I sit my bag down on the lunch table and sit down next to India n nem.

"Hey girly." She said.

"Hey." I said sounding a little stressed.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Nun just tired."

"From what? School?" She questioned.

"Yeah. They den put me in AP biology, and ion even remember nun about no mitochondria ghee."

India giggles.

"And then they making me stay after school for some damn counseling cuz of all the fights they seen me in in my previous schoo."

"I don't need counseling again."

"Again?" India asked.

"Yeah, I used to go to a psychologist before I moved here."

"Dayum. Ian know dat." India said. "Ion kno a lot of stuff about you."

"Why you don't tell me nun?" India asked frowning.

"I do tell you stuff."

"Nuh uhnn." India said.

"I don't know what you want me to tell you."

"Stuff. Tell me stuff." India said.

"I don't know what stuff is."

Lawan walks by and stops by us.

"What stuff?" He asked.

"Monie don't tell me stuff." India said frowning again.

"She be tellin me stuff." He said.

India made a dramatic shocked face.

"WOOOOOOW." She said.

"I be telling you the same stuff I tell him."

"So I'm just like everybody else now." She said putting her hand over her chest.

" I never said dat."

"I feel so hurt right now." She said.

"You being dramatic for real." Lawan said.

"Don't speak to me." She said putting her hand out towards him.

"You either," she said looking towards me, " since I'm just like everybody else."

"I don't even talk to anybody else."

" I talk to you, Lawan, ya brother, and this girl from my biology class."

"I don't even talk to Chiyah and nem like that."

"Mmmmmhmmmm." She said giving me da side eye.

Out the side of my eye, I seen someone staring at me. I turned to see it was Kayla. She was sitting next to Omar and some other girls. Once she realized I looked back, hugged Omar and started kissing on him. I rolled my eyes and turned my attention back to India.

"Weird." India said.

"Real weird."

"Imagine being happy to have a nigga that openly talks to other girls." Lawan said.

"Sad." He added.

"Real sad."

***

"I can't date no white man cuz imma kill him if he say nigga, and I'm not playin!" I yell out.

Right now, I'm walking home from da store. It's around 8, and I'm listening to some music on my way to enjoy the walk.

I feel a chill run down my spine.

"It's a luh cold out hea. I should've put on my small coat." I say rubbing my hands together.

Just then, a white van pull up in front of me in the alleyway. I stopped in my tracks for a second. Then, I started to walk into the street, around it. Once I almost get around it, people jump out, and I get pepper sprayed.

"Ahhh shit!" I say rubbin my eyes frantically.

I start trynna back up and get ready to run even though I couldn't see. Somebody grabbed me and held in place. They was strong as hell, so I couldn't really get anywhere.

Next thing I know, I start getting punches in my face and in my stomach. I start trynna kick and punch back but my arms and legs got held down. I turn my head and bite someone as hard as I could.

"Shit!" I heard one say.

They didn't let me go. I got punched and kicked repeatedly until I felt a sharp pain in my side. They let me go and moments later I hear the van pull off. I put my hand where the pain was and it felt wet.

Still not being able to see, I search on the floor for my phone with my hands.

"Hey, Siri go to phone."

I pressed any contact on my phone. I didn't know who. It started ringing.

Right there is when I passed out.

_________________________________________

Word Count: 896

Publish Date:December 4th, 2022