Best Life

13

I woke up the next morning in the comfort of my own bed. I sighed, got up, and went to shower. As I walked past my mom's room I noticed her packing. "Where you going?" I asked her. "Oh, I'm going on a trip today, I should be back tomorrow, If I'm not call an uber to school." She explained. "Ok mom," I said leaving from her doorway to the restroom. 

When I got out of the shower my mom left. I decided today would be a chill day, I would facetime Mateo, Go Live, play some games, and watch tv. First I called Mateo.

"Hi, baby," Mateo said through a yawn. "Good morning," I said, also yawning. "What you doing right now?" "Nun just got the house to myself," I answered him. I put on a white T-shirt and some boxers while Mateo told some story full of famous people.

I started blasting my playlist through the house, performing a whole concert performance for Mateo, Choreography and everything was on point. "Shit Ians calling me," I said hanging up to answer Ian. "Hey," I answered, out of breath. "You tryna hop on th-" he cut himself off. "What the fuck was you doing?" "Singing and dancing"

"Oh, anyways, tryna hop on the game?" "Yeah, lemme get on."

I got on the game and went live on TikTok, while I play the game. I talked to Ian On my headset connected to the controller. I died in the game so I stood up and yelled "NO WHAT THE FUCK BRO!" I forgot I didn't have pants on. I looked at my phone, which showed me, "Shit!" I exclaimed as I sat down real fast.

I started blushing from embarrassment, "Man, I'm embarrassed, I'm ending this shit rn" I said to the live as I ended it.

My playlist ended so I put on "Lemonade" by Beyonce. I love that album so much that you don't understand.

I got off the game and called Mateo. "I'm about to go to sleep," I told him as soon as he answered. "Ok, goodnight baby," He said, making kissing noises on the phone. I got in my bed and went to sleep.

~

I woke up to my mom still not here. I got ready for school, doing all I need to do, like hygiene and shit. As soon as I was ready I ordered an Uber.

I got dropped off at school almost right when class started because the uber driver drives like a slow-ass punk. In class, I put my headphones on and did the work. "Hey Asia," I said as she came into class late. She gets to go to class late because she's pregnant.

"Hey Mosey, guess what!" She exclaimed while whispering. "What?" I asked her. "I found out the baby daddy." I already know who It is but I'll fake it for right now. "Oh my god, who is it?" "Demarco." She said not as excited as she was earlier. "Oh." That is all I said as I finished up my work. "Does he know?" I asked. "Yea, he's very excited"

At lunch I gave my food to Ian, I learned my lesson last time.

I had to walk my tray to him because he is sitting with the basketball players now. He plays basketball, and he's really good at it too. I put my head down at the lunch table and listened to music in my headphones.

Once lunch ended I took a deep breath before walking into 6th hour. I grabbed the worksheet and finished it before putting my head down. I had my headphones on, but no music was playing, so I can hear the conversations.

"Did yall watch tv? I told yall he was a faggot" Marco said, making all his goons laugh. "Yall know Asia having a baby?" Marco asked "Duh everyone knows, and everyone knows it's yours." someone said. "Hell Nah that baby ain't mine, yall know she a hoe, I don't know how that big ass dude Killian didn't" Marco started. "It's still yours, biologically." "So? Fuck that kid." Mateo said, making his goons laugh once again.

"So you gon-" The PA system cut off whoever was talking. "Lathan Echols, please report to the Principal's office, I repeat, Lathan Echols, please report to the principal's office." "Damn, not even deans, straight principal," someone said as I stood up. "What the fuck did he do?" Someone asked aloud.

I walked into the principal's office and saw two officers, the principal, and a lady and a man, with suits on that, had "CPS" logos on the pocket of the blazer.

"Sit down." The principal said, motioning to the seat. "Good afternoon, Mr. Echols" The man started talking. "Good afternoon" I replied back. "You're probably confused, so let me explain why we are here," The man said. "Your parents have been detained in Queens New York. We will go into detail after their trial, as of now, you have to stay in foster care, It's close by, so you will be able to go to school here." The man added. 

The lady stepped closer to me, "I understand that moving to a new place, with new kids, and new people playing the parent role for you can be scary, but It is what is best for you." She said, placing her hand on my shoulder. I started to silently cry, I can't believe my parents are in jail.

I got escorted out of the building, walking right past classes, windows full of people staring at me. One was Mateo taking a picture of me getting escorted, Another was Ian mouthing 'what the fuck?'

They drove me home, so I can pack my clothes and grab everything I need. After that we pulled up to the foster care building, it was a big brick building with a sign that read, "JOHNSON'S GROUP HOME FOR FOSTER KIDS"

We walked in and the people at the front desk asked for a whole bunch of information so they can enter me into "the system" I was taken up to my room, thankfully each kid has their own room. "Alright get comfy, unpack, and come down for dinner at 7," The lady from the front desk said to me. "Here are the rules" she handed me a packet.

I sat on my bed and looked at the packet. Tears fell out of my eyes and onto the packet as I looked at it. I heard a knock on my door. I sniffled and wiped my tears, "It's open" I said in an unstable-sounding voice. I sound like one touch could make me pop in an instant.

"Hey, your new?" A girl asked when she walked in, followed by 2 boys, and 2 girls. "Yea," I said. "I'm, Kate, I'm 17" She introduced herself. "I'm Deshawn, 17" The boy behind her introduced himself. "I'm Kennedi, 16" Another girl said. "I'm Kyrie, 16," A boy said, he looks just like Kennedi. "And I'm Ashley, I'm 13," She said, still looking at her phone. "I'm Lathan, 15." I introduced myself. "Ok, we just wanted to introduce ourselves. We will let you settle in now." Kate said, as she, and everyone but Deshawn left. He walked closer to me.

"Look bro, I know you're probably scared, but don't be, now you basically got..." He stopped to count. "4 older siblings, So think of the bright side" He finished before giving the peace sign and leaving.

Once my door closed I read the packet. "No lights on after 9 pm, no loud music, no leaving rooms after 1 am," I'm gonna hate it here. I went under the covers and cried into a pillow.

Ian called as soon as school ended. "Dawg what the fuck happened," Ian asked as I wiped my tears again. "Both my parents went to jail, so I got put in a group home," I explained. "Damn that's tough, Demarco posted a picture of you getting escorted out of the school on his story." He informed me. "Ok, I got more things to worry about. Hopefully, I'll be out by next week after the trial when they are innocent."

"Yep, let's pray for that." He said. "Alright ima call some other people, talk to you later," I said as I hung up. "Hi baby" Mateo answered the phone. "Where the fuck are you?" He asked. "I'm in a group home, my parents in jail," I explained. "Damn, well I'm in this meeting, I'll call you tomorrow" "Ok bye," I said as he hung up.

I turned my phone off, putting it on the charger, while I turned over and took a nap.

~

"Dude wake up," Kyrie said, shaking me. "Huh?" "Wake up man, it's dinner time," he said, "Ok," I said, getting up. I walked downstairs with Kyrie and sat at the table with everyone else. The workers put food down in front of everyone. "Ok, let's start our prayer." The old white woman said. Everyone grabbed each other's hands as they started reciting a prayer.

"Let's thank god for this hot food, and a chance to have somewhere to stay during our hard times, Amen" As soon as they finished they started tearing up the plates of food. "Is there something wrong with your plate?" The old white lady asked me when she saw I wasn't eating.

"No, I'm just not hungry," I explained to her. "Ok well, I'll put it up for you for later." She said grabbing my plate and taking it to the kitchen. After 30 minutes of watching people eat, and drinking water, we were dismissed to go do whatever we wanted inside, or in the backyard.