Book One || Coast to Coast
Kiana Brooks and Devontae Carter have two things in common.
1. Wanting to pursue their careers.
2.Romantic relationships are not worth risking it.
As a part time waitress and full time psychology student. Kiana Br...
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"I'm being bullied." Destiny blurts out. Well, that's one way to start breakfast. The family pauses with what they're doing and looks at Destiny. Destiny releases a deep breath, "I'm being bullied at school."
Everyone starts talking at the same time, mostly remarks of uproar, her brother threatening to go to the school and deal with it themselves.
"Can everyone let me finish?" Destiny pleads and her family is silent, calming down only because they must but it's evident that they are furious. Ms Carter's forehead is wrinkled with lines and a deep frown, clearly worried about her daughter.
"They torment me, they say all these terrible things to me all because I'm not skinny enough or pretty enough, and honestly I'm beginning to believe them." Destiny releases a quick, breath as the incoming tears begin to take over. Destiny tugs on the sleeves of her hoodie, stuffing them into the pockets.
"I don't want to go to school anymore knowing that they're going to be there ready in. It's hard to be the round academic achiever while your mind reminds you of all the things, you're not good at and all the things you're not. It's hard to be happy when all you hear is all the things you know you'll never be. It's mentally and psychically draining that's become impossible to do something as simple as getting out of bed. I know you will ask me why I didn't tell you sooner, but everyone is doing their own thing and I didn't want to burden anyone with this." Destiny rolls up the sleeves of her hoodie, revealing the cuts on her arm, and her mom gasps, her mouth flying up to her mouth. Mr. Carter clears his throat and looks up at the ceiling. My eyes widen. They did not talk about that. I told Destiny if she felt too self-conscious about it that she didn't have to show her family the cuts just yet, but she did, no words could express how proud I am of her.
I'm close to tears but they are proud tears, nonetheless. Her mom is dabbing her eyes with the sleeve of the cream coloured blouse she's wearing, and her brothers all look at her sympathetically and for the first time in thirty six hours, I see emotion on Mr Carter's face. One of pain and sadness by the weight of his daughter's words. "Daddy, I'm grateful for everything you do for us as a family, but we barely even see you, yet we all live under the same roof. You're more committed to your work than us. You're like here but you're not here at the same time. You're physically present but you don't live in the moment. We didn't need money, daddy we needed you. I just want back my dad who'd take me on daddy-daughter dates and help me with my homework bur most of all I don't wanna feel the way I feel right now."
It's silent as Destiny stands in front of her family, nobody saying anything except the tears rolling down all their faces. Destiny looks at the floor, picking at the skin of her nails. Then to my surprise, Mr Carter slowly rises onto his feet, his family watching as he walks around the kitchen table and stands in front of his daughter. He brings her into a hug, and it makes Destiny weep all over again. They rock together in their stance, and I am so relieved.
Destiny looks over her dad's shoulder, mouthing a 'thank you' to me. I smile and nods, glad to have brought this family closer to getting back to how they were.
