Irreplaceable (DAVE EAST)

4

Intensity

Zaidee Carter

I furrowed my eyebrows and nibbled on my bottom lip as I slowly yet intently, searched through the mail a second time. My check hadn't came yet and it was supposed to be here a couple of days ago. I needed to pay my phone bill next week and I needed my check in order to do so.

I sucked my teeth and turned around, hearing footsteps indicating that someone had entered the kitchen.

I looked and noticed the person was my aunt Jenna. She held her Samsung Galaxy S9 in her hand, and I'm more than sure that she was busy lurking on Facebook.

"Hey Auntie..." I called out as I looked through the mail again. This check was my money for the month. I was gonna have to buy tampons, deodorant, whitening strips, and more hygienic products, not to mention I would need to buy some clothes that I could fit and still try to buy some good shoes and pay my phone bill, and buy some hair products, and some of my facial cleansing wipes.

"What?" My Aunt made her way over to the fridge and opened it up, probably looking for something to eat or cook.

"My check... I think it's late. Do you have it?" I asked her. I know she wouldn't take her part of my check without me getting mine out first. And then she would've had it for days now...

"Child no." She shook her head. "I don't have nothin' to do with that." She closed the fridge holding a bowl of potato salad.

Yuck.

I nodded. "I know... Should I call up there? Because my phone bill has to be paid next week. And I have things that I need to buy for my own health." I spoke before sitting the pile of mail down on the small dining table. I let a frown grow on my face.

"You don't need to call up there. They'll let me know in time since I'm your guardian. Just leave it alone."

I furrowed my eyebrows again. "How am I supposed to ignore it? I'm not trying to sound disrespectful or rude at all Auntie but they know that I use that money for stuff that I actually need."

"Just. Leave. It. Alone." She said before walking out.

Obeying her orders I decided to just leave it alone. Maybe they'll contact her because she is my guardian.

********

"Hey Deja." I spoke flatly while sitting beside her in the cafeteria. I was still in an iffy mood about my check being almost a week late and my auntie telling me to just ignore it. Does she not want her half of it?

"Hey boo. What's wrong?" She asked with concern laced in her voice.

"My check hasn't came and I was asking my aunt if I should call up there and she was telling me to ignore and don't worry about it." I explained to her.

"That sound fishy as hell." Deja said and I nodded in agreement.

"I'll worry about it at home." I shrugged.

"Okay. If you need to borrow any money let me know." She said.

I nodded even though I wasn't gonna ask her for any money.

"Guess who I talked to." She smirked.

"Mr. Jenkins?" I asked with a smile. She finally talked to him about getting her D up.