanna get some chopped cheese and fries from the corner store? Then take the subway to Coney Island?"

My eyes lit up at the mention of Coney Island. Only my favorite place on earth. Chris took me one time before, and I fell in love ever since.

"Come on 'lil bit! Put on your coat and boots and let's get outta here." Chris pushed me to the closet my mom shared with me.

"But what about my mom? I gotta let her know I'm with you. Can we walk up to Taco Bell real quick? I don't wanna get in trouble."