Bracelets // Mgc

Forty Three

"I'm not fighting you."

"Why? You afraid you'll get your ass whopped?" She asked me and I looked away, biting the inside of my cheek.

"This is ridiculous." I said as she tossed her bag on the floor. "I'm not-Hey!" I said, backing away as she tried hitting me.

"Stop being a little bitch Aleigha."

"Alright... Alright." I said, seeing some teachers running towards us since kids were shouting fight.

I tossed my bag on the floor and when she tried hitting me, I wrapped my hand around her wrist and yanked her close, smashing my fist against her nose. She stumbled back when I let her go and the teachers yelled at us.

"Break it up! Girls! Break it up!"

My held my hand, since that actually fucking hurt, and rolled my eyes around I grabbbed my bag, teachers pulling us apart. "You'd think you'd learn not to fight people after Arzaylea kicked your ass." I said and the teacher told me to be quiet as Krystal yelled.

"Fight me."

"I don't fight." I said and rolled my eyes as I crossed my arms over my chest.

-

"A fight Aleigha?" My mom asked and I nodded. "What the hell even happened?"

"I wasn't going to hit her." I confessed as my dad sighed. "She just kept pushing me and at one point she slapped me. I was done."

"Did you at least hit her hard?" My dad asked and I showed him my bruised knuckles. "After one punch?"

"Yeah."

"That'a girl." He said and I shook my head as I heard my mom ramble on about how violence isn't the answer. "Calm down. It was self defense."

"More like she picked a fight with the wrong person on the wrong day." I said and my mom rubbed her temples. "Look, I'm sorry mom but she-"

"I don't wanna hear it." She said and went to the kitchen. I sighed and my dad reached into his pocket.

"Light one with me?"

"Bless." I mumbled as I nodded, taking the pack of Malboros and picking one out. We went into the garage and he handed me a lighter.

"Your mom will come around." He said and I nodded. "Who did you fight anyways?"

"Krystal?"

"Jamison? Your best friend."

"She's not my best friend. In fact, I hate her and everything she stands for." I said and he nodded, not commenting.

"When did you buy that sweater?" He asked, motioning to the blue sweater Michael let me borrow. "Never seen it."

"Got it recently when I went to my friends house." I said and he nodded, buying my lie. I placed the cigarette between my lips and then sighed.

"Your mother and I... we want a divorce." He said and I nodded. "You're eighteen, old enough to live on your own. After highschool... your brothers will be living with me."

"What about mom?"

"She's... She's going to do her own thing." He said and I nodded. "Do you want to stay here?" He asked me and I looked at him confused.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you want to stay here in LA?" He asked and I still didn't understand. "Your brothers and I are moving to Nevada."

"Oh..." I said and he nodded. "I um... don't know. Yeah, it's kinda my home here." I said and he looked at me.

"Figure it out for real. You're eighteen now. After highschool, maybe July, you're on your own. Kind of. We have a bank account for you, you're allowed to open it now."

"You can't just expect me to make such a sudden change." I said, a little overwhelmed at how much everything is going to change. I blinked a bit and laughed. "You're fucking with me... right?"

"I'm not." He said and looked at me. "I'm serious. All the information you need for the account is um... it's in my wallet. I'll give it to you soon."

"Dad, I don't want the money-"

"You'll need it to get an apartment on your own after school, maybe a car aswell." He told me and I shook my head.

"No, you're kidding. I'm eighteen. I can't have the stress of bills and rent on my shoulders. Dad, I'll be fresh out of highschool. Really?" I asked and he nodded as shook my head.

"Yes." He told me and I smashed the cigarette on the floor, more than just overwhelmed. "You need to learn how to lead a life of your own-"

"I'm eighteen! You expect me to get a job, an apartment, and live on my own with my family living hours away from me? I'll literally be all alone!" I told him and he said I'd have to do it sooner or later.

"Look Aleigha, it'll be alright. You'll be fine." He told me but I wasn't any more accepting of the idea.

"I understand if I was over twenty-one. I understand if I was smart. I don't know the first thing to paying bills or getting a job. Who's going to hire someone without a college degree?" I asked.

"A lot of people."

"And how much money can I honestly get from those people? A highschool grad only. I can't go to college, work, and all that at eighteen. You're pushing this on me too fast." I said but he didn't believe me.

"You'll be fine."

"I'm eighteen years old, constantly contemplating between life and death, and this fucking close to failing highschool. Dad, I'm not ready to live on my own in four months." I said and he shook his head.

"Get ready."