MANCHILD
'noun'
"A boy or adolescent from the streets who was prematurely exposed to and knowledgeable about sex, violence and crime, incarceration, adult responsibility for younger siblings due to a dysfunctional home, and hustling to make a living...
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"Hey, so what'chu got planned for today?"
I had just got home from my recital practice. Mama decided to be friendly and came to pick me up, afterwards, which was kind of surprising. We weren't really talking to each other much but I appreciated the gesture. Right now, I was in my room about to get in the bed. Rico had called me to catch up since I hadn't seen in her a couple of days. We had left off on a weird note, too, but I ended up telling her everything that happened. She didn't have too much to say – she just wanted me to be careful – but she said she supported me nonetheless.
"There's gonna be a bonfire out in the boonies today. Everybody's gone be there." It was a couple of days past the 4th of July and people were still celebrating like it was a week-long event.
"Not interested." I told her flatly, sitting on the edge of my bed and crossing my legs. This past 4th of July was extremely difficult because it was my dad's birthday...the first one to pass after everything happened.
"Come on, Bubbles." Rico pleaded, using my old nickname she gave me when we were kids. I sighed, not wanting to give in. "Look, I know it's been a rough couple of days, but you gotta continue to live. I'm already knowing that Mommy Vanessa is going around the house all depressed and shit. You need some fresh air." Morgan was bargaining but I wasn't going for it.
"Actually, she's been keeping herself busy. She went to clinical on the 4th and stayed there overnight. She left me to hear Reyna crying all day." I told her, without a doubt dampening the mood further. I could feel myself slipping away, back into the depressive hole that I had entered just after my dad was killed, and I think Rico was trying to hold on to keep me from entering the sunken place. "I think I'm just gonna lay down in bed." I said, lying back on the bed ready to rest and forget about all the bullshit.
"Kentrell will be there." She finally blurted. As soon as the words left her mouth, I shot back up in a little bit of shock. Not long after, though, I had a frown on my face, confused by the mention of his name. "I know you wanna see his ass." She finished, probably saying that because I hadn't said anything after her previous statement.
