It's a Mixed Thing (Original)

Chapter 2: Home Sweet Not

Lasiaira:

My brown hair reached a few inches pass my shoulders. It's not near as long as Yesenia's. She dyed her hair black and blonde a little before we got arrested. We have gotten arrested before but this was more serious than stealing a few candy bars and chips from a local store. I'm fifteen years old and I don't regret going to the detention center. Yeah I cried the first week because I couldn't see my sister and I wanted to go home. I only been into three fights while I was there. I have a mouth on me too but not as bad as my sister. She's always in fights. She's been in worse ones than me. I hated when she was in gang fights. She came out hurt pretty badly.

Like she was yesterday. When I walked into the office I just wanted to die that moment. I can't even describe how torn up she was. Even though she didn't show weakness I still saw how badly in shape she was. She could barely sit up straight.

I woke up around nine. I still lie in my bed. Yesenia's bed across from mine in our small bedroom. Our room is painted orange and we have one brown dresser that we share. A small closet and a window over the dresser. Giving us a view of the other apartments in Inglewood.

Our room isn't cozy but it's better than a cell and sleeping on a hard mat. The worst part is the one toilet in the corner of the room. If you had to shit or pee you had to do it in front of the girls in the room. It's so uncomfortable but after two months I got use to it.

I didn't smell any eggs or toast. Mami usually starts making breakfast early in the morning. She barely spoke to me or Yesi during the trip home. Papa was drunk on the couch. Nothing has changed.

I tossed the lime sheets off my thin body. Glad to not be in the cell anymore. It felt weird in a way.

My tan feet touching the creaking, wooden floor. I hovered over Yesi to see if she's awake. I felt her head and she has a fever. The swelling on her eye went down a little but the bruises and cuts on her lip remained. I sighed. Oh Yesi.

I ran my hands through my hair as I walked out of my room into the small living room/kitchen. Papa sat on the couch. His legs wide open. A cigarette placed in his mouth. His brown hair covering his dark brown eyes and his stubble has a little hint of grey in them. He wore a stained, white, wife beater shirt. Dark wash jeans and a pair of old boots.

Mami sat at the table. Her cigarette burning inside the ash tray. She has a piece of toast on her plate with a slice of ham. Her dark black hair cut. It fell just below her ears. She has a piercing on her tongue and nose. Tattoos filled her body just like Papa's and Yesi's. I have only two tattoos. Not a huge fan of ink.

I have a Bugs bunny with pink paws on my back. Under it says Live, Love and Laugh. I got it when I just turned thirteen. I'm planning on getting my name on my chest like Yesi.

"Morning Mami, Papa." I say. My voice on the verge of cracking. I missed them so much. Papa turns off his TV and Mami sighs.

"C'mon here." Papa says before taking one last drag of his cigarette before placing it in the ash tray.

I slowly walk over to him. Hugging myself as I stood in front of him. He lifted his hand and I flinched. Thinking he was going to strike me. Papa has never laid a finger on me.

Papa ran his fingers across my cheekbones. "You've grown little one." he sets his hands down and sighs. "You don't have to be afraid of me Lasi."

I stare deeply into his eyes and my eyes well up in tears as I begin to sob. Papa gets up and wraps his strong arms around me. "I'm so sorry Papa. I know you're so disappointed in me."

Papa just told me to hush as he rubbed my back slowly. I sobbed even more. He's so disappointed in me. I know it. Mami won't even look at me.

"We've all made mistakes Lasi. I've done some terrible things in the past too. I just want you girls to change your ways. Be better than this."