"Boy get outta my face with that shit."
"Momma." I whined.
"You're not staying home, Stokeley. Don't ask me that shit again because i won't answer you."
"Just like you didn't answer me last night?"
"Nigga, I was busy!"
"Your mouth was busy, but you were not." I huffed.
"Motherfuc- I'm just gon act like i ain't hear that. I spoke to the lord in my sleep and he told me to try to be a better mother." She sighed and walked out of the kitchen.
"The lord needs to start taking his own advice." I mumbled.
Right after i said that, i felt a sharp pain shoot up my spine.
"Chill! It was a joke!" I cried out in agony.
"Yeah, that's what i thought." Said a faint voice.
The pain slowly went away as my mom poked her head back into the kitchen. "Who you in there talking to?"
"Nobody."
"Weird ass child. I don't even care anymore, stay home if you want to."
"Wait, really?"
"Nope. You're coming with me to work today. Your deadbeat ass dad is having some friends over and i'm pretty sure one of them is a pedophile." She gagged.
"So you just gonna act like Daniel isn't?"
"Who?"
"Daniel. The janitor."
"Oh. Yeah, that nigga."
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"The kids are gonna be so happy to see you. We got some more."
"More? As in more kids? I'm gonna die."
"Boy stop being dramatic. They're not that bad. I think you were a good influence on the little shits." She smiled at me.
"Yeah-"
The car made a loud screech as my mom slammed on the brakes to stop at a stop sign. She lurched forward and took a sharp left, nearly sending me on her side of the car.
"Jesus Christ! Momma, let off of the brakes sometimes!" I cried.
"Don't tell me how to drive. I know how to drive, that's why I got my permit!"
"You mean your license?" I asked while grabbing on to the little bar that was above my head. I held on for dear life.
"No, I got my permit. I never got my license because I kept failing the test. They said I was 'too heavy on the brakes'. What type of bullshit?" She shook her head.
"Momma. That's.... that's true, you drive hard for no reason. Plus, you're driving illegally. What if we get pulled over? What are you gonna tell the officer?"
"Not telling him shit because I'm not gonna pull over. He can kiss my ass, and my dust." She gave me an evil grin and swerved into the parking lot.
I silently made a prayer to Jahseh. Just in case.
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"No, bitch fuck you! Give me back my Spiderman action figure!"
I smiled when I heard the tiny voice. Tay.
"Leave me alone, Tay! It's not yours and I saw it first!" Gus yelled.
"Well how about I dot both of yo eyes black so you can't see or take my shit anymore!"
"Run Gus, Run!"
My momma rolled her eyes and walked towards her office. "You handle that."
I nodded and nearly jogged to the playroom.
"That pale nigga just bit me!"
"And I'll do it again, try me Little Bill looking little boy!" Gus retorted.
"Boys! Stop fighting!" I screamed.
Tay scoffed. "Kiss my as- wait."
A bunch of little heads snapped up to look at me in the doorway. I saw some unfamiliar faces too.
I got on one knee and opened my arms. A dozen little bodies engulfed me in a big hug.
"Stokeley!"
"Oh my God, Stokes is back!"
"It's the fat nigga!"
"Who are you?"
I put my attention on the person who asked that question. A little girl with short hair and a my little pony onesie was staring at me with confusion.
"I'm Stokeley, I used to wor-"
"Used to?" Diego asked me sadly.
"I-i mean. I um... Work here?"
His eyes lit up again. "Yay, you're back! Guys, he's back!"
"Man, I never thought that I would be happy to see your big ass again." Tay giggled and started to dig in my pockets.
I slapped his hand away and rolled my eyes. "Boy. You didn't change at all."
"Stokeley! I know how to spell your name now!" Gazzy beemed proudly.
"Oh, that's good!" I smiled and gave him a high-five. "Can you spell it for me?"
"Yeah. S-T-I-N-K-L-E-Y!" He giggled.
Okay, that HURT.
"Gazzy! That was mean!" Patrick gasped.
"Why would you do that?" Tyler asked disappointed.
"What did I do? I spelled it just like Metri taught me to!" Gazzy blinked.
"Metri-"
I felt a hard slap go across the back of my head.
"Haha! Fatty got a fat neck!" Metri chanted. I heard Jordan snicker.
"You guys are such assholes that it's not even funny."
"Aha! Billie called you a butthole! You stink!" Omar stuck out his tongue at the two.
"Billie is a girl, her opinion doesn't matter." Jordan shrugged
"That's not true." Symere gave him an evil glare.
"Y-yeah. Nevermind. I'm sorry, Billie." Jordan blushed.
"Aww. Y'all cute or whatever." Pete gushed.
"Wait, so your name is Billie?" I asked the other tiny girl. She nodded.
"Okay, I need to know everyone's name. Well, those of you that are new."
"I'm Billie." Billie said with a bored expression.
"I'm Onika." A girl with long hair stated. She was wearing a frilly pink dress.
"Just call me Bel. My real name is difficult to pronounce."
"Her name is Bel-Air." Gazzy said.
"That's not-"
"My name is Jenesis." Another girl said. She was wearing SpongeBob overalls.
"That's a nice name. Good meaning behind it."
"It's not even spelled right but okay." Tay mumbled.
"Okay, and who cares? Your name is spelled wrong on your prison jumpsuit." Jenesis spat.
"Damn." Gus said.
"Okay, okay, let's all calm down."
"Who wants pudding?" Daniel said as he entered the room.
"Me!"
"Is it chocolate?"
"Why you smiling so hard?"
"Um, I don't think they should eat that Daniel. No offense."
"It's fine, look, I'll eat some too if you don't trust me." He said as he sat the tray down on one of the tables.
He picked up one of the small bowls and ate a spoonful.
"See? It's fine."
"....I guess. But I swear, if you hurt one of these kids, I'll have Alex snap your neck for me." I threatened.
He put the bowl down and held his hands up in defense. "Okay, okay. I swear I'm not gonna do anything."
"This tastes like mop water." Diego scrunched up his nose.
I balled up my fist. "Nigg-"
"I'm kidding! It's good!" Diego giggled.
"Diego that's not funny. You almost cost that man his life." Nick said as he shook his head.
"Uncle Danny isn't a bad person anymore. My daddy let's him come over our house again during the holidays, but he has to wear a bell when he's visiting." Billie pointed out.
I chuckled. "A bell?"
"He's basically snitching on himself."
"He doesn't need a bell for that. He does that on his own."
"Hey! I'm not a snitch!"
"Yeah right. And Michael isn't ugly."
"Leave me out of it."
-JADA