adolescents - mo (monroe) harris

6

Anna hopped off of her bed and stepped back, placing her hands on her hips as she looked at the poster now hung above her bed. She'd adjusted it four times, looking more and more crooked every time.

"I swear on grandma it's straight." Zeke said from his place in the doorway. Anna sighed and shrugged, deciding to take Zeke's word. Zeke had been waiting impatiently on her so they could play his new record. Anna joined him in the living room where Mo was already curled up in the chair with a snack.

Anna plopped down on the old couch as Zeke put the record on. A funky piano tune began playing through the speaker. Zeke, now standing in the center of the room, raised his eyebrows at Mo and began moving his shoulders to the music as he lit the blunt hanging out of his mouth. Mo looked partially skeptical, but also began bobbing his head to the beat. Anna couldn't help but tap her foot as she looked between the two. It was a catchy rhythm.

Zeke began dancing and Anna smiled, getting up and joining him. They shimmied together, catching each beat with a step and a sway. laughing, they both looked at Mo. Zeke did the classic hook and reel it in move, signaling Mo that it was his turn to get up. Anna doubled over laughing as Mo slowly got up and started dancing goofily with Zeke. She joined them again, wiggling around with them and enjoying the music. Zeke pretended to shoot an arrow at her and she pretended to get hit, falling back on the couch. He did the same to Mo and Mo pretended to dodge it smoothly as he did a goofy dance move. Anna was giggling uncontrollably at the two as they continued until the song ended.

"You guys are seriously shit dancers." Anna snorted. Mo looked at her with a faux offended look as he returned to his seat.

"Sounds like someone wants to be kicked out." Zeke teased. Anna rolled her eyes. Her face was sore from smiling and she was out of breath from laughing. Zeke and Mo both retreated to their own seats to catch their breath. As the three of them sat quietly and enjoyed the music as it continued to play, Anna reflected on the last few days.

Maybe it was just the change in scenery, but she hadn't felt this content in a long time. Just a week before she was spending every day, lonely and exhausted, wondering if she'd give up. She came down from her emotional high slightly as she remembered the last argument she had with her dad before he left. She'd accidentally used up the minutes on their phone plan trying to win concert tickets, and he did what he always would when he was frustrated. He told her all about how much of a burden she was to him, that she was the reason he drank so much, that everything wrong with his life was her fault. Anna heard it so much she could predict what he was going to say, but it didn't make it hurt any less. There was nothing particularly different about this occasion that Anna could pinpoint as the reason for his leaving. She'd thought about it non-stop. She'd come to the conclusion he was just fed up. That's why she waited so long to ask Zeke for help. She didn't want to be a burden to him or cause him problems. She figured if she could manage on her own she wouldn't be weight on somebody else's back anymore.

The hiring sign in the window of the record store came back to Anna's mind. Getting a job would be the perfect way to not feel like a useless burden. It'd keep her busy, she could make money, be productive.

"I think I'm going to apply for a job at the record store." Anna said suddenly. Mo looked at her for a moment before he nodded approvingly.

"That'd be pretty dope, actually." Mo said looking at Zeke.

"That'd be very dope, especially if there's a discount." Zeke said, puffing on his blunt. Anna chuckled at Zeke.

"Alright then. I'll do it." Anna got up and grabbed her laptop from her backpack on the floor. She returned to her seat and opened it up to pull up the application. Zeke and Mo kept talking as Anna focused on filling out the application. After 30 minutes, Anna clicked submit and hopped up.

"That was the easiest test I've ever taken, all the questions were about me." Anna said dryly. Mo laughed at her and Zeke rolled his eyes. She smiled at them and left them to hang out by themselves so she could go do her homework.

Sitting alone in her room staring at her chemistry book, Anna got a text from Lisa. Lisa invited Anna to pregame at her place and go to the party together tomorrow evening. Anna smiled and accepted the offer. Anna liked the feeling she was getting at the way she was fitting into the new environment. She was making friends, she was trying, she was happier. Anna felt like everything seemed to be going right for her for once, and she hoped that things stayed that way.

————————
A/N

A little short, a little filler, it's whatever. First chapter posted as a college graduate!! ty all for your votes and reads it means so much! <3