Jazz Up

Parting Ways

I wasn't in the best of spirits on the last day of school. I had been avoiding Huey and ignoring his text for about two weeks.

I didn't know how to approach him without crying like a little girl. I knew I had to talk to him at some point about what's been going on. Knowing Huey he would fully understand the situation.

After all, I told him from the start that if he became interested in someone else, we could end things. It appears that this time is approaching.

Although I have never spoken to Aaliyah I heard a lot about her. From what I hear, she is a girl version of Huey. From what I see, she's pretty, she's smart, and she is more connected with her black culture.

Me on the other hand not so much. Over the years of growing up half white and half black, I felt pressured to choose sides. Either way, both sides would look at me funny. White people would say I act too black or black people would say I act too white. I knew both terms were bad. 

A couple of times over the years when I would try to do something new with my style I would still get hateful and envious looks from people. For instance, I use to straighten my hair on special occasions, and people that were African American and that knew my hair was curly would just shake their heads when they see me.

The most disappointed look I would get it from the most is Huey. He was the main person that hated when I would try something new. That was one thing I personally disliked about him. I just never told him since I didn't hold grudges.

It didn't stop at my hair texture or what I was mixed with. It had also moved on to my body shape. At that point, I just felt like people were trying to find reasons to hate me on the internet or in real life. 

Some of the clothing I wore was tight and it hugged my body in all the right places. When I posted pictures of it people had bought it and started comparing how it looked on them versus me. 

Some were mad and some were happy. Because I wore so much pink with most of my outfits I was called a Barbie. I didn't see a problem with that because that was a compliment. But then some argued that I was having surgery which I wasn't. 

It just felt like I couldn't please anybody with my appearance or the way I act, not even myself! I was in the car with my dad who was driving me to school. For some odd reason, he and my mom had been home for the past two weeks. 

That was the longest they ever stayed in my book. They either were at work, out of town or at some party. I always felt like they never had time for me. 

I had to learn how to do certain stuff from staying home by myself most of the time. For example; cooking, cleaning, doing my own hair, paying bills, etc. My mom would do most of that stuff for me but when she felt like I could take care of myself she started going back to work. 

Ever since then I just been having the house to myself since middle school. I'm surprised I never acted out from my parent's absence. The only thing I did was stay out past curfew whenever I was hanging out with the gang. But that wasn't intentional, of course, they don't know that. 

"So Princess or you excited for your last day of school?" my dad asked me as I snapped out of my thoughts. "Yeah, I guess so," I said unsure of myself. 

"You guess so, I thought the last day of school was exciting for some of you kids," he said taken back. "It is for some people, but I don't know what I'm going to do over the summer," I told him.

"Well, your mother and I have to work on some upcoming cases, but your Nana said she would be glad if you came to visit for the summer. She said you guys can travel and do all the things you both will enjoy," he smiled.