Charlie & Alex

I am Charlie Grey.

Hey, I'm Charlie Grey.I'm 16 years old.I'm an African American teenage girl.My mom was originally born in Kenya and she immigrated here in a small town in America and met my dad.She was only 13 when she had me.Working two jobs to sustain the family.One being a bartender and the other being a cleaner in some fancy hotel.About my dad: well... he ran away.My mom told me he couldn't handle the pressure of  having a baby.I resented him for that but, who am I to judge.I think we're better off without him. My mom hasn't found love ever since.She  says I'm her only truly love "til death do us part" she always says.Its kinda sad i must admit.My mom's so  gorgeous and she could get any man she wanted.I'm sure there are a few good men out there.

We aren't the richest of people.
Sometimes my mom would result in stealing soap at the hotel and bringing leftovers from the bar.It's horrendous besides the soap of course.I'd rather indulge the soap than the actual food.
I can't complain it's all we've got.

My mom uses all her savings to pay for my education.She believes that I'll one day have a way better life than the one we're living .The school itself isn't the best.Half of the girls at my school are pregnant,most of the boys there are thugs who render drugs and alcohol to most of our teachers it's repulsive but it's an easy way to get some cash.

But,it's not all bad I must admit. I can't say I'm exactly good in school.I do just fine to get me by.Most of the time I don't even go to school due to all the protests nearby causing a huge blockage or sometimes gang members who manage to break into the school and steal water pipes and other valuable belongings.

I may not be good in Science,maths pretty much all  the subjects at school but I've hoped and dreamed  of  becoming  an actress.Growing up I've idolised women like Jennifer Lopez,Queen Latifah and Elizabeth Taylor.The movies I've watched starring those women were remarkable.
I'd sometimes accompany my mom to the bar mostly on Fridays since the bar would host it's annual  'Film Fridays'.I must say that the stinch of drunk middle aged men was agrivating, but It never phased me one bit as placed all my focus on the big black screen.

We never owned fancy elecronics like others.My mom and I pocessed a couch that had muliple holes chewed in it.I'm sure a few rats live in those holes til this day.We also have two termite infested chairs that were given to us by our neighbours.

But ,each and every day I thanked God for the life he'd blessed us with.

Well here's a background check.
I was born to the most amazing woman ever.Kunté Anita Grey a beautiful black Kenyan woman who immigrated to America in hopes that her life would be diffrent than the one she lived in Kenya.Her mom would abuse her serverly.My mom once showed me a scar that had been done by her own mother.She'd thrown her with hot boiling water and luckily it didn't hit her face ,but her bare thigh.Damn!That pot must've been blazing hot.Once ,mom told me that my supposed grandmother shaved her hair in the middle of the night with sheep sheers out of envy.Thankfully the hair grew back obviously. Luckily my mom wasn't the only child she had two older sisters and one younger brother. All treated really horribly.

One horror story that scared me was that 'grandma' invited her very own brother for some coffee and forced him to rape the eldest sister and without hesitating he did so and she fell pregnant with a beautiful baby girl.My aunt didn't see it as an abomination,but a gift from God.

Sadly,Three months after having the baby Aunt Keazia died of a sexually transmitted disease.Her mother wouldn't have cared less.That day of her death she shed no tear  and asked my mom and her siblings to dump Aunt Keazia's body in the lake.

Well my mom never told me what had happened to the baby because she feared I'd hate my 'grandmother'  even more than I already do.My mom's journey to America wasn't easy at all.She did many unspeakable deeds to get the money for a plane ticket.She met my dad at the airport in America.He was working as a security guard at that time and fate brought those two together.My mom says that's the only man she ever loved.

They'd gone on a couple of dates and got married,but it wasn't exactly the wedding of her dreams but she loved him so much as to get married at a nearby KFC the place wasn't crowded at all.The only people that where there to witness the supposed wedding was some drunk guy asking for free fries and the workers.My mom was only 13 at the time.She had no clue what she was in for and 9 months they had me and the love story of my mom and dad died.

She was more in love with him than he was ever with her.My mom still loves my dad as she keeps  photos of him in her bible hoping he'd come back for her.But to be honest he ain't worth it.
She deserves so  much better.I mean I've tried to find a suitable man for her but no luck...yet.

Leaving her family behind was a big risk,but she hopes one day she could reunite with her siblings it's been 16 years now.