Raw & True

o02.

Chapter Two

(Elijah Pierre)

✨ Friday, April 14th 2017✨

"Nah Eli, I don't know man. My pops not doing too well and my aunt might need me to help out at the house until things get back to normal."

I looked at one of my favorite students and shook my head. My temporary teaching assignment as a high school shop teacher was almost over and I wasn't ready to say goodbye to some of these kids. You could tell who needed the extra guidance or just a positive role model around, so I was inviting a few of them to join the mentorship program I was a part of, in hopes of keeping them on the right path.

"How about I talk to your aunt? I can see what she thinks about you joining the team and if she does need your help around the house, we can talk about you coming to do some work down at my shop."

Micah shook his head and let out a soft chuckle.

"C'mon Eli, I ain't no mechanic."

"Just call your aunt, I'll handle the rest." I laughed while getting up from my desk.

It was the end of the day, so like any other day when the bell rang, the kids vanished. I was shocked to still find Micah at his desk on his phone. I guess he was talking to his aunt, though, so I didn't say anything. I started getting my things together so I could leave once I was done talking to Micah and his aunt.

"Aight Eli, you asked for this. Remember that before you say no," Micah said as he approached my desk.

"What's up?"

"My aunt, Marley, is inviting you to dinner tonight; she was at work when I called but she's been hearing about you since I got to her house a week ago. Now she claims that she just wants to put a face to the name and get to know you a little before she agrees to leave me in your care." Micah and I shared a laugh and I couldn't help but shake my head.

"How old is your aunt, Micah?" I'd only dealt with grandparents like this.

"She's 26 but she acts old as hell bruh, I swear. Wait till you meet her. She even made me introduce her to my homeboy yesterday before we went to the courts. A brotha just wanted to go play some ball." Micah laughed while getting his school supplies together.

"I'm sure she means well, especially with all that's going on with your pops."

Micah didn't willingly inform me about his dad's condition and if I hadn't noticed the shift in his attitude earlier this week; I wouldn't have known to ask if everything was okay. Little did he know; I had a similar situation with my moms when I was around his age. Rehab helped her just like I knew it would help his dad. We had a long talk after class and I was sure that he'd be in a better space mentally afterwards. Knowing about his dad is what made me want him to join the mentoring program. When my mom was in rehab, I was out running the streets, giving my grandmother hell, eventually getting caught up with the wrong crowd I knew Micah was a good kid but I also knew how easy it was to get mixed up in trouble and I didn't want that for any of the young men I mentored.

"Yeah, Marley's cool, you'll like her." He smirked before dapping me up. "But I gotta go find my little sister, Eli, so I'll see you tonight for dinner. 8 pm bro, don't be late; she won't like you if you are."

Micah made sure I had his aunt's address and his phone number before he left the classroom. Once I was alone; I grabbed my things and headed towards the faculty parking lot. I hadn't been behind the wheel of my 2016 midnight blue Chevy Tahoe for two minutes before my phone started ringing. I smiled when I noticed it was my mother. I picked up and connected the phone to the car's Bluetooth speaker before making my way out of the parking lot.