soon as I saw Demetria at school, I grabbed her by her elbow from her locker “Demetria, what happened to my money”, I asked her still frustrated.
“W-What---how I'm suppose to know. You ain't giving me any money, and I ain't taking it. Derek I swear, I wouldn't take yo money no matter how much I needed it”, she said with wide eyes that said she was telling the truth. That could only mean one thing.
“Ma is doing drugs again”
Chapter 9:
Pops
Ciara
“Alright Ciara and Daniella, this is y'all house. We gotta win this.” our coach yelled to us over the crowd. We were down by 7 points with 2 minutes left in the fourth quarter, and we had the ball.
The coach quickly showed the play to us. We nodded and did our signature, “Go Gator”. We ran out on the court.
My team ended up winning by 4 points. My teammates and I huddled around smiling and cheesing as our coach sang our praises. I saw my parents and Trey close by. I waved and put up a finger signaling I'd be out in a minutes. Right as I said it I saw Joe coming into my line of vision. He hugged me tightly bringing me off my feet. When he sat me down he rubbed my head. “You did alright kid”, he said as I started to walk away
“Alright”, I asked with mock sarcasm. “Please boy, I was way better than alright and you know it”. I then saw Angie wrap her arms around Joe from behind. He smiled then turned back to her. I'd look so much better than her with him.
When I came out the locker room, I heard my parents discussing where they wanted to take me out to eat. “I just want to go home”, I said tiredly.
“You just wanna go home. You feeling alright girl. That don't sound like my best friend”, Joe felt my forehead with fake concern on his face.
“Whatever Joe! You ain't funny.” I pushed his hand away. “But yeah, I just wanna go home. I don't feel like being around a crowd right now”, I said looking right at Angie.
“Okay”, my dad said.
Joe hugged me once again. Angie said congratulations, with a fake forced smile, I can't blame her. It was taking everything out of me to smile at her.
We drove in comfortable silence until Trey said, “I godda go poddy momma”, just as we were on the street of our house.
“Just a minute sweetie”, my mom said to him. “Almost home”
When I got home, I took a shower and fell right into bed, forgoing eating or even dressing. I went to bed in my birthday suit.
Tap! Tap!! TAP!!! I woke up and looked over at my window and Joe was on my balcony. I opened it quickly so that the squeaky sound would be quick and wouldn't alert my parents.
“What are you doing here at 2 o clock in the morning”, I whispered shouted. I shivered from the outside air, and then looked down to discover that I was still naked. “O my god”, I grabbed my comforter and covered myself with it. “Joe why didn't you say anything”
“I haven't seen you naked since the what, seventh grade. I'm startin to think you do this on purpose.
It happened like this last time didn't it?” he asked with a laugh.
“No, it wasn't 7th, it was 9th. The first time was in 7th grade and you walked in on me in the shower. 9th grade year, you came in my room and I was just lying on my bed naked”, I grabbed him by his arm into the room. “Anyways...what brings you by at 2 in the morning?” I asked.
He hesitated. “You looked mad when we left the game”,
“And?”
“You should be happy. You won”
“And?” I said again. “You came over here to tell me something I already know”
“I just---I couldn't go to bed thinking you were upset with me”
“Why would I be upset with you?” I asked confused.
“You not mad at me”, he asked. I shook my head. “Huh, well than goodnight”, he started walking back towards my window when I pulled him back.
“Hold on a minute. Why would I be mad at you Joe? What did you do?”
“I uh, I forgot to buy the tickets for the game and its Saturday”
“You thought I would be mad at you over some game. Really Joe, do you not know me at all”
“You---I just wanted to make sure you know. You my favorite person and I were just making sure”, he took off his hat rubbed his head then put it back on.
“Okay, well yeah, I'm straight. Don't worry about me”
“That's all I do.”, he said. He then pulled me into a hug kissed my cheek and left. He is so sweet. I seriously love that boy. Love? God, where is this coming from? I jumped back into my bed and fell straight to sleep.
Friday was a crazy day! As soon as I got to school my friend Daisha, came and told me that I of all people should run for prom Queen. I told her I didn't want to and that she should run, but she said I'm more likely to get nominated because I'm more known so she said she would post up posters. I could care less! Then Derek came and hugged me. That almost never happens. He's usually in a bad mood in the morning, and evening. Just pretty much all the time!
He hugged from behind and planted a big kiss on my cheek. We continued walking down the halls with him still holding me. “Hey”, he whispered in my ear.
“Hey”, I laughed when he gave me a slobber kiss on the other cheek. I wiped it off and pushed him away. “That's nasty”
“Whatever. You kiss me on a daily bases so don't even try that.” I rolled my eyes and kept walking towards my class. He put his hand on my hip to halt me and I turned around to face him. “Skip with me”, he half whispered as he came closer to me for a kiss.
“What---Derek---no, I can't skip.” he pulled on my arm.
“Come on”, he started pulling me towards his car.
“Where we goin”, I asked him.
“My pops”, he said.
“He's okay now right?” I asked.
“Yea sort of, I mean, he has lung cancer but other than that he's okay”, he sped out of the parking lot and onto the road.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“I ain't wanna bother you with all that.”
“Derek, I'm yo girlfriend. If you not gone tell me yo problems then who you gone tell? Don't keep it all in like that”, as I was saying this he was taking out a cigarette and lighting it up. “You need to stop smoking”,
“Who you? My momma”, he asks with a smirk.
“Why
