Hawthorne Heights [Editing]

twenty-five

Warren's Halloween themed soundtrack played in the background as he and Miracle began baking cookies for our class the next day. Winter break would be strolling around soon and they both wanted to make sure they would pass with exceptional grades.

Believe it or not, both Warren and Miracle were avid teacher's pets and would receive their appraisal any chance possible. They attended every school event, listened attentively to boring stories about children, and even help clean the classrooms after a party.

"Tell those bad kids to stop knocking on my door!" Warren gruffly mumbled near the oven, "I don't have any type of candy for them. You better throw some plastic baggies full of raisins."

Miracle giggled and attempted at eating a mini dollop of cookie dough. She claimed that her illness was cured yet the girl's body refused to digest food. Warren suggested for her to go to her father's counselor yet Miracle refused to believe that anything could be wrong with her.

   Her denial over the years had accumulated after her mother's death. At times, she would have conversations with Mrs. Parker or even blame her mother for the things that she couldn't explain. Her recent perm had been at the hands of her mother yet Warren knew that it was solely due to the fact that Miracle hated her natural hair. Her curl pattern wasn't the loose and kinky texture that was often fetishized in the media. Miracle had "negro naps." No one called her hair good hair.

   Warren's doorbell rang again, the melodic chime resonating through the entire downstairs of his father's home. Miracle slid across the hardwood floor in the socks until she finally reached the front door. Easing aside the blinds, she came face to face with a short girl wearing all black.

   Miracle snorted, "What are you? A spider?"

      "What are you? A stick?" The girl retorted.

   Suddenly, a tall boy with skin the shade of cinnamon and luscious waves appeared upon the front porch. The boy held a bouquet of red peonies along with a child-sized teddy bear. He smiled widely, revealing a row of perfectly straightened teeth except for the subtle protruding of his canines.

Avery's family ended up visiting earlier than expected after a family member recently passed away. His great-grandmother left the house in Avery's name on her will, so his family decided to fix it up so that it would be move-in ready.

   Miracle grinned while quietly opening the door for Laila and Avery. Avery nodded at her briskly before hurriedly tip-toeing for the kitchen, moisture increasing on his palms and upper back.

      "Miracle, turn this song off! He can't sing and it makes me itch," Warren complained.

   Avery advanced on Warren as though the slightest movement could end their entire plan. After placing the peonies and teddy-bear on the black granite countertop, Avery covered Warren's eyes instantly.

   Warren warned, "You have five seconds to retrieve your ashy hands or I'll beat you with this electric mixer."

      "So I was thinking that instead of Sushi, we could name him Guppy. It's cute, right?"

   Tears sprang to Warren's eyes and his heart began to run laps in his rib cage. Avery's hands soon traveled to wrap around his boyfriend's torso while turning him around. Instant rejoices and excitement replaced the dreary mood that the kitchen once contained.

Miracle teared up at the scene as she texted the occupied Milo on her phone. The boys continued to hold each other as though the world would crumble underneath their feet should they part.
Avery continuously whispered calming words in Warren's ear while swaying him side-to-side.

Milo's silver spoon scraped against her barren plate as she listened to her mother rave about Rebecca's newest appliance store. She had yet to mention her early acceptance in Clark University and she had decided that this would be a perfect time.

"Mother, Father, I'm attending Clark for college in the fall," she began, "I already know that you refused, but we made a deal and I went through with it."

Milo's father placed his fork against the table while his foot tapped rapidly underneath the glass table. He grew up in a neighborhood full of minorities yet refused for his daughter to experience similar hardships.

He grunted, "I didn't agree to this dare, Milo."

She prepared herself for the endless speech of how much he had to sacrifice for her to attend a privileged public school. Her mother rolled her eyes cautiously while interjecting,

"I agreed to this. If she wants to go to an HBCU then she should be allowed that desire. It's not like you will be the one attending the school."

Milo played with her nails while avoiding eye contact with her father. She wasn't afraid of him per se, yet she hated listening to his endless rants.

He had a certain disliking towards the "urban" black people that he once grew up around. He'd quickly transform into a Caucasian man, shedding his ancestry and pride simply to assimilate with his coworkers.

He mumbled, "Fine, Milo, you can go. But I'm not sending you money in the mail. You have to learn how to be independent."

And for the first time in a long time, Milo felt happy.

[this chapter was mediocre, I'm sorry. I have so much going on but y'all deserved an update so here it is!]

also, are yall following me? make sure you are because my phone has been glitchy recently and I'm afraid that my chapters might end up either being deleted or turned private.