He’s a Thug, but He’s My Thug

Chapter 2: Learning To Deal With Reality

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP.

My alarm was going off. It was now 6:30 in the morning and I had only got a few hours of sleep, 3 at the most. I was up all night thinking how someone could say they love me so much one day then the next day they have a completley different mind set about our so called "relationship". My head ached like I had a hangover even though I wasn't drinking the night before. Even though I wish I had very badly. Nothing could have comforted me more then a drink and some good ass weed.

"I don't wanna go to school" I thought to myself. Just the thought of nosey people who didn't care for real about me or Da'Vontae crowding me with questions on why we broke up just made me sick to my stomach. Unfortunately I had no choice. I had ISS today for being late to my 4th hour every day for the past week and if I didn't go it would lead to out of school suspension and I didn't have time for Momma's mouth. I forced myself out the bed and tried to continue my daily morning routine.I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and put my hair in a messy top bun with side bangs. I put on my favorite blue and green holister T-Shirt with the matching hoodie, a pair of acid wash skinny jeans, and my Sperry's. I didn't put any make-up on because I knew I was going to end up crying while I waited to walk to the bus stop.

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP.

My alarm letting me know it was time for me to start leaving rang. I pressed the dismiss button and grabbed my stuff. I turned off my radio and lights and grabbed my iPhone. I had went to my music and put it on this version of "Somebody That I Used To Know" by some Asian chick as I grabbed a bootleg Pop-Tart and walked out the door.

The walk to the bus stop seemed so much longer than usual. It was only down the street and around the corner but it seemed like I was walking all the way from L.A. California back to my hometown, St. Louis, Missouri. When I finally reached the bus stop I saw one of the home boys Jay that we called Stretch cause he was so tall walking towards me. He stood at about 6'9", he kinda looked like he could be Usher's little brother except he was a little lighter, had green eyes and a nice little curly aphro that I loved to play in whenever we sat next to each other on the bus. We wasn't that close but he was always very easy to talk to when he wasn't being his usual annoying and arrogant self. The thing I loved most about him was he could always make me laugh even when I didn't want to. Today I was hoping he would be able to work his magic and make me laugh on our way into the cafeteria of Lane Wood High School.

"Wassup Shrimp" he said as he hugged me. I hated him calling me that. I mean I know I was only 5'4" and a half but I wasn't a midget or anything. I gave him a fake half smile and said "Hi Stretch". He pulled away from the hug and smiled but it faded away quickly. He looked me up and down and said "Shrimp, even on your worst days you still a lil' cutie, but something don't seem right about you."

I sucked my teeth and rolled my eyes at him. I know he know me and 'Vontae broke up so I don't know why he was acting so innocent about it. I folded my arms across my chest and said "C'mon Stretch. Don't act stupid I know you heard about me and Da'Vontae's break up yesterday"

"Yeah I did," he started "I just thought it was people lyin' on y'all again. You wanna talk about it?"

I shook my head no. "To be honest I just wanna go back to bed. I didn't get much sleep last night. Can I go to sleep on your shoulder when we get on this bus Stretch and I'll just text you what happened after school?" He nodded and said "Anything for my little Home Skillet Shrimp Biscuit" I let out a small giggle and pushed my bangs out of my face. "Ayeeeee there's that one billion dollar smile I love so much even though it's lookin like a $5 bill right now." I pushed his arm even though he bairley moved an inch and said "Shut the hell up Stretch, you always talking s**t" he laughed with me and said "That's what I do, but he gone beat my ass though? Oh, Okay!" I laughed and rolled my eyes at him. Not too long after the laughter died out the school bus pulled up and we got on. Stretch took the window seat and I sat right next to him and layed my head on his shoulder and fell asleep.

~*~

I was now in ISS regreating ever comming to school. The second I walked in people bombardeded me with questions and sympathy faker then Donatella Versace's so called "face". Good thing me and Da'Vontae didn't go to the same schools. I wouldn't be able to take seeing somebody who broke my heart everyday regardless if I was always in and out of ISS. I mean besides the essays and the no falling asleep rule ISS wasn't that bad. We sometimes had Mrs. Parker as our supervisor like we did today and she was so old she could bairley see or hear. She was like a Black and Hispanic Hellen Keller. So we ended up doing what we want. I ended up falling asleep anyways until one of my best friends Molly, who was in ISS for the same reason as me woke me up. "Wake up Scrub, its time to eat and I know your fat ass loves to eat" It felt like I was in ISS for about 3 days but it had just turned 11:45 which meant it was time for the students in ISS to go to lunch.

Molly was just like me except she was Black, Puerto Rican, and Asian. She was a llittle shorter then me and had long, curly, sandy brown hair that reached down to her back that she loved to brag about. Her swagg was dope which made her one of the most popular girls in school. She was somewhat thick but she wasn't fat and she had very beautiful Hazel-Green eyes. It seemed like everybody had nice eyes in my clique but me.

"Damn Molly, how long was I Sleep?"

"Since you found out Mrs. Parker was supervising now c'mon b***h I'm starving!!" she yelled at me.

We walked to lunch and she asked what happened to me and Da'Vontae. I told her the long story as we walked through the line, got our food, and found a place to sit. I told her about the so called text that he supposedly got and how he claimed I cheated on him. It hurt thinking about the tragic event that happend last night and all I wanted to do was cry but I kept my compsure and finnished eating my nasty chicken sandwich.

"Damn, so he thugged you like that Annah?" Molly said. I nodded my head and went back to the nasty lunch food. "Damn, its okay though" She added. "We're gonna get that ungrateful son of a b***h!" Oh Lord, her Brooklyn/Puerto Rican accent was starting to kick in and for her that meant she was ready to get her gun that her Uncle Chulo bought her for her 17th birthday and get to bustin. "No, Molly!" I said. "Save them shells for somebody else, he aint worth it! Plus I'm not giving you no bail money if you go to jail. I'm still trying to save up for that apartment in Hollywood, remember?"

"Oh yeah..." she said calming herself down "Oh well, Karma will get that bastard and I ain't talkin about Ol' girl Karma Young" I shook my head at her and started drinking my chocolate milk.

"So how much you got saved up now?" she asked.

"$150." I replied. "I need $3,748 more to get the apartment."

She sucked her teeth and rolled her neck "I don't see why you still saving up for that appartment. Aint that the one that you and Da'Vontae was going to move into?"

"Can we please talk about something other than Da'Vontae, Molly?!" I damn near yelled back.

She sat back in her chair and gave a short smirk and giggle. "Sure, whatever you want shawty."

~*~

After lunch we went back to the ISS room. Instead of falling back asleep I finnished the essay I was supposed to do and started checking my phone. Every text was about Da'Vontae so I just deleted them. I knew I would never be able to delete my history with him but I could delete what was left of him. I sat in my chair next to Molly and talked to her about the other stuff that was going on in Lane Wood like how this girl named Kelly we knew got caught in the boys bathroom with the quarter back Chris Johnson and running back George O'Neal during 5th hour and how Lemont James just came out the closet. Every now and again we would find ourselves talking about Da'Vontae but we found ways to get out that conversation. It was hard accepting the fact that me and my first real love, 'Vontae were actually over but I just had to learn how to deal with it.