Brianna POV
2 Years Later
So y'all after everything happened a couple years ago, my dad got me a therapist. I went to see her twice a week for about three months and she really helped me. Being able to talk about all of what had happened to me to someone else was really good for me. I'm doing a lot better now. I don't have flashbacks of what happened to Jaylen anymore. Amir is living with us now. A few weeks after what had happened at the dance studio my dad found out that Amir was selling drugs and basically falling in with the wrong crowd. He had got arrested for possession with the intent to sell and possession of a weapon.
He called my dad and he went up to New Orleans and bailed him out. As soon as he got out, my dad beat his ass. He told him that he did to him what he would have did to any one of my brothers for getting in trouble especially for something like that. And he made him get everything and move down here with us. I think my dad scared him cause Amir have been on the right path every since then. He in college now and he working. My dad took him in as his own son.
I'm in eighth grade now and I'm 14. I still dance and I will be trying out for captain in a couple months when Tierra graduates.
Right now I'm sitting here on my bed and I decide to check my grades. So I log on and scroll through all of my grades.
English-F
Math-F
History-D
Reading-C
P.E.-F
Science-D
Spanish 1-F
My dad is going to kill me when he sees my grades. They mailed out grades three days ago so mine will be coming soon.
I'm so scared. He might whoop me when he sees these.
Maybe I should go check the mail and get my grades before he can and hide them. Wait but if I hide them and he find out imma be in even more trouble. So maybe I don't want to do that. I don't know what to do. I just know that y'all need to pray for me cause my life night end when my dad sees my grades.
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Hakeem(Dad) POV
I went out to check the mail and I see that the kids grades just got here.
These only the Jr. high kids grades cause theirs always come out first.
I open up Yasir's first.
English-B
Math-B
P.E.-A
Science-B
Reading-C
History-B
Spanish 1-B
OK his look pretty good. I know that he can bring that C up in reading but other than that they all look good.
Next is Keshawn's.
English-A
Math-A
Science-A
Reading-A
Spanish 1-A
P.E.-A
History-A
OK. All A's.
Last is Bri's.
I open her grades and I'm shocked.
English-F
Math-F
History-D
Reading-C
P.E.-F
Science-D
Spanish 1-F
I couldn't believe her grades. She usually has A's and B's on every report card. But now she's failing 4 classes, got 2 D's and her best grade right now is a C.
I need to go talk to her.
I got up and as I was on my way up to her room my phone rung.
It was the school. I answered it.
Me-Hello?
School-Yes is this Mr. King, Brianna King's father?
Me-Yes it is.
School-I'm calling because we need you to come in for a parent meeting with each of her teachers. I'm not sure if you have received her grades yet but they have all slipped really low. She has been sleeping through classes, she has been skipping classes, and she doesn't pay attention. She's never focused in class and her teachers are concerned. Are you able to come in tomorrow?
Me-Yes I can. What time?
School-9:00.
Me-Okay I'll be there.
School-Okay we'll see you tomorrow. Bye.
Me-Bye.
I hung up and then walked into Bri's room.
She was sleep.
I went over to her and shook her shoulder.
Me-Wake up Brianna.
"Leave me alone", she mumbled.
I shook her one more time.
Me-Get yo ass up now Brianna.
She still didn't move.
I pulled the covers off of her. She tried to pull them back up but I popped the back of her thigh a couple times. She jumped up.
Bri-Dad!
Me-I told u to get yo ass up and u ain't listen now come over here cause we need to talk.
She started to look a lil scared. She already know what this talk gon be about.
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Brianna POV
When my dad woke me up and said that we needed to talk, I got scared cause I already know how this talk is about to go. And it's not good. It will probably end with me getting a whooping.
He had me sit down in the chair at my desk. He slid a piece of paper in front of me.
Dad-Read what's on that paper.
I did and got even more scared.
Dad-Why have yo grades dropped like that?
I shrugged my shoulders.
Dad-Use your words lil girl.
Me-I don't know.
Dad-U do know. U know something. Ain't no reason yo grades should go from all A's and a B to 4 F's, 2 D's, and a C.
I didn't say nothing.
Dad-Ok, since u don't got nothing to say about yo grades, explain to me why u been sleeping in class? Or better yet, explain to me why u been skipping class?
I looked at him with tears in my eyes. I'm in so much trouble.
Dad-U can't cry yo way outta this one baby girl.
I wiped the tears that came down my face.
He looked at me.
Dad-I'm waiting.
I don't know what to say. I can't say that I been skipping school to go hang out with my friends. We always go to this one girls house and they get high. I don't. I just be there to get outta class. I'm not trying to ruin my lungs by smoking nothing. Even more than that, I'm not trying to risk getting caught by my dad.
Dad-So are u going to explain to me why one, your grades dropped, two u been sleeping in class, and three u been skipping?
I started crying. I'm for real scared. Like I ain't even trying to get out of this. I'm just freaking out cause my daddy hit hard when he be giving people whoopings. I got a whooping last year for being disrespectful to my teachers and then to my dad.
I didn't sit down for almost a week. I probably won't sit for a month after this one.
Dad-Brianna, I need for u to explain to me why yo grades looking like this.
I didn't say nothing. I can't explain it to him. Like I just been slacking. I haven't even been trying and I don't know why.
Dad-OK then. I'm gon go back downstairs and give u some time to think about all this and when I come back, I want some answers from u.
He left out my room and I put my head down on the little desk in my room. I can't explain to him what I've been doing when I be skipping class or none of that. I just don't know what to say.
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Hakeem(Dad) POV
Me and the boys just sitting down here in the living room watching a movie. I'm just gon let Bri have some time to get herself together so she can explain all this shit to me. She been skipping classes, sleeping during class, and not focused at all. That all contributed to her grades falling. I just need to know why all of a sudden she don't care about what she doing.
Jahari-Dad, where Bri at?
Me-She in her room.
Keshawn-Can I go get her to come watch the movie with us?
Me-No.
Keshawn-Why?
Me-Because I said so.
We watched the movie and when it went off I went back up to talk to Bri.
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Brianna POV
So my dad just came back in my room. I still don't really know what to say but I know that I can't just sit here and not say nothing like I did at first.
Dad-So Bri, u ready to explain this?
Me-I don't really know what happened. I started hanging out with Jamie and Ray'Anna and that's when I had first skipped class. The first time I was scared we was gone get caught but when we didn't, i just kept skipping with them.
Dad-Explain yo grades.
Me-Well I just haven't really been focused on anything. Its all boring so I don't even really pay attention to what we're doing. I just try to wing it on the tests and sometimes it works but sometimes it doesn't.
Dad-So u just don't even try anymore?
Me-No.
Dad-Why?
I shrug my shoulders.
Dad-Use your words Brianna.
Me-I don't know why. One day I was all into school and the next I just was done with it. I don't like it anymore.
Dad-Okay, so until u get these grades up and stop skipping and sleeping in class, dancing is done with.
Me-But dad! I have to stay with dancing. I can't stop. I'm going to be trying out for captain in less than six months.
Dad-How u expect to focus on dancing if u don't even focus at school?
Me-Dad I have to keep dancing. We have a big competition this week and I need to be there. I can't miss this.
Dad-Until u get all your grades to at least a B, u won't be dancing and that's that.
Me-But that's not fair. I can't just not be at dance practice.
Dad-Not until I see an improvement in your grades. And not only that, u been sleeping in class. And skipping classes. U need to be glad u ain't got yo ass whooped yet.
Me-Dad please let me keep dancing.
Dad-No and that's it. You're not dancing until I see a lot of improvement in school.
Me-Fine then.
I turned around on my bed and got on my phone.
He reached around and grabbed my phone out my hand.
Dad-I'm keeping this till I see improvement too. You're grounded. That means no TV, no laptop except for school, and no phone. U don't leave this house unless u going to school or somewhere with me. Do u understand me?
I roll my eyes but didn't say anything.
Dad-Do u understand me Brianna?
Me-Yes sir.
I laid down on my bed and he went back out.
I can't believe that I can't dance until these stupid ass grades come up. I can not stand school y'all. Like I am for real tired of it. I just wish I could just spend all my time dancing and nothing else.
I went in my bottom drawer and pulled out my backup phone. We all have one for when we're grounded and dad takes our phones.
I text my friend to let her know to text me on this phone.
She did and then she told me about this party tonight.
I told her I was grounded and she said to just sneak out. I guess I will. I need to get out of this house anyways.
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What will happen?
Will she get caught?
Will she be hurt?
Chapter 7 coming soon