RUTHLESS

3

"You comin over again Lis?" I shook my head no, not wantin to be a nuisance to him and his family.

"I heard what yo parents said." I mean, it ain't hard to tell they pity me and don't want him around me.

"Don't listen to them Lis. They don't know you like I do." Me and Devon sat at the park bench nearby. His head on my shoulder, holding my hand.

"They ain't gotta know me to know what I been thru. Yo mama my doctor and yo daddy be the first on the scene when shit goes left at my house." I leaned my head on his, lettin my self get comfortable.

"I can always sneak you in like back in middle school." I chuckled, remembering when I used to hate being home. Whenever I left my house, he would sneak me in thru the window and I would spend the night in his room then sneak back out before his parents woke up.

"I'll think about it." I could feel eyes on me again. Just like yesterday, I bet it's the same white car.

"Ain't that's the car that was followin us yesterday?" I nodded, feelin tired.

"Come on. Imma walk you home." I got up, letting go of his hand.

"Alright." He got up. Using the back alley ways again, we walked in silence. It gave me time to think about things, like Devon's actions and words. He cared about me, that much I could tell from how he acted around me. I found it weird that he liked a gutter girl like me; I was no good for him.

{}

"Hey dad." I put the phone to my ear, looking at my dad in that orange jump suit.

"How you been Lis?" He looked rough, like he aging faster.

"As good as it gets. Mom still doing her thing, I got to school. Same old thing." He chuckled, nodding.

"That's good to hear."

"What you wanted to see me for? It's been a while since I heard from you, I doubt you wanted to see me to ask how my day been." I was just ready to get this over with.

"You right, I ain't call you here for that. Im gettin out soon and I want you to get my things ready when I get back. Imma right my wrongs when I get up outta here." He was gettin out huh. That's good on his part but I doubt he knows the shit show that my mama have going on.

"You ain't gone like what you see when you come out. But I guess that don't matter now. Right yo wrongs with yo wife first, then come holla at me." I hung up the phone and walked outta there. My mama flirting with the guard like always.

"Go talk to yo husband, he got something to tell you." I sat on the bench outside, overthinking how my dad was gettin out and coming home. That's crazy how much time flies by. He think shit finna be easy for him when he get out, nah. It's gone be hard cuss of the shit that's been going on. But he'll figure it out when he gets here. Guess I gotta start settin up his stuff.

"Come on girl, we gone be late for the bus." I stood up and waited at the bus stop. My mama been quiet since the visit. She ain't look excited but how could she be. Her gang banging husband gettin outta jail and his house is up in smoke from all the drugs she been doing. I bet she shittin bricks right now.

"Get in." The dude from the other night pulled up in the same white car that's been followin me for the past 2 days.

"Nah we good." My mama stood up, bout to get in but I stopped her.

"What you mean we good? We need a ride home don't we."

"You wanna put yoself in danger gone head. But I ain't gettin in that car." I let her go and sat on the bench. She got in his car and I watched them drive off. I shook my head cuss she didn't even think about how he followed us all the way across town just to "offer us a ride home". She'll learn one day. After taking that 2 hour ride home, it was real dark outside. I was hungry and gettin bit up by mosquitos.

Unlocking the door, it smelled like weed and some weird ass aroma. Like candles was being lit. I tried turning on the lights but they wasn't working. She ain't pay the light bill again. I shook my head, already knowing we ain't gone have lights for a minute.

Going to my room, my mom was sprawled out on the floor. Going by her side, I checked her pulse and it was normal. I sighed and Swallowed a lump that was in my throat.

"She gone be fine." The dude who gave her the ride said, scaring me. He stood in my door frame, wearing nothing but his boxers and a wife beater.

"What you doin in my house?" I stood up, not going near him. Trynna go towards the kitchen where we kept the gun.

"Come here." He had his arms crossed, looking at me up and down.

"Get out before I call the cops." I could feel my heart racing fast.

"How you gone call the cops when the lights don't work. I thought you was smarter than that." He laughed, walking towards me.

I ran to the kitchen to grab the gun but it wasn't there. Everything was gone. The knifes, forks, spoons. It was all gone. Everything in all the drawers was gone. I felt his hands on my neck, gripping it hard.

"GET YO HANDS OFF OF ME!" I scratched and kicked and trashed around like I was finna die.

He slammed me on my bed, my head hittin the rail. Everything was blurry but I got up, trynna get out the window.

"Nah. You ain't goin nowhere." He picked me up and put me back on the bed, pinnin me down and grabbing somethin from by me. My head was hurting bad and my sight was in and out. My hands was tied above my head tightly.

"GET OFF OF ME! MAMA!" I screamed and kicked and yelled for my mom. Hoping she'd wake up.

"Scream fo yo mama all you want, she ain't gone be up for a while."