Baton Rouge.

Chapter 44 - Baby Blue. [Part 1.]

"Jionni, white people aren't the only race who knows how to speak proper." Kiara whispered to him. "Just a tip."

Jionni took a deep breath, gazing up at the sentence. He read it over and over again, then decided to speak.

"My day was aigh-"

"No, ALRIGHT." The teacher interrupted.

"Oh. Okay." Jionni continued. "My day was ALRIGHT until Lissa shred my-"

"Shredded."

Jionni twiddled his fingers, starting over again.

"My day was ALRIGHT until Lissa shredded my essay in MY library class-"

"Good." The teacher said, speaking while he was talking.

Jionni stopped, then continued his sentence.

"Nah I gotta-"

"Now I HAVE TO." Mrs. Avant interrupted.

"Oh. Sorry. Now I HAVE TO do the damn essay over again." Jionni nodded.

"Alright now say the entire sentence."

"My day was ALRIGHT until Melissa shredded my essay in library class, now I have to do the essay all over again."

"Good!" Kiara smiled as she clapped and got up.

"Welp, nah' I can stop speakin' like George Bush n' go get some foo-"

"Wait, you're not staying?" Kiara asked as she stood by the door.

Jionni scrunched his eyebrows at her and shook his head as she folded her arms.

"Why not?" Kiara asked.

"Fuck I look like bein' in here, Kiara?" Jionni murmured to her, talking low so that the teacher couldn't hear him.

Kiara puckered out her bottom lip, shrugging her shoulders as she kept her arms folded.

"Alright. That's fine." Kiara grinned. "Just know that you won't be able to get a good job if you don't start speaking proper English."

As Kiara walked off, Jionni started following behind her. Suddenly, he stopped and thought about what she said. He wanted a job outside of collecting a daily check from Jmo and he also wanted to help his mother. Jionni took a few steps back into the classroom and sat back down in his seat.

"Uh.....you mind tutorin' me for a few extra minutes?" Jionni asked.

When Melissa walked to her car after school, she saw Sway sitting on the curb by it. Melissa walked over to the passenger side, squinting her eyes at him. He was holding his bottle of meds in his hands.

"How have you been, Sway?" Melissa asked.

Sway stared off into space, not saying anything at first.

"My momma kicked me out fa' puttin' my hands on her and my uncle." Sway murmured. "Nah I'm waitin' here fo' my grandma."

"You mean you don't have a home now?"

"Yep."

Melissa let go of the door and walked in front of him.

"Y'know what Sway, if you need help, I'm not gonna quit on you. I'm gonna help you like a friend is SUPPOSED to do." Melissa said in a serious tone. "It doesn't matter how many times you place your hands on me, no person deserves to be gave up on."

"So.......you gone start helping me wit' my anger issues again?" Sway asked.

"Yes, I will."

Sway cracked a small smile at her and stood up. Suddenly, he grabbed her arm and snatched her up, startling her a little as she gave him a frightened look.