When Sapphire moves from the hills of LA to Atlanta to get away from her mother, she gets tangled in a whole world of gang affiliation. Can she handle it? Or will she break trying?
Jah Micheals is a troubled teen with a questionable past. He doesn't...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Jahbari Micheals I wake up at around 3 AM. Sapphire is sleeping on my shoulder. She looks so peaceful. "Saphhh" I whine and shake her. Her eyes slowly flutter open before her eyebrows furrow. She looks mad.
"Why the hell would you wake me up Jahbari" she says sternly but her voice is so soft I can't help but laugh. "Ain't shit funny. Go back to sleep" she huffs and lays on my lap.
"Saph, you gotta go home" I say and run my fingers through her hair. I can feel her tracks and I try my hardest not to laugh. "Boy, I don't give a fuck. I'll go back in the morning" she waves her hand to dismiss me and closes her eyes again.
"And stop putting you hand all up in my hair. You know I got weave" she says and falls back asleep.
20 minutes later, I manage to sneak off without her waking up.
It's always at night, when the memories come back. Smoking is my only way out of it. I feel like I'm in a constant cycle and I'm letting my past dictate my future.
*Seven Years Ago* "C'mere boy and try this" my old stepdad said. My mom was away at work and wasn't coming back for the next several hours.
"N-no thanks" I stutter. I was only 10. I didn't know how to stick up for myself. Especially against a grown man.
"You should just listen to your Pop. I know what's good for you" he says and drags me closer to him. He shoots the drugs into my arm. That's the first time I ever got high.
He would do this everyday until eventually, my mom found out. She was giving me a shower and found all of the needle marks. She kicked my stepdad out the next day.
As for me, she took me to therapy and rehab. The cravings for heroin stopped, but I still remember all the lonely nights where I would dread my stepdad coming into my room.
It's haunted me ever since. *end of flashback* I roll up a blunt and light it, taking a larger than necessary hit. I cough a little before hitting it again and laying back.
I was in the backyard, so when the backdoor opens, I turn around. It's Sapphire. "Whatchu want? Go back to sleep" I say and turn back around to hit it again.
Sapphire sits next to me and plays with my hand. "What's wrong? And don't tell me nothing because I know that's bullshit" she says and takes my face in her hands.
So, I tell her everything. No one has ever asked. It's not a secret no one just cares to ever ask except her.
"Wow. I'm so sorry Jah" she says after I finish telling her my story. I didn't notice that a tear was running down my face until she wipes it gently and pulls me into a hug.
