Break from Miami

Blessings

Arden 

I was sitting in my room silent, contemplating on what I should wear for school tomorrow being my first year as a junior. Normally I wouldn't care about my appearance as much to impress anybody but myself and especially not for school.. But tomorrow I'll be starting at Clayton Hill-ridge High. New school, new people, new friends, and new enemies.. Fun! Me and my family moved down here to Miami a little over a month ago during the summer so I'm a little familiar with the place, I'm still not sure on the people though all I know is don't look at me wrong and we won't have a problem. I'm not big on talking either, I wouldn't call it shy nor stuck up its just not my thing.. You have to be really close to me or I have to really like you to show you my true colors, I'm crazy lol.

After a good two hours of staring in my closet accomplishing nothing my mom called me down to diner, when I got to the table and took my seat sitting right in front of me was my older brother Matthew, next to him was my step Dad Philip and my little sister Essence; Momma was in the kitchen washing the dishes she just used to cook diner then brought out the rolls she had waited to long to put in the oven. It didn't take but a second for a conversation to get going at supper, that's why I love my family.. were all so open and can stand to be around each other, it's very seldom for a family to be as tight as mine especially with a new man in the house and everything we've been through. That's why I make sure I thank God every night for the blessings he's giving me. My life's good but it hasn't always been that way, I know struggle and how harsh this world really is and I'll never for a second think otherwise.. If it wasn't for my moms new job promotion and Philips generosity we'd all still be in the hood.. Compton was my home since birth till our upcoming blessing to move all the way out here to Miami this recent summer. I just pray the blessings keep coming.

Matthew 

My momma cooked a good ass diner man, I'm saying right when I got finished eating I had to go to sleep, I was too full to do anything else. We been eating good for the past month and I been taking advantage of it, my life's almost officially turned around. Those days of me being in the streets selling dope and fighting are over and I'm not going back.. I do miss my niggas though, especially Shank that was my fucking brother, I still keep in touch with him and shit, it was just my time to get out the hood and do something with my life. Philip want me to get back in sports and thinking about it I just might, I'm straight at football but back in Compton couldn't nobody see me in basketball, not even the old heads. I'd always get bugged about not being on no official team and just playing at the city court but back then I was too exposed to the street life to even attempt to show up at a practice. But the past the past and now is now and I'm gone get mines while I can.

Arden

I woke up this morning almost excited about my first day at Clayton until I remembered I didn't have anything to wear. Damn, don't you hate that? We haven't even been school shopping for real because we been too busy with the recent move, luckily nobody will notice my shortage of "new school clothes" since it's my first day at the school. I eventually decided on one of my favorite pair of ripped American Eagle jeans, a plain white tee, my all white high top converses and a rolly my brother bought me for my birthday last year. I didn't wear too much makeup because I didn't want to have to constantly wear it everyday of the week to feel like I look good..I glossed my lips and went down stairs to see what mom made us for breakfast for our first day.

I walked downstairs to see my little sister Essence pouring milk into a bowl of her favorite cereal, "where's mom ? And the special first day breakfast we were supposed to have ? " I sighed " your looking at it. Moms asleep and Philip already left for work.. He left a envelope with your name on it and one with Matts on the living room coffee table" she said , I just smiled and walked out the kitchen too see whatever it was in the envelope . When I got to the living room Matthew was sitting on the couch dressed to impress for school reading a note I guess Philip wrote him. " I have to take you to school today Arden" , "okay.." I said nonchalantly while reaching for my envelope. There was a note also from Philip that read 'have a great day at school dear! Keep out of trouble, and use this money for lunch'.. I quickly put the $20 dollars in my pocket because I know I'll forget it if I don't. "You ready?" He asked "yeah let me go say bye to Essence , she riding the bus today", "ight tell her I love her for me . "