One
AiyannaThe crisp air of this winter Tuesday evening softly kissed my cheeks and ears. I pulled my scarf closer to me as I walked into Starbucks for a hot drink.
"Hi, welcome to Starbucks! What can I get for you today?"
I glanced at the platinum blonde's nametag before replying.
"Hey Alexandria. May I have a tall hot chocolate, please?"
"Sure. Did you have any special requests for your beverage?"
"Just make it delicious," I said with a small smile.
"Always!"
I paid for my drink and sat at a nearby table to wait for my order. While waiting, I took out my Droid to check for texts and voicemails.
"Hot chocolate?"
I looked up to see a red haired girl holding my drink. I walked over and she smiled while handing over my beverage. I thanked her and turned to exit the coffee shop.
"Hey, you work at that dance place around the corner, right?"
I turned and said "Yes, yes I do" to the tall, Latino man.
"I thought you looked familiar. My baby girl is a student of yours, I believe."
"Gabriella?"
"Yes, that's my baby girl!"
"Aw, she's such a sweetheart. I've missed her these past couple of weeks."
His face turned to stone. "We've been going through some family problems," he said sternly.
"Oh okay. Well I hope things improve for you and your family. Tell Gabby I said hello!"
"Sure thing."
I walked out of the building and into my black 2006 BMW. After 10 minutes, I was walking into my apartment.
"Kiara!" I said in a singsong voice while shutting and locking the door. "Where you at, girl?"
"In here." she said.
I walked into the living room and saw her laying on the couch watching Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami.
"Hey Yaya." Kiara said.
"Hey, you okay?" I asked while taking off my pink peacoat and yellow scarf.
"Yeah. I weaved so many heads today. Swear to God I thought the stoplights were tracks on the way home."
"So I guess asking you to do mine is asking too much?" I said while laughing.
"Hell yeah. Shit, you better do your own head." she said standing up and walking past me into the kitchen. She stopped halfway to her destination and turned to me.
"You went to Starbucks." she said plainly.
Oh shit. Here we go.
".....Yeah."
"When? Just now, you went just now to Starbucks knowing damn well I love Starbucks. Where my drink at?"
"Girl I forgot about you. Sorry."
"Forgot about me?" she said placing her hand over her dramatically. "Noone cares about little old Kiara. I might as well get a dog. They love you till you're dead."
I smiled and walked to my room. I could hear KiKi singing "All by Myself" in the kitchen, and I couldn't help but laugh. Ol' dramatic ass.
After changing into basketball shorts and a tank top, I put my shoulder length hair in a ponytail and laid on my bed. I loved the feeling of my soft zebra print comforter, and the sight of how it blended with my pink walls. My mind began to wander down memory lane, back to when I lived at home. My bedrooms have been pink ever since I was a little girl. It was such a docile color, a very calm color indeed. My bedrooms were always my comfort zone, my shelter, my safe haven. At home, I would always run to my bedroom to feel safe. It was a place where no one could hurt me.
"All eyes on me when I walk in. No question that this girl's a ten. Don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful."My phone began buzzing and playing Keri Hilson's song Pretty Girl Rock. I looked at the caller ID and saw it was my mother.
"Hi mommy."
"Hey baby, how's my Yaya doing?"
"Okay. I'm just laying down."
"In that pink room of yours, I'm sure."
"You already know!" I said.
"You work today?"
"Yeah at the daycare. I'm back at the studio Thursday."
"Good to hear. How is that little girl in your class that you're always talking about?"
"I haven't seen Gabby in a while. I met her dad today. I asked about her, it was obvious that he didn't wanna talk about whatever was going on."
Gabby's dad was really tight mouthed about his daughter. I miss her in my class, she's so sweet. I wish nothing but the best for her. I have a soft spot in my heart for kids. So many people treat them like they aren't even a part of society, like they aren't even human. People think they can treat kids however they want, when really everyone was once a kid. I love kids, and teaching is about as close as I can come to having any..
KiaraMy mother was stolen from me on a Tuesday. I hate Tuesdays. I hate the empty, sick feeling that settles in my stomach when I think about it. I hate the needy feeling my heart gets when I think of her. I miss my mom.
Aiyanna thinks I'm just tired. That's true, but I'm also just still upset. There haven't been any new findings in the case, and that sickens me. Whoever did this is still running the streets. That's a scary thought.
I opened a can of Chef Boyardee Beefaroni and microwaved it after pouring it into a bowl. I grabbed a Capri Sun and went in Aiyanna's room.
"Yaya?" I said.
"Ki, what's wrong?" she said sitting up with a concerned look on her face.
"I miss my mom." I said with my eyes brimming with tears.
"I know you do. I miss her too."
"I don't know how I can get past this. I can't live without my mom. I can't."
"Kiara, you've been strong for a year. Don't give up."
"You're right. Thanks."
My appetite diminished so I put my meal in the fridge and went on to bed. Whatever bastard killed my mom deserves what she got tenfold. Whoever it was ripped my family apart and caused a sinkhole in what used to be a tight knit family. I can't live without her.
Aiyanna tells me to be strong. I am. I'm trying to. But it is just too hard. Is this normal? My grandma and sister are just fine ... but me? No, I'm the one that still has to pull over while driving to cry.
I can't.
-------------------------------------------
Note from the Author: Pay attention to e v e r y t h i n g. Every single detail. What Aiyanna says, any person they meet, all of it. It all comes together throughout. =)
Thu Jun 18, 2015 10:33 am by 
