Into His Love

One

Kimberly | Monday

    I wake up at 7:30 am on the morning of the first day of school to the sweet aroma of maple syrup. My stomach growls as I sit up in bed and check my phone. There's a text message from Nadia on the screen.

Meet me in front of my locker after you get your schedule.

Alright. I quickly type before sliding out of bed and heading into the bathroom. I get into the shower and let the hot water run down my back before washing myself and stepping out.

    I head to my room and decide on plain jeans and a t-shirt. It's senior year. Who cares to look cute anymore, even if it is the first day? I'll have more important things like college applications, dance, and scholarships to worry about. Looking cute is the least of my worries. It's not like I have anyone to try to impress.

    Once I'm dressed, I walk downstairs pausing at the big, black suitcase at the bottom of the staircase. I frown, knowing exactly what this means.

    "Mom!" I call out to her, dragging my feet into the kitchen. She's sitting at the wooden dining table drinking a cup of coffee and reading a newspaper when I enter. I don't even bother saying good morning.

    "Please don't tell me you're leaving again." I cross my arms over my chest.

     She places the newspaper down.

    "Good morning to you, too. I made you breakfast." She motions to the food sitting on the table in front of her: banana pancakes, eggs, and bacon.

    "Yeah, yeah. Thank you. Good morning. You just got back from a trip two days ago," I whine. Literally, whine.

    She stands up and I notice the black pants suit that she's wearing, confirming that she'll be catching a plane away from here soon.

    "I know. I was called late last night. Honey, you should be used to this by now." She walks over to me.

    "You know this isn't an option. It's something I have to do to keep this roof over our head." She hugs me tightly. Tears began to trail down my face.

    I hate it when she leaves for work leaving me alone at home. She's gone for days at a time and even weeks on rare occasions. And even when she is home, she brings work with her. I wish people would just stop killing people, then we'd have a little more time together.

    It's been my mom and me for a while now. Six years to be exact, ever since my dad died in a car crash. I can still remember my mom rushing us to the hospital like it was yesterday, the image all too vivid in my mind. The glance of vibrant, blood-drenched clothes before my mom dragged me out of the room so that I didn't watch my dad die in front of me. Her sobs and screams still ring in my ears, haunting me to this day.

    She releases me, and I wipe my tears with the back of my hand.

   "How long this time?"I brace myself to hear her say that she doesn't know. She never does. I mean it isn't her fault. She doesn't decide nor controls how long they'll need her. It all depends.

    "Hopefully, no more than two weeks. I'll be back before you know it." She tries to lighten the mood by pinching my cheeks. I nod slowly.

    "I love you so much. I wouldn't do anything if I thought it wasn't the best thing for us."

    "Yeah. I know."

    "Now, sit down and eat your food before it freezes," she jokes. I wipe my tears with the back of my hand and do as I am told.

    I meet Nadia at her locker after I pick up my schedule from the front office. She stands with her boyfriend, Tyrell, and Joshua, who's like a brother to us. We all grew up together and have been friends for years.

    "What's up, Kimmy?" Joshua greets me, opening his arms for a hug. "Where have you been all summer?"

    "Moping over Trevon," Nadia answers. I roll my eyes at her as I adjust my backpack on my shoulders.

    "Aye, leave her alone.," Ty defends me. Nadia shrugs and wraps her arms around him. 

    "Man, he didn't deserve my little sis." Joshua turns his attention back to me.

    "I told you. You just don't listen to nobody." Right now is really not the time for an 'I told you so.'

    "Hell, we all told her," Nadia adds.

    I am beginning to get really annoyed by this conversation.

    "Okay. Can we change the subject?" I huff.

    They both laugh it off as we begin to compare schedules. It turns out I have two classes with Nadia:  AP Literature and Art, which I have no idea why she's taking because she hates it, and all of us have the same lunch period. The entry bell rings obnoxiously throughout the school just as we finish, signaling us to start heading to homeroom.

Isaiah

    I slide into my chair just as the bell rings,  and the teacher begins to take roll. I glance around to see if I recognize anyone in this crowded room. No luck.

    As I'm scanning the room, a girl sitting to the far right of the classroom, near the door, catches my eye. Her hair is long, dark brown reaching her upper back and she has brown eyes. I can't help but notice how beautiful she is.

    "Last time. Allen. Isaiah Allen?" The teacher asks with an obvious attitude, breaking me from my thoughts. 

    "Ohh...uhh. H-here. I'm here," I stutter.

    The class shatters with chuckles like we're still in the first grade before she continues calling attendance, after a slight eye roll. When she gets to the name Kimberly Anderson, the girl at the front of the room answers in a soft voice.

    "Here." She swipes her hair over her shoulder and continues writing on a notebook not looking up once.

    I hear a couple of boys behind me whisper stuff about her.

    "Damn. She fine," one says.

    "Definitely. Mm mm mm," another one agrees.

    "Y'all better chill out. Isn't that Trevon's girl?"

    "I don't know. I do know Trevon can't handle that. It's not like he goes here anymore."

    I try to process the jealousy running through my veins. Why am I getting jealous of them saying how good she looks? I mean, they're right. She is definitely fine as hell. But who's Trevon? And why am I even thinking about this? I shake my head to get rid of my thoughts. By the time the whispers stop, the teacher is done calling roll. She introduces herself as Ms. Turner and lets everyone move around to talk.

   I can't stop looking at Kimberly. I notice how she puts her hair behind her ear when it falls on her face, and how she's squinting her eyes at her phone as she bites her nails. I have to talk to her.

    Just as I get up to do so the bell rings loudly. Shit. I quickly grab my bag and rush over to her as everyone pours out of the classroom.

    "Hey," I say nervously, stepping in front of her. She's wearing a t-shirt that is clearly too big for her. It hangs slightly off her right shoulder and stops right above her mid-thighs. The jeans she has on are tight, and I can easily see the curvature of her hips even with the large shirt covering her.

    "Hi." She smiles shortly, putting on her book bag before, throwing a duffle bag over her shoulder.

    "Excuse me." She smiles once more before brushing past me to walk out of the room.