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"Jahseh?"
"What?" He mumbled as he changed the TV channel.
"Can i ask you something?"
"Yeah."
"Do you have siblings?"
"No."
I sat up, making my head pop up in his view since I was laying on the floor. "You don't?"
"Didn't I just say no? I don't."
"Why? Your mom didn't want anymore kids?" I asked, climbing on top of his bed.
"You wanna ask her that? I don't know her." He reached out for the hot Cheetos.
"What do you mean?"
He huffed. "Stop asking questions."
"Wait, one more." I signaled with my finger. "One question."
"No. Go to sleep."
"Please? I promise I'll stop asking." I took his Cheetos. "And answer honestly."
"Vruh what?"
"What do you mean you don't know her?"
He laughed. "Cora, I'm literally a foster kid. Tank's my guardian."
"Wait. So-"
He rolled his eyes. "I'm adopted. Yeah. So, no I don't have siblings. A bitch abandoned me." He shrugged. "I.. I ain't got shit to explain. Whatever the situation was, obviously, i must not have been enough."
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"That you had to go through that." I looked at him.
As a kid, that shit is hard. Imagine thinking, why didn't my parents want me? My heart aches for him.
"Don't feel sorry, tahaha. I'm not thinking about that. If I don't feel bad, you shouldnt either."
"So... Tank is your dad?"
"No. He's my friend who got me out of foster care. I couldn't do shit in that place, but now look at me. My house ain't much, I'm not one to show out. I use my money wisely. I made a living for myself."
"By killing people and selling drugs?" I laid next to him.
"I don't kill people. Thats not what I want to do, but sometimes I can't control my anger." He sighed. "Those times I put my hands on you, I'm sorry. I swear, I wish I had self-control."
"Its not like I do it on purpose, Jahseh. You just take things the wrong way sometimes."
"If that's how you see it, I respect it. As long as you forgive me. You do forgive me, right?"
I nodded. "Don't ever do it again."
"C'mere." He patted the spot next. "And give me the cheetos."
