A few weeks went by and I stayed dwelled in my prayers as my life seemed to get harder each and everyday. Especially Last monday. It was emotional from begining to end, I figured it was that monday marked Feburary 25th . My mothers death annerversary. I remember that day as if it was written on the back of my hand. that morning I had looked at the one picture I had of my mother. "I wish you were here mama" I mutter letting a tear fall onto the picture. She had the most beautiful smile that anyone could ever see. It could brighten up anyones day with a doubt.
"Leo, get down here before your late for school ya here?!" Joseph yelled. I looked at the picture and kissed it. I smiled a little as i put it in my back pack. "Im coming!" I called out to joseph. I walked downstairs and grabbed an apple on my way out. "stay out of trouble" Kim says as I walked out the door. I didnt respond , I just walked out and headed to school. It was a short day that day Because we were testing for finals so I only took two test. I approached the school and Went to my locker to put my coat away. I opened my locker and unweighted my bag off of my back and Opened it to take my mothers picture out. I cut a peice of take and stuck it to the picture to put in the back of my locker. "hey" I heard a familr voice And I closed my locker door and behind it stood Chresanto. "hey" I smiled and hugged him. "you ready for these test today?" he asked hugging back. "Somewhat." I shrugged. I grabbed my back pack and Me and Chresanto headed to our 1st testing session. Math. We walked in the classroom and Luckily gina and her crew werent around. "okay class take your seats" Mrs. schofield ordered. I sat in the far back of the classrom and so did Chresanto. "maybe after school we could hang out?" Chresanto asked.
I smiled. "of course." And mrs.Schofield started passsing out test. "Listen up" she said getting the class's attention.
"no cheating no talking or texting! When the test re complete you may turn them over and I will. Collect them."Mrs. Schofield said and me and chresanto got our test and started writing. I got to a problem that I didn't know very well."x +yz= slope." The question read. I rubbed my hands threw my hair and sighed math wasn't my best subject but I tried. And after about an hour the teachers timer finally went off and the test was over. "Okay class, times up" she announced and collected our test packets. And the bell rang for a break. Chresanto approached "That test was something" he said.
"right, I thought I was ready to collapse on the desk"
"yeah, I saw you drifting off to sleep " chresanto laughed putting his arm around me. "well now you know why" I smiled and held his hand on my shouder "what test do you have next?" He asked looking down at me.
"English"
"well your a beautiful poetry writer so I think you'll ace that test."
I smiled slightly and shrugged. "I got my motivation from 2PACs lyrics."
"well 2Pac must have had a huge effect on you, your poetry is behind it's glow Leo"
I looked at Chresanto. " you're nice , you know that?" I asked.
"yeah , you are too. I dont know why people treat you the way they do." I nodded at what chresanto said. He was right,why do people treat me different? "Yeah." I sighed. Me and chresanto have become closer the more we saw eachother and I felt as if he's the only friend I had, the reality of it is that he was my only friend but I didnt mind. I cherished the company and love.
Chresanto walked me to class for my last test and I was nervous because James was in there and I just knew deep in my heart that he was going to be up to something. "See you later" chresanto said as he left. "Yeah, I'll meet you after school at around one o'clock? " I asked
"Yeah sounds great" he smiled as he left.
Right after class started the teacher assigned our seats for the English test. It's was hell that I had to sit by James but there was nothing I could do. "No looking on to people's paper work or talking, if you break these rules that is 2 after schools." The teacher stated and passed out our packets. She finally got to me and I started on a reading passage on the very front page. I had to read a full passage from the book to kill a mocking bird. To be honest it was my least favorite book because I'm not a strong reader and don't understand some of the big words it has in it. But I got threw it and gave a good guess on what the passage was mainly about. I turned to page 4 and was instructed to write a 2 paragraph reflection of what the passage meant to me. It was mainly about how young black Tim Robinson still was found guilty after an immature teenager lied in court saying he raped her when he was actually the man who didn't Care for sexual contact with her. I started writing and finished nearly my second paragraph when I noticed James staring back and fourth at my writing I tried covering my sheet and he still managed to perk his head up to look beyond my hands and copied my writing. "Will you stop? " I whispered and looked over at him. "Why are you cheating? " he said with a devilish smile. "I'm serious James, if you don't stop I'm going to get the teacher" I muttered as serious as I could possibly be. "Ms Infantino!" James yelled raising his hand. I looked up at her as she walked towards us."yes James? " she asked.
"Leona is copying my work" he pointed at me just lying with all might. Ms.Infantino looked at me and took my test. "You get a zero score and you will serve 2 after schools Thursday and Friday of next week " she said fiercely walking back to her desk. "No Ms.infantino, James lied. He was copying my work!" I defended myself and walked behind her as the entire class just stared. "Is this true?" She asked James. "No, she's dumb and can't read so what reason do I have to copy her out of all people?" James asked. I looked Ms.Infantino and she wrote my detention slip and a big fat zero on my test. My ears got red and my fist crumbled. "I hate this place!" I screamed and ran out the room when the bell rang. I went to my locker and got my coat before leaving. As I walked out the school I locked eyes with James and Gina. I tried to continue walking and heard James laugh. "That retard!" He said just bursting in laughter. I stopped and turned around. "I'm the retard when you copied my work!" I yelled approaching him. He said nothing as I came closer nd closer,before I knew it I punched him in the jaw and he fell to the ground.
I turned back around and continued walking as Gina and James were in shock. I walked home and went straight to my room with frustration. I heard a knock on my door and it was Joseph once again drunk.
"Little girl, what's your problem? " he asked. "None of your concern" I shook my head. "Well your not going to act like your grown under my roof and slam doors around here" he looks at me. "Whatever " I muttered and before I could take another breath he hit me. He slapped me and the hit stung like a strike of lightning. I Looked at him and held my face.
"Who the hell do you think your talking to? He asked. And I cried silently.
"I... I want my mother." I said choked up.
"Kim is your mother!" He yelled.
I shook my head and wiped my tears when he walked away. I quietly closed my door and locked it. Paced back and fourth to think. I'm tired of this life, I just want to be happy. I felt a draft and looked at my opened window. "Chresanto" I muttered to myself. I walked quietly to my door and put my ear to it. I heard Kim and Joseph arguing about me downstairs. "That girl is dumb and useless!" I heard Joseph yell and I backed up and turned to the window , I lifted the window a little higher and crawled out carefully and made my way onto a tree. I climbed down the tree and ran to chresanto waiting at the bus stop. I Ran to him literally in tears and hugged Him. "Whoa... what happened Leo?" He asked holding my waist. "My family... I just need to get away." I cried and he wiped my tears. " he hit you didn't he?" Chresanto asked. I studdered a little and he just pulled me in and gave me the warmest hug I've ever felt in my life. "You can stay with me tonight " he said and he looked into my eyes. "Really? " I asked
"Yeah, my mom won't mind"
I sniffed a little and we walked to his house and I met his mother.
"Mom, this is Leona marie, she'll be staying with us tonight. " Chresanto spoke. "Well that's fine." Ms. August said and smiled, I smiled back slightly and followed chresanto upstairs to his room. I walked in and it was neat and warm. " thanks for everything Chresanto " I said sitting on his bed. "It's Fine, I just want you to feel safe at least one night."
I nodded "there's always a safe place here for you." Chresanto sat sitting next to me. I held my hands together and laid back just sleepy it was only 7 but my day went quickly and terrible. Great way to spend my birthday and my mother's death anniversary. Chresanto covered my body with the blanket. I sat up a little and actually felt something more then friendship. I felt love. Chresanto got under the blanket with me and I laid in his arms. he just held me tight and I felt secure for the first time and I couldn't help myself. I looked at him and he looked at me. "Kiss me" I asked and he leaned in slowly as I did also when our lips touched and chresanto held my chin. I smiled and laid down with him and we drifted off to sleep.