Chemistry

Chapter 3: Tiara

Tiara sat on the bus with her head lying against the window. It didn't even bother her whenever the bus jerked and bumped causing her to hit her head against the window like it usually would. She was too mesmerized about how this random guy had treated her. She's never been treated like that by any guy. And it actually felt good. She truly felt guilty about blowing him off earlier that day. But she was too deep in her feelings to want to be bothered by random strangers. 

She wished Kendra rode her bus so she could tell her all about this mystery guy.

She couldn't help but think about his pretty green eyes that captivated hers outside the bus just a few minutes ago. And his neatly shaven brown hair that looked so welcoming to touch.-

STOP Tiara! What are you doing?! Remember what Brandon did to you? Mark? Alex? ALL boys are the same!

Tiara quickly sat up and snapped out of her trance. She sighed because she knew the thoughts inside of her head were extremely accurate. But this random guy, he totally made her get over Brandon. And she wanted to spend more time with him, but she could never let herself. She never wanted to experience the pain she felt earlier that day again, and the only way to accomplish that is to just leave boys alone and focus on school work. With that being thought of, she pulled out her Chemistry homework and begin to take a look at it. She tried to get most of her homework done on the buses between school and work.

Everyday after school, unless she has a day off, Tiara would always ride the bus home, put all her school belongings away, change into her Chik-Fil-A uniform and then quickly run to catch the city bus to work. 

After fifteen minutes of trying to figure out how many atoms of magnesium are in 95.5 grams of magnesium phosphates, she exasperatedly gave up. There was no hope. 

The school bus stopped at the stop sign about three houses down from her line of houses. Tiara lived in the projects of Atlanta, Georgia. Because of this, no one from school except Kendra has been to her house, and even that took a while to make happen. Tiara has always been ashamed of where she lives even though she know she shouldn't. She just hated being judged. The only thing you can applaud her about this situation is that she doesn't act nor dress like where she comes from. Tiara actually has a bit of class.

Her and a group of loud kids filed off the bus. Tiara had always been hated by other kids in the neighborhood because everybody's dad was sent to jail for something they actually did and Tiara's was sent to jail innocently. They were jealous because Tiara was the prettiest girl in the neighborhood and boys would quickly leave their girlfriends for her. But of course, she has standards. 

Tiara quietly walked down to her dirty, damaged building and walked up the steps until she got up to her front door. She knocked on the door. Tiara's mom wouldn't give her a key because she was too afraid she would lose it, resulting in someone breaking into the house. She lifted her book bag higher on her shoulder since it began to cause her pain. After a few seconds of no response, she knocked again. This time harder. 

"I'm coming! God Lee!" she heard a male's voice yell.

The door swung open and Tiara almost suffocated due to all the smoke that entered her lungs in that second. She stepped inside, coughed while waving her hand in front of her face, and shut the front door. She spotted her older brother sitting on the couch holding a lit cigarette in one hand, and a beer bottle in the other.

"What did Momma tell you about smoking in this house, Ant!" Tiara tried to shout through her fits of coughing. "Dang, how much did you smoke?!"

"Shut up, T! Momma ain't here!" Anthony said flipping through the channels of the TV. 

"Well, you better respect her rules like she is!" Tiara shouted above the volume of the TV. She walked over to Anthony and grabbed the lit cigarette and dumped it in the ash tray. Anthony stood with his mouth agape.

"You gon' get enough of doing that lil girl."

"Boy bye," Tiara replied ignoring his ignorant speech. "Where's Momma?"

Anthony gulped down some of his beer. "She took Kay to the hospital." 

Tiara instantly became worried. "What for?!"

"I don't know," Anthony responded. "She sick or sum. Nun serious."

Tiara began to cough again. "Yeah, probably from all this second hand smoke!"

Anthony sucked his teeth, "Girl, gone' and go get ready for work!" 

"Go GET some work!" Tiara shouted as she headed towards her room. 

Tiara's mom and Kaylin shared a room. Tiara and Anthony had their own rooms. Why a 21-year-old man is still living with his mother was beyond both Tiara and her mom. But they're pretty sure it has something to do with him dropping out of high school.

Tiara went into her room and dropped all of her school supplies on the bed. She then began changing into her Chik-Fil-A uniform. She didn't have to be at work until 5:30, it was 3:50 now as she looked at the clock on her pink and gray radio. Tiara hit the on button of her radio and began to sing the lyrics to All That Matters by Justin Bieber while putting her shoulder length hair into a bun. She stood with her back turned towards the bed. Finally, she opened her arms and just let herself fall onto her bed.

Her mind instantly traveled to random guy, but was instantly ended when her brother yelled, "TURN THAT WACK NIGGA OFF!" from the living room.

Tiara smiled and rolled her eyes. "YOU'RE WACK!" 

"THANKS BOO!" He yelled back.

Tiara couldn't help but laugh. Despite how much they fought, Tiara and Anthony always had that bond that could never be broken. Anthony was the type of brother who wouldn't let ANYONE mess with his little sisters. That's the reason Tiara's never really told him anything about the boys that played her. Cause she knows he'd just get sent right back to jail. Anthony has been on probation since he was 14-years-old. He's been messing up real bad since then, but lately, the family has been beginning to see some change in him. The Jones family wouldn't say that Anthony was a bad guy, but that he just hangs out with bad people. 

5:00 rolled around and Tiara slid her shoes on for work. She told her brother goodbye and walked down to the city bus stop. She waited about a good 10 minutes for the Marta bus. When it finally came, she got aboard it and was at Chik-Fil-A in no time. She walked in excited and ready to work because Fridays were pay days!

*        *        *

Tiara came home that night around 12:00 A.M with $230 in her pocket. That's about how much she makes every week. That's $920 a month! With that plus the $1,000 a month her mom makes by working at the local daycare, that's enough to feed, cloth, and take the family out for entertainment. But most of that money goes in a savings account. So Tiara is only left $50 to her self a week, and after all the bills are paid, their mother is left with $300 every other week. 

Tiara came home and handed her mom the money, who in return handed her back $200. 

Tiara looked down at the two $100 bills in her hand and stood speechless. "Wha-?"

"This is for, Tiara," Mrs. Jones said. "Thank you for being the angel you are and for looking after your family when it wasn't even your responsibility to do so." Mrs. Jones explained. "I don't know what I'd do without you," she stated, pulling Tiara in for a hug. Tiara embraced it. 

"Momma, you don't have to do this."

"Oh yes I do. This your reward and your blessing for staying faithful to your family," Mrs. Jones planted a kiss on Tiara's forehead. "Run on to bed now, cause I know you must be tired."

"I am," Tiara mumbled. "How's Kaylin?" 

"The doctor gave her some antibiotics, she should be fine in the morning." Mrs. Jones announced.

Tiara nodded and slumped her way to bed. She began to get undressed, steadily thinking about what she was going to buy with her $200. She already knew. She just couldn't wait to get it.