Chillin

Amina Johnson slept soundly in her bed in a small, dark peaceful room. It was the only time she could escape her family. It was difficult living in a house with a fierce mother, oblivious father and irritating siblings. This was the only time she can get some peace and quiet.

Slam!

Amina jumped out of her sleep from the sound of her door swinging open.There stood a woman in her late 30′s. At the sight of her you can tell she just woke up by the light bags under her eye’s. She had warm chocolate colored skin to match her eyes. She had a silk, purple colored scarf with a bun/knot tie in the front of it. She stood in a crimson color robe to match the fire in her glare. It was no doubt that the woman was beautiful. Perhaps she would have looked more beautiful. If she wasn’t taken over by rage.

“Amina! ...girl you better get ready for school if I find out you didn’t go to school today or I get a phone call talking about a tardy. I’ma slap you into last night.” The woman said with a huff.

That was my mother, Faith. She’s always had a way of making sure her point got across. Using whatever violent tactics she found necessary. She was the queen of clap backs and shade.

“Ok... mom” I said in a very sleepy raspy voice. I had to mute myself because the words, “damn can you just let me be or nah” was on the tip of my tongue.

“Don’t ok me just stop doing it. I’m not playing with you Amina! Just because you’re almost grown, don’t make you grown and even when you’re grown, you ain’t really grown, not until I say you grown. You hear me little girl” she said a certain sharpness wagging her finger at me.

“I hear you mom,” I replied distractedly as hopped out of bed and proceeded to search through my closet to find the outfit I picked out the night before. Finding it I pulled it out and laid it across it bed.

With that like a true Queen, she walked away with her head held high accidentally catching wind under her robe as it softly drifted behind her.

“Why you gotta be so phony and over the top mad extra for no reason?”

That question enter into my thoughts but I didn’t dare say them out loud.

“Knock” “knock “!

I turned my head at the sound of knocking, My younger sister Bianca was standing in the the doorway knocking on my dresser.She paused her hand midway knocking when she saw me glance her way. Unlike mom, She had a light honey brown skin. She had on a highlighter green scarf on her head to keep her edges and baby hairs laid. Her box braids came all the way down and stopped midway at her back . She stood dressed in grey H&M sweatpant and black a yellow polka dotted bra. Opposed to me her shape was thin and shapely. Even though she’s fifteen It was no doubt in my mind that once she outgrows her baby face she was gonna be a real bombshell.

“I see she got to you to huh” I said with a light chuckle. As i used my right hand to swipe the leftover crust out of my eyes.

“She’s always doing that mess, being loud for no reason. She acting like we don’t have an alarm clock on our phones.” Bianca said as she waved her phone in the air. She rolled her eyes and sighed rather tiredly then said, “Anyway, before you go in the bathroom , let me use it first ok?”

“Alright,” I mumble as I climbed back into bed pulling the covers over my head. “Oh well she was in the bathroom I might as while go back to sleep.”

“Amina, Bianca Y’all better be down stairs and dress before I get done with your sister !” A voice screeched disrupting the peace once again

“Damn it, mom not again” Amina whined shifted to her side” “Today was gonna be a long day”.

After we all got dress I went down stairs and made food for me, Bianca and my baby sister Tamicka.Tamicka was ten years old and unlike Bianca, who would unintentionally steal the spotlight, Tamicka would make my life a living hell on purpose by getting me in trouble.

I walked over to the table and passed Bee and Micka eating their bowls of cereal. Tamicka had a chocolatey skin tone like me and my mother. Looking over at her head I can see she had all types beads and barrettes in her hair. I smiled a little at the color schemes of pink,black and white,my mother also took the time to part her hair in zig zag. I can honestly say the little Brat looked adorable with some strands braided while others twisted. She had pink Air Jordan 12 on her feets ,a cute jean jumper skirt and a pink hello kitty short sleeve shirt to go underneath to complete her look.

As I ate my cereal I continued to look up and see Bianca multitasking by eating and finishing up her homework from the night before. Tamicka kept twirling her spoon in the bowl with a look of deep concentration .I was just about to asks what was wrong before a smirk broke out on her face.

“Oops!” she said as tipped over her bowl, pouring it on Bianca’s homework.

“Tamicka! What the hell! Why would you do that! You always doing something!” Bianca roared. Standing from her chair waving her hands angrily.

“I didn’t do it on purpose!” Tamicka plead innocently even though Bianca and I both know her little devious ass did it on purpose.

“Yes, you did I saw you!” Bianca hollered

“What’s up with all this yelling?” mom said as she proceeded to walk pass us to get herself cup of coffee. She saw that the table was a mess and tiredly said with her eyes closed “Amina... clean this mess up.

“But I didn’t do it!” I complained.

“Did I ask you who did it? I said clean...that...mess ... up.” Mom said slowly and sternly, striking intimidation in my core.

“Yes...Mommy.” I sighed.

Because I was the oldest I was expected to be mature and raise above their childish ways. To be ... the adult. Oddly enough my parents only ever wanted me to be an adult or treat me as such when it was convenient for them. Like buying groceries, getting a job at an young age so I can contribute with the bills, or just by watching their kids so they could do other things.

After I was done cleaning I helped Bianca’s try to dry off her homework without making the ink smudge. I went in the kitchen to made micka something because i knew mom and dad would have a fit if she went to school on an empty stomach. Realizing that we used the last the cereal I decided to make her oatmeal. I went into the cabinet and pulled out a box of Quaker oats with raisins.When it was ready I set the bowl in front of my sister. A few minutes have passed before my father came down stairs and said good morning to Bianca and I. He kissed my mother on the forehead than made his way over to Tamicka. “Tamicka was my father’s favorite”

“Hey sweetheart...” Dad looked quizzingly at Tamicka with a concerned face. ” Awww princess why you not eating.”

“Amina gave me cold oatmeal daddy”. Tamicka said as she snapped with attitude looking at her meal with disgust. -And boy she knew it too.

“Amina why you give my baby cold oatmeal? She can’t eat that mess. breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You know my babygirl has to be focused on her school work.” Marcus said looking at his daughter Amina with disbelief. That girl been making breakfast for her siblings mostly all her life and she still can’t get it right. What’s wrong with her?

with that Tamicka leaned back in her chair arms crossed with a satisfying smirk. Watching the fireworks go off with the match she lit.

“I did make it hot, she kept playing with her food. That’s how she made a mess in the first place!” Anima said with with a screeching high pitched voice she was so frustrated about this situation. “Ain’t that right Bianca?” Amina said with hopeful eyes looking at her sister for support.

“Uh uh nah girl leave me out of this” Bianca said wagging her finger back and forth trying to gather all her books struggling to push back her chair and leave the table

“I’m about to go to my room and put my homework on the radiator b-bye!” Bianca said rushingly In two seconds flat Bee was out.

Everybody completely ignoring Bianca’s Hasty exit. Still Focusing over the conflict at hand.

“Girl you better watch that tone,before I watch it for you! It’s over now the mess is cleaned.” My mother ,Faith said having enough of Amina smart ass mouth and this conversation. She wanted to go back to her coffee.

“Sweetheart you don’t have to eat it if you don’t want to.” Dad said switching back to his loving voice for Tamicka while hugging her.

“Thanks daddy” she said in her baby voice. Then threw a sinister smile my way over his shoulder to rub it in my face.

When dad and mom won’t looking I flicked her off the bird. In retaliation she mean mugged me as she sticks her tongue out at me. She so freaking childish.

I rolled my eyes and got up to take the bowl to throw it out. Since nobody was gonna eat it.

“Are you crazy we don’t waste food in this house after you done with your cereal eat that oatmeal!” my father said sternly

“But it’s cold!” Amina shouted in shock. Is this man really serious right now !?

“Ooooh I see, you too good to eat cold oatmeal My dad said in a mocking tone but it’s ok for your baby sister to eat cold oatmeal but not for you!”

“What are you talking about it was hot when I made it.” Amina hollered back.

“I don’t care what it was, you better eat it!” my dad shouted

“Baby you don’t need to make that girl eat that oatmeal right now, she just ate cereal.” Mother said trying to sooth my father.

“But Honey”- my father started to say but was cut off.

“No buts ” My mom cut him off drawing her attention back to me, her stare suddenly harden. “Girl get in that kitchen and get some plastic and wrap that food up. When you get home you better eat that food and I better not find it in that trash can!”

To be continued......