Two years later. Those years were hard, and I don’t even know what was worse: testifying against my
own mom or living with two assholes for foster brothers and their little sister.
Seeing my mom crying about going to jail broke my heart a little bit. Just a little. But that feeling
disappeared the second the guards started taking her away and she threatened to kill me. Right then, I told
myself, Man, fuck that bitch. All my love for her died that day.
After that, they moved me out of the hood and into a suburban area. It was a total culture shock. No
corner stores at all—just actual supermarkets you can’t even walk to. The nearest library was at least a
mile away. It was complete bullshit that I had to walk that far, but I could live with it.
Now, for the siblings. Jasmine was the youngest. She was a year younger than me, and we actually
got along pretty well. We’d play games, hang out at the library, and spend time together since we went to
the same school. I really liked her; she was cool people.
Oh, but her brothers? I couldn’t STAND those big bitches. Marcus and Diquerius. They were twins,
three years older than me and Jasmine. They were tall and chubby, like some super-duper sumo wrestlers,
and they did wrestling in middle school, too.
Bruh, they would always fuck with me for no reason.
Ms. Patterson does what she can to make them leave me alone, but she can only do so much. “They’re
just being big brothers,” she’ll say.
Bullshit. They’re lucky their mama gets paid to watch me, or I’d be smoking their packs by tonight.
But one day, I almost crashed out on them for real. Ms. Patterson had left for the day, so it was just
me, Jasmine, and those two wanna-be YN-looking niggas. Marcus walked right in front of me while I was
watching TV.
“Tsk. Bruh, move! You’re blocking the TV,” I said. “I’m trying to watch Goku go SSJ4.”
“Fuck the TV. Listen up. Me and Diquerius are going to a girl’s house for a party tonight. Mom’s
gonna be late, so y’all stay here.”
“Where the fuck would we even go?”
“You’re gonna go to the hospital if you keep fuckin’ playing with me.”
“Fine. I won’t snitch. Happy? Now can you move?”
“Last thing,” Marcus said, leaning in. “You better not do anything to our sister while we’re gone. If
even a single hair is misplaced in this house, you’re gonna wish you got sent somewhere else.”
I looked him in the eye. “I find it ironic how you’re threatening to put me on a T-shirt for being near
your sister, while you’re heading out to do the same thing to someone else’s sister.”
“Oh, your mouth is getting way too—”
Suddenly, Tweedle-Dumb stepped into the living room.
“Mark, what are you doing?” Diquerius asked. “I like torturing the little bastard as much as you, but
we’re gonna be late, and I’m trying to clap some cheeks tonight.”
He gave me a stink eye before they both headed out. Hypocritical bitches.
I just went back to watching Dragon Ball GT. Not gonna lie, most of GT was mid, but the Baby and
Shadow Dragon arcs were goated.
A few minutes later, Jasmine walked into the living room.
“Watching Dragon Ball again?” She sat down next to me.
“It’s cool. What can I say? I’m addicted to the TV a little more than my books.”
Back with my mom, I was never allowed to watch TV. It was either play outside all day or stay inside
and play with toys. It’s pretty fucked, when you think about it.
“Well, at least you can enjoy it now,” she said.
“Enjoy it? Even after getting assaulted by your big-ass brothers?”
She giggled. “Yeah… that’s fair.” She started fidgeting with her fingers. “I tell Mom, you know.
About how they act.”
“I’m not her child, so I don’t blame her for picking sides. I’m not blood, so I’m always gonna be at a
disadvantage.” I reached for my homework. “But at least I’m living a normal life for the most part. I’ve
never been to a real school before this, but I’m doing okay so far.”
She got closer and put her hand over mine. “Yeah, you’re super smart. Every time I ask you a math
problem, you know it on the spot.”
Why is she touching me like that, dawg?
“Oh, it’s nothing that impressive,” I said, trying to play it off. “It’s just math.”
“10x10, then divide that in half.”
“Fifty.”
Fuck! Why did I answer that so fast?
“Okay, that was a setup!”
“Really?” She moved even closer. I backed up. “I don’t think that’s the setup I had in mind.”
“Then get it out of your head, because it’s not supposed to be there.” I kept backing up, but she just
kept scooting toward me.
“What? You don’t like me like that? Or are you just scared of my brothers?”
I scooted so far back I hit the armrest. Shit. My back was against the wall.
“I’m not scared of them niggas.”
“Hard to tell~”
Bruh… why is this girl all up on me?
“Because I really like you, Rico,” she whispered. “Like, a lot.”
“Well… I like you too… but don’t you think this is wrong? I mean, I kinda see you as a sister—”
She cut me off by kissing me right on the spot. I’m not gonna lie, it was actually pretty nice. Her lips
felt like donuts getting freshly glazed. It was addicting, honestly.
And NO, we didn’t have sex, you sick fucks! We’re literally nine and ten! My God!