I'm Fine

Part 1: Chapter 12

Ashanti and I were walking down the hall when someone bumped into me, making me drop all of my shit. I quickly bent down to pick up my stuff and stood back up. "Damn, watch where the fuck you goin," Ashanti said. I looked up and it was none other than Kennedy.

"I ain't see y'all," she said looking me up and down.

"Yo lying ass. You know damn well you saw us. You can keep all that negative ass energy to yourself," Ashanti seethed.

"And you a loud ass hoe; can't even keep your legs together, especially when you hang around trash like her," Kennedy said pointing to me.

"Excuse you. You know you ain't got no room to talk. That's why ain't nobody like yo nasty ass. All you do is dick ride. Maybe before you try to dish out some advice, you go follow your own. Stupid ass bitch," Ashanti mean mugged. I quickly grabbed her.

"It's not worth it," I whispered.

"You gone let her talk to you like that?!" Ashanti yelled.

"No, but I need to graduate. Let's just go, please," I said pulling her away from Kennedy.

"Run along, Asha." I could hear the smirk in Kennedy's voice. My grip on Ashanti tightened even more as she tried to pull away. I pulled her into the restroom and called April and Briana for backup. They arrived not long after, but Ashanti was still very much heated and running her mouth.

"What's her problem with you anyway? I've noticed that she got some kind of grudge against you or something. She always mean mugging you," Briana said.

"I don't know. I never did anything to her."

"Of course you didn't. She just an evil bitch, everyone knows it. Shit, she probably jealous. She been trynna get Cairo's attention since freshman year, and he curve her ass every chance he get. She just bitter that Cairo has taken a liking to you instead."

"What?" I whispered in disbelief. Surely that's not true.

"She thinks Cairo likes me? Since when? Who thinks that?" My heart started beating real fast. This is not good.

"Ion know, shit. I'm just saying she jealous that you hang out with us," Ashanti continued.

"I don't know why she jealous. It's not like y'all know each other," April spoke up. Little do they know, Kennedy and I live together and it's definitely not something to ever brag about. She ain't nothing but drama.

"Anyway, girl you need to grow a backbone. I always fight for my own, and I'll beat Kennedy's ass any day. Ion care if we in school or not, but I'm not gone always be there," Ashanti said.

I nodded my head. I was too busy thinking about the possibility of Kennedy actually believing that Cairo likes me, and what my mom would do if Kennedy told her. I ignored everyone for the rest of the day. I needed time to think. You can say whatever you want about Kennedy, but she ain't no fool. She is spiteful as hell and can hold a grudge even if it's one sided. If she thinks that even for a second, that I'm getting too close to Cairo, she will investigate. She will pry her way into my business until she finds something. When she starts feeling threatened by me, that's when all hell breaks loose. The little bit of security that I have found in my friends over the past month or so won't mean a thing if she starts plotting and scheming.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," I whispered to myself. While at work, all I could think about was Kennedy. Even when my regulars came in, I couldn't find it in me to plaster on a fake smile. I felt sick to my stomach, which has been an occurring feeling lately. My birthday is right around the corner. When I turn 18, I will be a legal adult. I can leave my mom and Kennedy for good, and no one will be able to force me back. I won't have cops hunting me down, and I'll be able to make my own decisions for once. I will be free of them. Maybe I can take my boss up on his offer, stay with him and his wife for a few months until I find a place. I'd even live on the streets or go to a shelter if I have to.