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[marveliye-blog]

This is a study of one of the main characters from my story 3 Dollars, 6 Dimes. Right now the characters are still teenagers but this is a study of Sasha Campbell at age 21. She is a strong-willed African-American woman. The story is still developing so I’m not going to write too much on the character.

Enjoy! Feedback is always welcomed. Check out the story on here or at marveliye.wordpress.com

[marveliye-blog]

This is a study of one of the main characters from my story 3 Dollars, 6 Dimes. Right now the characters are still teenagers but this is a study of Leon Bradfort at age 21. Leon is an Afro-Latino character of Puerto Rican and African-American decent. The story is still developing so I’m not going to write too much on the character.

Enjoy! Feedback is always welcomed. Check out the story on here or at Marveliye.wordpress.com 

[marveliye-blog]

This is a study of one of the main characters from my story 3 Dollars, 6 Dimes. Right now the characters are still teenagers but this is a study of Leon Bradfort at age 21. Leon is an Afro-Latino character of Puerto Rican and African-American decent. The story is still developing so I’m not going to write too much on the character.

Enjoy! Feedback is always welcomed. Check out the story on here or at Marveliye.wordpress.com 

[marveliye-blog]

Three Dollars, Six Dimes {Part 4}

[Leon]

“Get low, get low Zola.” Justin informs her to dunk down as we pass the police car around the corner. Six people in Justin’s used, black Sedan was a tight fit, but we made it work. I sat up front in the passenger’s seat, Marrisa in the backseat behind me, Rashad was in the middle, Sasha on the other side, and Zola sat on Marrisa’s lap. We pass the police car, and Zola gets up with a giggle. We return to our conversation about the recent school events, everyone laughs and talks as we ride with the windows down…well, everyone but Sasha. She sat in that back seat the whole time with her mouth twisted in a big scowl, her brows scrunched, and her body language read nothing but attitude. She was mad at the world, at me, with her friends and brother, and probably Justin even though he didn’t do anything but a ride and cordial hello.

I noticed from the interactions with her friends and brother that they ignored her when she acted like this. I’m grateful because she would have seriously killed the vibe otherwise. Sasha Campbell had to be the most uptight teenager that I’ve ever met. Before going to Marri’s house, we stop at the convenience store around the corner to get snacks…everyone got out of the car but Sasha. I quickly pick up a couple of packs of fruity lifesavers and head back to the car. It’s too hot so stand outside, so I savor the car’s AC and take my chances at being alone with Sasha.

I glance back at her as I get in and she doesn’t move or make a sound. It was the first time that I’d ever been this close to her. Though Marrisa and I had been friends for years my contact with her up until this point had been limited. Her presence wasn’t big like Zola’s or made you feel welcomed like Marrisa’s; it was just stifling.

“Want one?” I ask not because I am playing nice, but it’s because it was how I was brought up. She looks up at me with those deep dark eyes and her scowl returns.

She then says “Does it look like I want anything from you?”

I start to cuss her out and say some shit that would hurt her feelings and to think that I almost felt sorry for her this morning.

“What?” she asks when she notices I’m still turned around glaring at her. I didn’t know what I wanted; I was just pissed off at her unnecessary attitude.

“I was trying to be friendly.” I muster, a lump formed in my throat with all the negative words that I wanted to say.

“Don’t bother. You and Marrisa have been friends for years, and we have managed to say only about two words to each other. We’re sixteen now, so there’s no need to start.”

“You’re such a fucking bitch.” I say harshly before I can even stop it.

She takes off her glasses and stares at me hard with large dark, brown eyes. “I’ve heard that shit all my life, so I’m going to need to hear something new to be offended.” she says it cool and calmly. I’m convinced that there is a demon trapped in there somewhere.

I glance at the driver’s side window and see the rest of them coming so I turn around. “Damn weirdo.” I mumble to myself.

“Thank you.” She chirps out gleefully as the crew climbs back in.

[Sasha]

From the Casiano’s house, the walk to our apartment was only a few minutes away, but instead of walking home like we agreed on, Rashad wanted to hang out a little longer. Instead of being the little brother shunned by his older sister’s friends, he fit right in while I was the one left out. I sat at the dining room table doing my homework with Marrisa’s ten-year-old sister, Marisol, while the others sat in the living room watching Martin and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reruns. When Marrisa was halfway done with Leon’s hair, she took a little break to check on me.

“Move big head, let me talk to Sash.” Marrisa shoos her sister and Marisol looks at her in disgust.

“Why I gotta move?” she whines. “It’s bad enough that Mommy won’t let me sit with ya’ll.” She folds her arms defiantly and locks eyes with Marrisa to challenge her.

“Marisol don’t be a brat and move.” Marri demands. I pop my gum and watch the scene unfold. Siblings were the reason that we always hung out at Zola’s house. She’s an only child, and her mom is super young and lets us do whatever. Mrs. Casiano always had a bunch of rules, and her three younger siblings tend to be obnoxious. My house was ok unless Regina was there, which was quite often, she always felt the need to play boss around my friends. “Fine, you won’t move, I’ll just sit on you.”

“There are two other chairs you can sit at.” Marisol argues while Marri bounces on her lap.

“I want to talk to Sasha alone.” Marrisa insist on covering Marisol’s ears so she can’t hear our conversation. Both girls struggle with one another until Marisol gains the upper hand.

“Get your ass off of me before I tell Leon that you like him.” Marisol says with a smirk just low enough for me and Marri to hear her. Though Marrisa’s back is to me, I’m sure her brown eyes get big.

“Mama, Marisol’s in here cussing!” Marrisa shoots up off her sister and shouts. Before Marisol has time to defend herself, her mom calls for from her bedroom in a menacing tone.

“Imma get you back.” Marisol pops her sister in the arm before running off to see what her mother wants.

Marrisa looks back at me with an amused look before pulling her chair up closer to me. “Come on and sit with us. You’re sitting in her all alone being antisocial.” She pats my forearm which causes me to mess up the “S” I was writing.

“I’m good.” I stop my writing altogether to look at her. “Plus, I wasn’t alone. I was just fine sitting here doing my homework while Marisol eavesdropped.”

“Ugh, she’s so bad. I can’t believe she’s only ten.” My friend frowns in the direction of the hallway Marisol ran down. Since Marisol didn’t come back to the front, I figured that her mom made her stay back there with her and their five-year-old and two-year-old little brothers. “Come on, now stop acting like that and join us.” Marrisa insists once again.

“Acting like what?” I’m confused because for the most I’ve been on my best behavior.

“I know you don’t care for Le and Justin but you can at least be a part of the crowd.”

“I’m doing what I want to do which is my homework. I’m not about to be up half the night doing algebra work because I was sitting around, playing friends with two bubble-brained boys.” I stand my ground because I was not bothering anyone.

“You’ve been on one since Leon asked me to do his hair. Can’t nobody stand when you act like that, me and Zola included.” Her voice gets higher, and her Latina accent is more noticeable, which is a sign that she’s getting angry. For a second I believe that I’m unreasonable until I look over my shoulder at the four in the living room. They are rapping and dancing obnoxiously to the clean version of Rack City.

“I can act however I want. I’m not trying to impress them on your behalf. He’s either going to like you for you, regardless of who your friends are, or it just won’t happen. And if he hasn’t noticed you by now then he probably won’t Marrisa.” I snap because I know that this is what this conversation is about. She was starting to hang out with Leon more outside of school and wanted me to be nicer so he would want to come around more.

“God, you can be so bitchy, and you wonder why no one at school likes you.” She rolls her eyes. “You’re so damn rude to people, it’s annoying.” This conversation was taking a turn, and it was evident that Marrisa was expressing how she really felt.

“If I’m so annoying then why do you hang around me?” I pull my eyes from hers and try to focus on my math homework.

“Honestly Sasha, if me, Zola, and your brother didn’t tolerate your attitude who would you hang around?” Those words hurt but I wouldn’t let her see me cry about it. I’d be lying if I said that I hadn’t thought about my friends drifting apart from me, and Rashad warding me off in fear of becoming a social pariah like myself. “He’s been a good friend to me. He was there for me when my dad went to prison, and he helps out when my mom gets sick. The only reason we don’t hang out as much is because you’re always around.”

“Fine,” I slam my book closed with a loud thud. I feel eyes on my back, and the way Marrisa glares over my shoulder confirms it. “Well, I’ll stop coming around.”

“I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just saying be nicer, and people will like you more. Stop acting like you’re so much better than everyone else.” She tries to say in better tone, but the damage has already been done. I throw my books and notebooks in my backpack until my area at the table is clear. She could sit there and stand up for her stupid crush all she wanted. I didn’t have to sit there and listen to it.

“Shad, I’m leaving, and I’m not walking home by myself and neither are you.” I announce to Rashad as I storm to through the living room in a fury. They all look at me like I’m crazy, but I don’t care; I was done being “nice” for the day.

“Sasha.” My brother says my name in a tone that lets me know that I’m embarrassing him.

“I’ll wait outside.” I say firmly then burst through the Casiano’s storm door.

[Leon]

My cell phone rings at my aunt’s personalized ringtone. I go out to the front porch so I can hear her over the blaring music videos.

“Hey Tía Tia.”

“Are you home?” He huffs.

“What was that? Did you say, hey Nephew? How was your day in school, Nephew? Well, Auntie, I had an awesome day and—” I continue this sarcastic jab until she cuts me off.

“Boy, don’t play. Are you home?” She says in a stern tone of voice. Most of the time we had this great brother-and-sister type dynamic then there were moments like this when she would get this surge of maternal energy and switch up on me.

“I’m at Marrisa’s house. She’s braiding my hair.” I turn my back to the surly Sasha who’s still outside waiting on her brother.

“Leon, I’ve told you again and again about hanging out when I’m working these late shifts, especially in that part of town.”

“Tia half of my head is done. I’ll go home when she finishes. It shouldn’t take her long.”

“You don’t tell me what you’re going to do.” She snaps, and I look up into purplish gray sky wishing this conversation would end. “Your grandparents are on their way to the house. They are spending the weekend because I’m working the late shifts all weekend.”

“How was I supposed to know that when you didn’t tell me.”

“Leon Christopher Bradfort.” My name floats from her lips like a song. Tiana Camille Bradfort had been getting on my case lately about minor shit, and I wasn’t here for it.

“I don’t need them to babysit me anymore. I’m sixteen.”

“Like I’m going to give you full reign at sixteen.”

“I’m responsible,” I argue, and I hear Sasha scoffs behind me.

“It’s not about that. It’s about you doing what I tell you to do because I’m responsible for you. Your grandparents, my mom and dad, should be there within the hour and I expect you to be home.”

“Marrisa should be done by then.” I challenge.

“Look my break is almost up. You just better be home when they get there.” With that, her phone clicks off. For a few minutes, I ponder if hearing an earful from Tia and being “grounded” would be worth it. She would be too tired to fuss when she came home, and once she got around to it, she wouldn’t be mad anymore. Her groundings also never stuck, so I head back inside as Rashad was coming out. I sit back down in front of Marrisa and let her finish my braids.

© Marveliye

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Ghanaian

Joshua kissi

Tumblr/ig streetetiquette

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Whoopi Goldberg is the first and only African-American winner of an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony)

Black History Album Find Us On Tumblr | Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter]

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Portraits of Me 2015! ~K.D.(Anansi) 

Happy Black out Friday Everyone! When we work as a cohesive group WE CREATE so much LOVE! ~K.D (Anansi) 

[marveliye-blog]

“Black science fiction trailblazer Samuel Delaney, 63, remembers teaching Butler as a 23-year-old student at the Clarion Science Fiction Workshop. She was, he says, incredibly shy, a student who spoke only when she had something to say, but someone who obviously had great talent.

It was years later, however, after she had published "Kindred,” that he saw what she had become. “It was wonderful to see how she had bloomed and gained so much self-confidence and become a really extraordinary public speaker,” Delaney says. She also was a pathblazer in a genre where once you could count the black writers on one hand.“

[marveliye-blog]

I just want someone to be spiritual, conscious, & petty with. Is that to much to ask?

😂😂😂

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Most of the time I’m super hard on myself about EVERYTHING so sometimes I have to sit back and look at everything that I’ve accomplished and have created and I’m reminded of just how awesome God made me.

I just have to stay motivated and keep going!

[marveliye-blog]

Discovering Black...

Before I discovered Black I thought I was a princess. I remember the beats of Brooklyn and the smiling faces looking at me. I remember my parents in dashikis and mellow tones of smooth jazz and the steel bass of reggae. The apartment where we stayed felt like such a wonderful kingdom and I ruled everyone in it or so I thought.

Before I discovered Black I thought I was rich. I remember the move to New Orleans with tears in my young eyes as I left the only place that I knew was home. I had a glimmer of hope as we crossed that sparkling water to enter the Cresent city. I stepped out of the car and the sun welcomed me to my new kingdom. If I had any doubts before, I knew I was rich when I stepped into the foyer of our new house and saw the rainbows coming from the glass chandelier, that I thought was made of crystal, gold, and rubies.

When I discovered Black, I discovered fear and how cruel this world can be. How they killed us and striped us of our royalty, broke up our families, and confined us to a system that would be next to impossible to get out of. They taught me to hate my features and hair and that my culture was inappropriate until it was appropriated. I quickly learned that they would kill us without thinking twice about it and then tell us that is was our own fault.

But when I embraced Black, I loved it with all of its burdens and troubles…even when I felt the weight of my ancestors on my shoulders. I took it as my cross and remembered my royalty and kept pushing forward. I took back my childhood thoughts of royalty and told myself that I was a queen. Black was who I was and I appreciated and accepted the many truths that came along with it because Black is strong, unbreakable, beautiful, magical, and spiritual. I am Black!

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Three Dollars, Six Dimes {Part 3}

[Sasha]

I stood right outside of the school doors, waiting patiently for my friends and brother to meet me so that we could walk to our neighborhood that was roughly five blocks away. I looked to the left, and there was that pretty boy, Leon. I rolled my eyes and hoped, no prayed to God, that he would be gone by the time Marrisa got here. She would just have to talk to him, and she would probably invite him to walk with us but wasn’t down for it. I hated Leon! I know hate is harsh, but he is the main reason that people torment me to this very day. In middle school I was invisible, a nobody really and I was all right with it, but a few months before my mom died he seemed to notice that I was alive and picked on me like crazy. Over the years his torment may have lessened but his boys give me absolute hell and my dumb friend has the nerve to have a crush on him. I glared at him as he talked to a variety of different people, laughing and smiling.

“I’m here, darling.” Zo sings as she approaches me with her wild, blown-out afro blows in the wind. “Whatcha looking at?” she turns her head in the direction of my gaze. “Oh, gorgeous isn’t he?” she sighs.

“Who Leon?” I whisper, so his flunkies don’t hear me.

“Don’t front like he ain’t a cutie.” she chuckles and hits my arm.

“Zo your with DeMarco and you know Marrisa ‘loves’ him.” I roll my eyes at her love that was just teenage hormones in my opinion.

“Who said anything about wanting Leon? I am an admirer of men, Sash.” Zola places her long fingers over her heart and smiles warmly, the way she does when she talks about boys. “He just happens to be one that is worth admiring. Plus, he’s not my type.” She shrugs before taking a seat on the large concrete banister next to us.

“I though every man was your type?” I smirk as I sit next to her.

“That was so freshman year me. I was just sexed crazed. Now I have a type. I like dark, sexy guys, you know, the Morris Chestnut type. I’ll take my DeMarco any day.” She looks up towards the bright yellow afternoon sun as if she is fantasizing about DeMarco. I admired Zola’s bold confidence at only sixteen and looked to her as more of a big sister than my own. Zola was tall, skinny but shapely with cool dark brown skin. In middle school boys always tried to rag on her due to her height, stature, skin tone, and wild, tightly coiled hair but she never let them bother her. She rocked everything about her with a fierce confidence which caused guys to lust after her and girls want to be her. Though a complete theater geek, the most popular girls in our school wished they could have just a speck of her self-assurance.

As I ponder on teenage insecurities and faux confidence, I’m pulled back into reality by Leon Bradfort’s booming laugh. “Leon is not all that cute and he’s an asshole.” I express to Zo. People like Zo wore high self-esteem well and humbly, then there were the Leons of the world. His arrogant confidence needed to be knocked down a few notches.

“I can see asshole, most dudes here are.” She nudges me. “But take them reading glasses off and look at the boy. If I were into caramel, I would want a lick.” she laughs at her own crude humor while I scoff at it.

“We have different taste, ok?” I end the conversation with somewhat of lie. When I did find myself attracted to someone, which was rare, I looked more to qualities over looks but Leon was pretty cute and had the potential to be a handsome man if puberty continued to treat him right.

I remember when I first realized that he was no longer an awkward, goofy looking middle schooler but the cute ‘it’ boy. It was at the beginning of the school year, we’d all made it through freshman year and were huddled by the bulletin boards to find out where our homerooms were. I was standing in the back because crowds simply weren’t my thing. I guess Leon was late getting in and I noticed him floating at the back doors. His skin was tan from summer vacation, he’d shot up over the last two months, his build was no longer lanky instead a bit muscular, his sandy brown hair was in a large wild afro, and his almond-shaped, hazel eyes seemed brighter than ever. Some other girls saw him and swooned, and I almost joined in—almost—until I came to my senses. I’ve hated myself for that moment ever since.

“I guess you’re right.” Zo says flatly and quickly loses interest in our conversation when her phone dings which probably signifies a DeMarco text. When it came to boys and sex that was Marrisa and Zo’s department. I was the inexperienced one in the group, and it made me uncomfortable to talk too much about it.

To my dismay, I noticed Marrisa walking towards the door and Leon was still in plain sight. Luckily, she saw us first and started in our direction until…

“Marri!” Leon called and began to meet her half way. I let out a loud, heavy sigh so that they would hurry up. He gave me an ugly look but otherwise ignored me.

“What’s up Lele?” Marrisa said all cutesy as she played with her ponytail that was a mess from track and field practice. She smiles widely and blushes at him, but he’s so dumb that he probably thinks the redness in her cheeks is from the unusually warm autumn sun.

“Tia has to work overtime at the hospital and can’t braid my hair tonight. Do you think you can do it, I’ll pay?” He asked her with the most miserable expression possible. Marrisa pulls her long curly hair from being confined as she talks to him and applies a fresh coat of blush pink lip gloss to her heart shaped lips. Though her crush on him appeared out of thin air, I had to admit they’d make an attractive pair and when she did have a boyfriend, she was always a pretty awesome girlfriend.

“Now you know that I will do it for free.” Nope, I take that back. She was one of those stupid girls that loses herself in a guy. I take my glasses off and pinched the bridge of my nose. How stupid could my friend be? She needed extra money but because she was all goo-goo for a guy she forgets all of it.

“Um, excuse me,” I step in. “Don’t you have to help your mom pay for your formal dress?”

“Chill out ma,” Leon interjects. “I always pay her, aight?”

“First off, I’m no one’s ‘ma’. My name is Sasha and I’d prefer you use it. Secondly, I don’t really know you so I am looking out for my friend who frankly, I think is way too sweet for her own good.”

“It is Sasha, isn’t it?” he says sarcastically while tapping his fingers on his bare chin. “I almost forgot…only donkey and ass was coming to mind.”

“Okay, time out.” Zo steps in. Marrisa mumbles something smart in Spanish and Leon laughs. I couldn’t stand when she got around him and started full blown conversations that we couldn’t understand. “Didn’t we all get enough of this in homeroom? Can’t we all just get along?” I back down and sit back on the concrete. My brother calls me, so I actively try to ignore them.

“Just keep your mean ass friend away from me and we’ll be cool.” Leon roars towards me, and I put a finger in my free ear. They work out the negotiation that she will do his hair tonight and that Justin will give us all a ride to Marrisa’s. Rashad burst through the doors, excited to be free from algebra and sits next to me as my friends continue to lollygag.

“What’s going on?” Rashad watches Zola’s ass jiggle as she play-fights with DeMarco.

“Stop it.” I fuss and push my fourteen-year-old brother. “That’s our sister.”

“That’s your sister.” He looks on despite my sermon. “I only have to two big-headed sisters that like to boss me around. Zo and Marri have potential future ex-baby mama written all over them.” He laughs as he bites his fingernails.

“Ew, why are boys so nasty? Is that all you think about even with girls you’ve known your whole life?”

“Yup.” He says delightedly and grins at me. In my eyes, he was still my little baby brother and now he was thinking about sex. My heart couldn’t take it but as long as he didn’t turn out like the rest of these misogynistic little bastards at this school, then our family will have done a good job.

“We’re supposed to get a ride over to Marrisa’s house with Justin and Leon but I want to walk.” His eyes light up as soon as I say it but I push to walk anyway. “Let’s walk.” I rephrase.

“Yo, no way.” He smiles widely. “You know I’m trying out to be on the varsity team next year and word is after Jay Washington graduates this year Bradfort is supposed to be up for captain. I need to get in good now.” He pushed my knee.

“You have to be good to get on the team.” I tease. He pouts, I pout right back at him. His face reminds me of all the best parts of Mama and Daddy. Mama’s high cheeks and cocoa brown skin and Daddy’s strong jaw and defined nose. I thought that he was the perfect blend of the both of him while Regina favored Ma and I favored Dad. My affection for him allows him to win. I suck it up and decide to endure the car ride.

© Marveliye

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Three Dollars, Six Dimes {Part 2}

[Leon]

I was sitting in homeroom and doodling in my science notebook when I heard my friends start to make noises as the last group of girls came in. I glanced up to find that it was ‘The three’ as we liked to call them; they consisted of the cute, tomboy Marrisa Casiano, skinny, eccentric Zola Howard, and then there was “The Ass” aka Sasha Campbell, my boys called her that due to her fat ass and stank attitude. Nobody knew why Marrisa and Zola insisted on being Sasha’s friend; they even admitted that she could be difficult to be around at times but they stuck with their girl. They were all a little weird but for the most part Marrisa and Zola were well liked by our class, they were both in a lot of extracurricular activities, and they were cute.

Marrisa led them down the aisle to a group of seats that were close to us. Sasha wore a big fat frown so I knew she was not happy about sitting so close to people she obviously didn’t like. Marrisa sat in the seat next to me, Zola sat behind me, next to my homeboy DeMarco, who had been talking to her for a couple of months now, and Sasha sat in the empty desk in front of me with her back to the rest of us.

I wasn’t close to Zola or Sasha, even though we had all been in the same class since sixth grade, but Marri was my other best friend. She was a cool chick that was always willing to give me advice from the female perspective. Besides family, she and Justin were the only people that I let in to really know me and that said a lot. Zola was cool and could hold a conversation with anyone; she floated from crowd to crowd though her girls were her main group, and Sasha, well she had always been a little socially awkward but it had gotten worse after her mom died. Now she had this evil streak and a lot of people in our class highly disliked her.

A big paper ball went flying from Joshua’s hand to the back of Sasha’s head while everyone was trying to catch up on each other’s weekends. She smooths the back of her stiff permed hairdo before turning to give Josh a glare.

“Opps, it just slipped.” He says sarcastically and my friends laugh. I didn’t care for the girl but there was no need to be cruel to her.

“Don’t mess with me today.” Sasha snapped and pushed him before anyone had time to react.

“I know your old limp haired, ugly ass, didn’t just put your hands on me.” Josh snapped.

“Hold the hell up,” Zo stands up as well and I Marrisa going is going off as well. That was one thing you didn’t do. You don’t mess with Sasha while her girls are around. “Don’t be talking to my girl like she is some kind of nobody.”

“Shit, if the shoe fits.” Josh replied.

“Oh, get your boy DeMarco—” Zo started towards him but Marco grabbed her by the waist to stop her.

“Come on ya’ll can’t we all just get along?” Marco plays nice for the sake of his girl, when he was once one of Sasha’s worse tormentors.

“Ya’ll are some dumb asses.” Justin pointed at Josh and Marco. I laughed at all the drama that had conspired all before the late bell even rang.

“It’s not funny,” Marrisa startes on me. “You are just going to let your boys mistreat my friend like that?”

“Look, I’m not in this and who’s to say that Josh’s paper didn’t accidentally hit her and she just flew off the handle? Don’t act like your girl isn’t out there.” Sasha bites her lip angrily and glares at me. I wasn’t trying to be mean but it was true.

“Whatever, I don’t have time for this shit. I don’t like being around idiotic ass little boys anyway. Marri, Zo sit with these imbeciles but just so you know, ten years from now they’ll look like shit and will still be dumb, loser, ex-jocks with nothing but a played-out jump shot or tackle to remind them of their glory days.” She stands and rambles on and on like she reciting a well-rehearsed speech. “When they’re paying child support to six different baby mamas they’ll wish that they were nice to Sasha R. Campbell, CEO.” Her tangent ends, confirming my previous comment of her being “out there”.

We all laughed at her little rant making the girls even madder. Sasha storms up the aisle to a seat that was closer to the front while her girls stayed put due to the full classroom.

“You just mad because no one wants your skeeball ass.” Josh egged on some more causing Zola to curse him out. At least they had each other’s backs, which was something I couldn’t say for some of these cliquey girls in this school.

“Leave it alone, man.” I nudged Josh and he finally sat back right as the bell rung. Sasha glanced back at the group one last time. I noticed how pretty her big round eyes were as she peaked over her frames, I also noticed that they were full of grief and anger. I felt bad, Josh didn’t have to say all of that to her. I was glad when our homeroom teacher finally entered and all the drama ceased.

#

I felt mentally drained as I walked out of the history block alongside Marri. I didn’t give care to learn anymore about Napoleon or any other fallen dynasties.

“So I probably won’t see you anymore today.” Marrisa told me as we stopped at her locker. I had first lunch while she was about to head to another class.

“Nope, I get to skim through for the rest of the day. I have study hall then track and field.” I smile, thankful that all my lame classes were in the morning.

“You’re still coming to my game tomorrow, right?” Marrisa leans against her locker as she fixes her long, wavy ponytail. She was a jeans and t-shirt girl but she always kept her jet-black hair sleek and wore just enough lip gloss to give the appearance that she wasn’t a straight up tomboy.

“That’s the plan if my Aunt isn’t acting crazy.” I scratched at my head. I had taken all of my braids down in hopes that she would do it tonight.

“I should have had study hall with you I could have braided that mess.” She stands on her toes to tussle my wild hair.

“Right, that was the best part about study hall last semester. You kept me looking fly.”

“Well, I try, I can’t have my Le going out there looking any kind of way.” She grinned before apply a fresh coat of pink lip gloss. The warning bell rang, which was our cue to go in separate directions. “Me abrazo hermano.” She commands her hug when I start to walk off.

“Sí hermanita.” I hug and kiss her cheek. “Good luck with the game. I want to see ya’ll in the playoffs this year.” I held up our school symbol and she did the same.

#

            I sat at lunch eating with friends when I saw Sasha walk in. She was always one of the last people to come into our lunch period. Unfortunately, she did not share the same lunch as either one of her friends. Her little brother, Rashad, was walking out as she was walking in so she couldn’t even sit with him. After getting her tray, she found a place to sit at an empty table. I popped some fries in my mouth and laughed at a joke someone made after tearing my gaze from her.

“So who are you taking to the dance Leon?” One of my boy’s exes asked while batting her eyes at me. I brushed off her gaze because I knew that was against the code.

“I don’t know yet.” I finally answered after a few gulps of my Sprite. All the girls were going crazy about this underclassmen formal because it was the biggest dance of sophomore year.

“Aight ‘you don’t know’, all the good girls are almost taken.” My boy Justin says to me.

“Right, you’re going to end up with that ugly ass brood.” Lester, a friend of ours, points at Sasha, who had taken off her glasses and was quietly eating her meal.

“Damn, why she got to be all that? What did she do to you?” Justin asked him.

“I can’t stand her ass. She thinks she so damn smart but I’m going to hit that one day just to show her who’s boss.” he said along with crude gestures.

I joined in on the laughter even though it made no sense to me. Yeah, the girl was high on her horse but there was no need in trying to knock her down if she wasn’t bothering anyone. Lester rolls his tongue between his index and middle finger as he motions at Sasha. When she noticed she rolled her eyes and gives him the finger before sticking her nose back into her book.

“Like I said man, if you don’t pick someone soon, you’ll have that on your arm.”

© Marveliye

[marveliye-blog]

Three Dollars, Six Dimes {Part 1}

Year: 2011 aka “Jejune Period”

[Sasha Campbell]

               Bleep! Bleep! Bleep! My alarm was signaling for me to get up but I wanted five more minutes in my cozy bed. My head was tucked under my covers as I listened to it blare then I felt a thud against my head.

“Turn that damn thing off!” Regina yelled and threw another pillow at my head. “Sasha, do you hear me?”

I sucked my teeth and threw the covers from my head before slamming down on my digital alarm clock that read 5:45.

“Rude ass.” My nineteen-year-old sister mumbled as I climbed out of the bed. I would be so glad when she moved out for good so I could have this room all to myself. I could count on my fingers the number of times I had my own room and they were all short lived because Regina was always moving in and out and my younger brother, Rashad, always got his own room. I grabbed my outfit that was already laid out and ironed and poked my head out my bedroom door; there was no sign of Rashad and I could hear my Daddy’s snoring through his closed bedroom door so I hustled to the bathroom.

I looked in the mirror after I was done getting dressed and stared at my limp, freshly permed hair and my round eyes that looked even bigger behind my glasses. I frowned at how much my hair had broken off since my mom died. There’s no need in making yourself all sad now. Before, I got too down I burst out of the bathroom and started beating on Rashad’s door.

“Get up, ‘Shad. It’s time for school.” I heard him grumble on the other side of the door. “Get up, I say, don’t make me come in there.” I walked off to put me some toast in the toaster and looked at the clock that read 6:20. I quickly slapped butter on my toast before heading back to my brother’s room, this time walking in.

“Rise and shine baby brother.” I said cheerily as I let the light of the sunrise flood into his room.

“Get the hell out.” He squirmed deeper under his covers.

“We’re going to be late for school.”

“I don’t care.” He tossed the covers off of him and he tried to mean mug but all I saw was the cute pouty face that he used to make when he was a baby.

“Well you’re going to school even if I have to drag your ass out.” He squinted his cinnamon colored eyes at me before turning over. “What would mama say? You know she would want you to finish school—”

“Fine, I’m getting up.” He cut me off before I could get too deep into my rant. I stood in his room until he got up and went to the bathroom. When I was satisfied I grabbed my bookbag out of my room and ate my toast while I waited for my brother to come out.

[Leon Bradfort]

I practically jumped out of my skin when the alarm on my cell phone began to go off. I was having a great dream that my team went to playoffs and I had the finest senior girl in school on my arm, Sydni Lawson. I fumbled with my new cell before figuring out how to cut it off and by that time I was wide awake. I looked in my dresser mirror and had a bad case of the frizzes because I had forgotten to tie my hair down last night. My Aunt Tiana was going to have to redo them tonight because I could not walk around looking like this all week.

I brushed my teeth and showered before putting on my outfit for today, loose fitting jeans, a designer t-shirt, and my brand new pair of Jordans that I just gotten yesterday. I sprayed on my cologne, brushed down my hair, and put my stud in my pierced ear then I stood in my full length mirror.

“I look good.” I said conceitedly. I was easily one of the most popular and good-looking brothas at my school or so I had been told by numerous females who admired my long curly hair and hazel eyes. After looking at myself for a long while, I adjusted the picture of my mother that was cornered in the frame of the mirror. “Te extraño mama.” I gave her the usual ‘I miss you’ in Spanish. After that I grabbed my bookbag and headed to the front room.

My aunt was in there stuffing her face with a breakfast burrito as she stood directly in front of the TV, watching the morning news. She didn’t have to turn around to feel my presence in the room.

“Boy, I done told you about that stinky ass cologne.” She snapped around as the big boobed weather girl was giving the forecast.

“I smell good, I don’t know what you’re talking about. My girls love it too.” I chuckle.

“Your little chicken chest tail don’t have any girls.” She rolled her warm brown eyes. I didn’t even try to argue with her. She still saw me as this little boy but contrary to her belief I did have girls lined up, waiting to get with me. “There’s a burrito in there for you too.”

“Um, I’ll take it with me.” I frowned when I turned to go into the kitchen. My aunt wasn’t much of a cook. As a matter of fact, I was a better cook at eight than she was at twenty which was when she took me in. I wrapped the food up in a paper towel, deciding to take it to Justin, my best friend and current ride. He loved my aunt’s cooking, though I just think it’s because he still has a thing for her. I heard the car honk signaling for me to come outside.

“Have a good day at work.” I kissed my aunt’s cheek as I adjusted my bag on my back. Judging by the faded blue scrubs, today was one of those days that she just wasn’t feeling it.

“You have a good day too nephew.”

When I was almost out of the door, I turned on my heels remembering what I had forgotten to ask her. “Hey would you be able to re-braid my hair tonight?” I gave her the puppy dog eyes that always got her.

“Dude, I work until seven tonight, don’t nobody have time to keep doing that thick mess on your head because you won’t take care of it…” She was still fussing but I zoned out.

“So does that mean yes or no?”

“Maybe.” She shook her head.

“Alright see you later.” I smiled because maybe meant a yes in her book.

© Marveliye