Chapter 1

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Journey Hayes-

Spring, 1991.

I sat with my arms crossed over my chest while staring out of my window, daydreaming about nothing in particular while my father and my younger brother Wesley conversed about nothing in particular.

I sighed and continued to sulk in my seat, which made my father glance over at me. "Your sister's acting like a butthead." My father said, which made me look over at him with a stale face while Wesley cackled in the backseat. Instead of saying any words, I responded with a 'Hmph', before looking down at my nails.

"What's that supposed to mean, Journey?" With the way I was feeling, I would've responded disrespectfully. But to avoid any arguing or conflict, I simply ignored him and gazed out of the window. He sighed heavily and spoke, "Look, JJ, I know you're upset about moving. Hell, we all are."

"No, I'm not." Wesley said from the backseat and I glared at him from the rearview mirror, "Nobody asked you, Wesley." I said.

"Nigga, nobody asked you to say anything to me, Cruella Deville, but here we are. Stay up there and continue acting like an ass like you've been doing." For him to be ten-years-old, he sure had a lot of mouth and he was gonna get popped right in it if he didn't shut up talking to me like he was crazy. "Shut the hell up, you dirty rat," I said and in no time, the both of us began to bicker back and forth, "Hey! Hey! Both of you be quiet and watch your damn mouths! The hell is Y'all problem?" His eyebrows furrowed as he looked back and forth between us and the road.

"My problem is that you had to drag me here. I mean, Dad, come on! My whole life is in Decatur! My friends, my family, and my job. And quite frankly, for you to just make the decision for me to leave and move to Charlotte is selfish! My whole future was planned and that just got dragged from underneath my feet. I seriously didn't even have to leave, I could've stayed with M--"

"Journey, your mother is not stable enough to raise you and your brother, which is why I was granted full custody. Hell, she can barely take care of herself." He said and I smacked my lips.

I hated when he said things like that about my mother, but what I hated the most is that he was right. She wasn't stable enough to raise both Wesley and myself, but I'd rather be with her than relocate to a whole 'nother state. "Listen, JJ.." He trailed off before he continued to speak, "I know this isn't easy for you, Journey. Believe it or not, It's not easy for me either. To just pick up and have to relocate and start all over is hard but I'm doing what I have to do to make sure you and your brother are straight, you understand?" I nodded.

"I understand your whole life is in Georgia, everybody's is, JJ. But, you just gotta go with the motion. You can always make new friends, get a job, and we have family here as well. As soon as you turn eighteen, you're more than welcome to leave and venture off and do what you want. Okay?" I nodded understandingly. "Oh, Wesley, you're grounded too." I pressed my lips together to contain myself from laughing because of Wesley's reaction.

"For what? What are you going to gain from it?" I bust out laughing but I quickly straightened up once my father glanced over at me. "Because I've told you about cussing! We agreed on you saying 'nigga', not all that other shit your slick ass was saying." Wesley sighed heavily and mumbled something, which made my father damn near break his neck to look at him.

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