In 1992 the L.A. riots took over the city. I wasn't born but I know what it was like. My name is kimiko, kimiko toho. I live in long beach California. The first time I saw the war was when I was 5. I was waiting for the bus to school to come. My uncle was washing the car. I looked away for a minute and then I heard gun shots. I looked and there he was…dead.
I entered the gang life when I was about 11. They jump you so you won't break. They are my family, and you don't turn your back on family.
Now I go to Woodrow Wilson high school. (A/n: where the original freedom writers went to school.) It's freshman year. I got my schedule. The first thing I see is English room 203. And I think 'oh great the retard class.'
"Hey kimiko!" I turned to see my best friend Keiko, who is also in the gang.
"Hey kei, what's crackin'?" (A/n: I know kimiko would never speak like that just role with it.)
"Nothin' just got my schedule." She held it up as proof.
"What you got for English?" I asked her "I got the retard class."
"Same." She said and half smiled. "Come on let's go." She walked off and I followed. Then I saw him. Raimundo Pedrosa. He was in a rival gang. The world seemed to slow down, as we stared at each other. His friends noticed the stare and turned. Keiko turned too. Then the bell rang snapping me back into reality. I looked away. I found room 203 and we went.
"Yo, let's sit here." I said to Keiko and we claimed our seats. We turned them so they faced the rest of the gang. Then Raimundo came in and his friends claimed their seats at the other end of the class. We heard chalk squeaking on the board.
"Hello my name is Mr. Fung. And I am your English teacher." Said a man in the front of the class. 'Shoot I'll give this fool a week maybe 3 days.' I thought to myself. "Okay I'm going do role call." I rolled my eyes. "Keiko tohshirmo?" Keiko raised her hand. "Thank you, uh, raimundo pedrosa?"
"yo." Raimundo said.
"Kimikoo tooho?" he said raising his head.
"Kimiko toho." I corrected him.
"Sorry kimiko."
"Clay bailey?" I saw a white boy in the front raise his hand. Mr. F. smiled.
"Omi, uh, nyguyen?" the shortest kid in the class raised his hand. He finished up role call. And he turned to us. "Kimiko, can you read what I says on the board?"
"Why me?" I asked him. "I don't care for what's happening in school, I'm only here because my p.o. threatened me with school or juvie." I told him.
"Shoulda picked juvie." I heard raimundo say.
"What? You wanna say that to my face?" I said getting up.
"maybe." Raimundo also got up. I heard a bunch of 'ohhs' I throw a punch at him and he dodged it.
"Kimiko, Raimundo sit down!" Mr. F. said. But I didn't listen. He tried to punch me but I caught his fist and started twisting it. Mr. Fung kept telling us to sit down but wasn't listening to him. I was listening to the encouragement coming from my friends. I tried to sweep kick me. But I did I back flip and twisted his arm behind his back. Mr. F. ran outside and seconds later a security officer came a broke up the fight.
"That psycho bitch almost broke my arm!" raimundo yelled. I snapped (mentally) and attacked him. Then the realized Keiko and the others were holding me back.
"Let me kill him. Let wish he was never born!" I yelled still being held back. Raimundo's friends were holding him back too. I finally gave up and turned to sit back down. And I waited for the bell to ring.