The Girl Next Door

~46~

"Its like all the good things, they fall apart like..."

Onika Maraj

"That gives you no reason to go and have sex with a girl!" My mom screams," what did she do? Did she force you?!"

"Mama! She did nothing to me!"

"She obviously did something if you're under her influence! You know I don't accept things like this. And you..."

She turns to Robyn who's sitting in the corner of the living room, twiddling with her thumbs. Robyn looks up, fear marked in her eyes. My mother gets dangerously close to her and points her finger at her.

"I don't want you near my daughter ever again! If I ever see you near her, I'll call the police and get a restraining order on you! And I'll have my daughter moving away from you! You brought my daughter into a life of sin-"

"Mama!" I stand up, grabbing her arm," she did nothi-"

"Onika, don't touch me! I can't stand to even call you my daughter. And to see you like this-"

"You barely even see me!" I blurt out.

"You know I'm working all the time-"

"So that means you neglect your gay, pregnant daughter?" I ask, staring her in her light brown eyes," if you were actually here, you could've seen the signs. But you're always gone."

"That's no excuse. You know I work. That doesn't give you the go to be fast. Isn't that what got you in this situation right now?" The words that come from her mouth makes my heart hurt. I can see the regret on her face but I shake my head.

"I fucking hate you." I spit at her.

My mother looks appalled and I'm less than a second, her hand strikes my face with enough force to bring me down.

I fall to the floor and look up at my mother. She tries to hit me again but Robyn intervenes.

"Don' hit her!" Robyn says, pulling my mother away.

"You don't tell me what to do with my child! You don't know what I did to get us where we are and now she's fucking ungrateful?!" She turns to me and I can feel my eyes burning," you get the fuck out of my house! You're not my daughter. And I'm ashamed to even look you in your face. Get the hell out of my house."

I stare at her with hatred and pain in my eyes. Tears try to escape but I blink them away as I stand up and walk to the door, barefooted and lightly clothed.

Robyn follows me, a reassuring hand on my back. It makes everything worse but I can't help but to appreciate her act of kindness.

I pull my phone out of my shorts pocket. It's the only thing I thought about getting. I saw this coming but I wasn't expecting it to go like this. And now I'm not prepared for what's going to happen next.

"Ya can stay wit me baybeh..." Robyn says.

"I know... but I have no clothes. And if my mom catches us together..." I drift off at my mothers threat.

"She won'. I'll call Melissa and we'll trade houses. It'll be alright. She won' know where we are. And I'll get you some new clothes. Or wait until she leaves. She's neva thea anyways."

I shake my head," I should apologize..."

"For wha'? Being yourself? I know you nah thinking about dat."

"I want her to be happy." I protest, walking down the sidewalk to Robyn's house.

Robyn stops in front of me and grabs my shoulders. She gives me direct eye contact and I can see the fear and worry in them. She's doing so good at hiding it tho.