August 2008

We're sitting in homeroom, English, writing about what we did over the Summer.

We have to present these, so I make sure to make mine nice and neat.

Skyla leans to see what I'm drawing. "I hate when people watch over my shoulder."

"Dang," she says taking offense. "My bad."

"It's cool, just back up." I go back to drawing and writing about what I did. Which wasn't much, but I'll make it sound more interesting with the power of exaggeration.

When everyone is finished the teacher, Ms. Angel, stands up, "Would anyone like to present first?"

Not a single hand reaches the air. My eyes hit the floor, trying to look busy.

She sighs, "I was prepared for this." I peek over and watch her go to her desk and rummage through her drawers.

She pulls out a cup and places popsicle sticks in them, "If I call your name, you are to come up and present your introduction worksheet."

I slouch back in my chair, every time the teacher used popsicle sticks at my old school, my name was always the first to be called.

She shakes up the cup and uses her fingers to make the popsicle sticks move around. She pulls one out and smiles, "Charisma!" She says.

"The curse continues," I mutter.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." I grab my paper and walk to the front of the classroom. Feeling everyone's eyes watching me.

Clearing my throat, I start, "My name is Charisma Solace, and which means 'Aura of Comfort.' I just moved here from Arkansas. This summer I spent my time saying goodbye to my old friends and making new ones."

"Arkansauce?" A kid repeats, "Where's that?"

"It's in the south, but it's like fifteen hours away from here."

"Why would you move to Plantation? This ghetto ass city." Another girl asks.

"Language." The teacher calls out.

I laugh, "It's better than where I came from. A lot more interesting too."

"If I were you, I would've moved to Miami or Orlando. That's where Universal and Disney Land are."

"Well, it wasn't up to me. If I had my own money, I'd be living at Disney Land, don't you think?"

There's a small set of laughter from the class, I smile in return.

"Tell us a fun fact about yourself, Charisma." The teacher reminds me.

"Oh, um..." I hesitate, "A fun fact about me is that I can tell the future."

I get blank stares.

"Girl, there is no way you can tell the future."

"Well, I can't look at you and tell you when you're going to die, but I can feel it. It's more like an intuition thing."

"Explain?"

"Well uh, I had a feeling I was going to be called up here first if that counts."

They laugh again causing me to laugh too.

"A round of snaps for Charisma, please?" The teacher announces. They snap and she gives me the motion to come to her desk.

She tells me I did a good job and do pick out which piece of candy I want.

I grab a Kit-Kat and thank her.

"You're such a show-off," Skyla scoffs as I move past her to my seat.

"Don't be mad 'cause you didn't get called," I say as I take a bite out of my Kit-Kat in her face as a way of bragging.

She rolls her eyes as I chew obnoxiously.

"Would anyone else like to introduce themselves?" Ms. Angel asks.

Almost the whole class raises their hands.

"Look at you, setting trends," Skyla says with her hand in the air.

I shrug.

𓆩♡𓆪

The school day is finally over.

It wasn't bad, but I'd very much rather be at home.

My presentation left an impact on those in my class. Those same people went and told their outside friends.

All I know is that by tomorrow, it won't just be me, Skyla, and Reign at a lunch table alone.

Speaking of which, Reign isn't in our class this year. She's been swearing up and down that she was gonna get her mom to get her classes changed, but I doubt it.

I go to my assigned bus and sit towards the front, not wanting to have any part in what goes on in the back.

I sit and look out the window. There's a bunch of kids waiting for their younger or older siblings outside of the school doors.

When they come out, they take their hand and walk with them to their way of transportation.

I smile and imagine want it would be like to be an older sibling.

Momma told me having kids is hard for her. She calls me her miracle baby sometimes because of it.

Being an only child is okay until it comes to being lonely and having no one to talk to.

Whenever I hear kids with siblings complain about having siblings I just roll my eyes, they're lucky they even have someone to complain about.

"Fuck is you smiling for."

I look and see Jahseh standing over my seat. "Does it matter? It don't got nothing to do with you," I say looking back to the window.

He sits down next to me without a word.

I scoot over and put my bag between us.

"How was your day?" I ask just as a way to start a conversation.

"Was alright," he says. "Shits boring."

"Find people to make it less boring."

"Ion really fuck with people like that."

"You mess with me?" I ask, not trying to cuss.

"You cool peoples, just stop staring at me all the time."

I meet his eyes, "You be looking at me more than I look at you."

"How would you know? Ion even do that shit." He smiles to indicate he's lying. "Plus, you'd only know if you stare at me first."

I roll my eyes, "I'm not finna start with you, bro."

The bus stops and lets us off. Jahseh scoots off the seat to let me walk in front of him. We talk as we walk down the street to our houses.

We stop in the middle of our houses and look at each other. Jahseh is shorter than me, so I kind of hover over him.

"I'll see you tomorrow, ight?" He says. I nod. "Aye, wait for me before you start walking to the bus stop. That's if you don't see me outside already though."

"Alright, cool," I say. He punches my arm as his way of saying goodbye and starts walking towards his house.

His mother is on their driveway, and she and Jahseh do a handshake before going in.

His mom waves at me before going inside.

I turn and walk to my house.

When I enter, Daddy's on the couch with a pack of cookies in his hand. I smile as he gives me the rest he has left.

Something he does; if he's eating any type of snack that I like, he'll give me the rest.

"How was school?" He asks.

"It was... good," I say with Jahseh in mind.