Summer Before Fame

"We were just kids."

( Yara ✨ POV.)
Year: 2010
(Yara would be 10 years old)

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"You ready to see grandma Mae?" Yara's mom, Yasmine asked her.

Yara was in the car coming from the airport driving to her grandma Annamae's house. She came to Louisiana every summer to spend time with her grandma. She had her tablet in her hand watching "Proud Family" while clutching her Dora backpack.

"Yes, but grandma's house smells like mothballs and nasty perfume." Yara responded

Yasmine laughed at her daughter. "Girl, you'll be fine. Just be sure to get some fresh air. And be on your best behavior, I don't want to have to fly back down here earlier than expected." Yasmine eyed Yara sternly through the rear view mirror.

"Yes ma'am." Yara sighed.

Pulling up in the neighborhood, Yara looked out the window to all the familiar houses she's seen plenty of times before from previous summers. She then saw the big green sign that read "Chippewa 38th St." Passing houses she saw Ms. Alice's yard which had a bike and water guns lying in the grass. Yara thought that was weird, because she never knew Ms. Alice to have kids over her house before. Her thoughts were interrupted from the sound of her mother's seat belt unclenching. Her mother's face soon turned around to face her.

"Now you know the rules. Help grandma with whatever she asks of you. Do not go anywhere by yourself. And to call me everyday." Yasmine told her daughter

Yara just nodded with an "mhmm."

"I'm not playing Yara. I want you on your best behavior, but also to have fun."

"I know, I know and I will." Yara responded with a smile.

"Okay, now help me get your bags out the trunk." said Yasmine.

Yara grabbed her tablet, stuffing it in her backpack and unbuckled her seat getting out the car. She grabbed her bags she had in the trunk and made her way up her grandmother's porch along side her mom. Her mom knocked awaiting for a response.

"WHO IS THAT AT MY DOE BANGING LIKE THE FEDS?" Annamae, Yara's grandmother yelled behind the door.

Yara laughed shaking her head at her grandma. Even though she was loud, she was still the sweetest woman you could meet.

"Ma, it's me. Yasmine. Your daughter." Yasmine rolled her eyes at her crazy mother.

Soon the door unlocked revealing Ms. Annamae. She had nice caramel skin that looked really good for her age. Her hair was dark brown and curly with a few gray hairs but couldn't be seen under the bonnet she was wearing. Yasmine's faces resembled her mother's, just more youthful.

"MY GRANDBABY. YA YA BEBEH I MISSED YOU. GIVE MEH A HUG. AIN'T SEEN YUH SINCE DA SUMMER BEFOE LAST." Annamae said while hugging Yara tightly.

"H-Hi Grandma. I m-missed you too." Yara slightly smiled being suffocated by the hug.

"Well damn ma, I'm here too. Can't get a hi?" Yasmine chuckled.

"Hi my baby. My baby Yasmine. My youngest of three. My ray of sunshine. The butter to my crab legs. The backwood to my ganja." Miss Annamae laughed engulfing Yasmine in a hug.

Yasmine laughed at her mother's remark. "Ma, I'm not finna play witchu. But speaking of crab legs, what's fa dinner tonight?"

"Shit, I was thinking some crawfish but I need a few ingredients. Ima need ya to run to the store fa me."

"Cool. Just write me a list of what you need." Yasmine responded as Annamae went back into the kitchen.

Yara pulled her mom's arm down to her height. "What am I supposed to do while you're gone? I can smell the mothballs already." Yara whispered to her mother

"Girl, if you don't go outside and do something. A lil exercise never hurt nobody." Yasmine laughed as she then saw her mother returning with the list. She grabbed her car keys leaving out the door.

"GRANDMA, I'M GOING OUTSIDE FOR A LIL WHILE." Yara yelled

"OKAY BABY. TELL ME IF YUH NEED ME. YOU ALREADY KNOW MY GUN GOT BULLETS!" Miss Annamae yelled from the kitchen.

Yara laughed while going to the hall closet grabbing her pink Barbie scooter. She left out the door and started riding down the side walk. She took in her scenery as her dark brown curly hair flowed in the wind. Yara was dark skinned . She loved her complexion it reminded her of milk chocolate. And when that sun touched her skin she looked like pure ebony gold. It was always hot in Louisiana as the blazing sun beamed down in her eyes. She squinted her eyes stopping her scooter from the sunlight. She then felt rapid water on the side of her face getting her face and pink Nickelodeon shirt soaked.

Looking to her left she saw a brown skinned boy smiling evilly at her with a water gun in his hand. 'I know his twig chicken legged self did not just spray me with water' Yara thought to her self. Yara hopped off her scooter grabbing the water gun out his hand spraying the water directly in his face soaking his white wife beater shirt. His face held a stern mug as he then pushed her down on the side walk. Yara scraped her knee from the impact of the fall. She hissed in pain as red spotted her gray leggings.

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! DUMB ASS BOY!" Yara yelled. Yara didn't even know what the phrase "dumb ass" meant. She just heard her mother refer to her father as that in a heated argument before.

"KENTRELL, WHAT ARE YOU DOING OUT THEA BOA? WHY AM I HEARING YELLING OUT THEA?" Miss Alice yelled coming out her house standing beside the chicken bone legged boy.

"Did you do this" Miss Alice asked facing the boy.

*pop* she hit him upside his head and he winced in pain.

"Babeh come on in hea so I can get that cleaned up for ya. I'm sorry about him." She mugged him while helping Yara off of the sidewalk.

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Author's Note... How is the book so far? Should I continue?

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