Jazmine Dubois walked down the street in a baggy hoody and skinny jeans, her hair was done in her usual puff balls, behind her were two girls dressed in fashionable clothes, both were laughing and talking, Jazmine sighed, she wished she had a friend to talk to, but her only friend had moved away, and she was alone.

"Are you going to Shane's party?" one of the girls asked the other.

"Of course! I wanna see his face when he finds out I know about Sierra!"

"Ooh girl, you gotta check him."

"I know right?"

Jasmine rolled her eyes, "he wasn't yours to begin with." Jazmine mumbled.

"Um excuse me? What did you just say?"

Jazmine turned around, looking at the two, the taller one was glaring at her, pushing her hair behind her ears, "I said, he wasn't yours to begin with." She said, and then continued walking.

'And who are you to say?"

Jazmine turned around and eyed the girl, "he's been going out with Sierra for three years now, and then you come in acting like you didn't know, all he did was take you to a dance, get over yourself." She turned and kept walking.

"You bitch! Who do you think you are to talk to me like that!" she shouted, "the daughter of a whore!"

Jazmine stopped in her tracks.

"Yeah!" her friend taunted, "I hear your ma slept with the principal so you could pass! So you're not only the daughter of a whore, but you're stupid too!"

"Shut up…" she whispered, looking down.

'No wonder your dad left! He couldn't handle a whore and an idiot!"

"I said shut up!" Jazmine shouted, turning around, making the two flinch, her hands were balled up into fists and tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"can't handle the truth?" one of the girls spat, which earned her a punch from a still crying Jazmine, before they could do anything else Jazmine turned and ran, she ran as hard as she could, tears still streaming down her cheeks, she stopped as she got to her home, it was a nice house, but it looked dark and sad, she took a deep breath and wiped away her tears and opened her door, she walked into the plain, sparsely furnished living room, "Mom?" she asked softly.

"I'm in the kitchen." Her mother's tired voice said, she walked in and saw her mother sitting at the table going through bills, she was in a waitress uniform and her hair was disheveled, "how was school."

"Fine…" Jazmine lied, school had been the same for the last ten years of her life, horrible and boring.

"That's good." Sarah said, "So, I have some news." She said with a tired smile, "I just got promoted down at Wuncler's first national bank, which means I don't have to work at the Diner anymore."

Jazmine smiled and hugged her mother, 'that's great mom." She said softly, "no more double shifts."

Sarah nodded, since her husband had left her, she had taken up several jobs to continue paying for the house they lived in, it was hard work but it kept her and Jazmine fed and happy, "what do you want for Dinner?"

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Jazmine sat in the living room watching TV.

"Hey honey look!" Sarah said from the window, Jazmine stood up and walked over, looking out to see a moving van pull up to the house beside theirs, "looks like someone moving in."

"Hope they're better than the last family." Jazmine mumbled.

Sarah kept watching, "hmm...maybe we should go meet them!"

"I don't know…I doubt they want people to come see them."

"Come on! They might be friendly!" Sarah said, walking over to her coat.

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Riley looked around the living room as the movers brought in the couch, "aiight, that couch comes in here." He said, "Right against this wall." He walked around them as they brought the couch in."

"Riley.' Huey said walking in, carrying a little girl, "Your daughter needs you."

Riley smiled at the two year old girl who was looking around with wide golden eyes, "Elli." He said, taking his daughter from his brother, "what's wrong baby girl?"

"Is this really going to be our home?" she asked in a wondering voice.

"Yeah baby, it's going to be our new home." Riley said, nodding to the movers as they left.

'Is granddad going to be here?"

"Mhmm." Riley said, "you're gonna have your own room and everything."

"But I want my room back in Chicago." She mumbled, "The one beside Aunt Cookies."

"I know baby, but Chicago isn't safe for us anymore." Riley said, "Aunt Cookie will come to visit and we could have so many adventures here."

"Okay…where's Granddad?"

"He's on his way, he just went to go get some food." Riley said, "Come on, let's go watch some TV."

A knock on the door made him stop and look back, he walked over to the door and opened it, revealing Sarah and Jazmine, "hello." Sarah said politely.

"Uh…sup?" Riley asked in confusion

"I'm Sarah Dubois, and this is my daughter, Jazmine, we live next door and we just thought we'd come say hi and welcome to the neighborhood."

"Uh…thanks, my names Riley Freeman, this is my daughter Elli, and my brother is…" he trailed off looking behind him, "HUEY! WHERE YO ASS AT!"

"Calm down." The monotone voice of his brother shouted back, walking in, he stopped when he saw the two women standing at the door way, his eyes glued to Jazmine who shifted slightly, "riley…who are these two?"

"Our neighbors."

He nodded to them.

"So, where'd y'all move from?" Sarah asked.

"Chicago." Riley said, walking inside and motioning for them to come in, Huey glared at his brother.

"Wow this is nice.' Sarah said looking around the house.

"Nice house for a good price," Riley said, sitting down at the couch and putting his daughter in his lap, "go ahead and sit down."

Sarah sat down in Granddad's chair while Jazmine stayed standing, "so what made y'all leave Chicago?"

"Too dangerous." Riley said, 'had to think of my little bear here." He tickled his daughter's stomach, making her giggle.

"Where's her mother?" Jazmine asked.

Riley stopped smiling and looked at Jazmine, "she uh…she ain't with us no mo." He mumbled.

"I'm sorry…" she said sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it," Riley said, "she gave her life so I could have my baby."

Huey looked at the two, "who's your father?" Huey asked Jazmine.

'uh…what?" she asked, pretending not to have heard him.

"Who's your father, why isn't he with you?" Huey asked bluntly.

"We…don't like to talk about that." Sarah said softly.

"Oh, when did he leave?"

"Huey." Riley started.

"Why do you care?" Jazmine asked with venom in her voice.

"You in my house." Huey said boredly, his eyes narrowing, "I'm entitled to ask whatever damn question I want."

"Huey, drop it!" Riley said angrily, making Huey look at his brother, they glared at each other for a few seconds until Huey turned around, "I'm going for a walk." He muttered, walking out.

"Sorry about that." Riley said turning to Sarah and Jazmine, "the nigga don't know when he's been rude, or blunt."

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Jazmine laid in her bed, staring at the wall, her mother was already asleep, having to wake up at 5 to go into work early, but Jazmine was wide awake, the question Huey asked still fresh on her mind, "what a jerk." She mumbled, turning towards the door, she checked her watch, "only twelve…" she muttered, getting out of her bed, she put on her sweater and a pair of jeans, she slipped her sneakers on and went downstairs and out the front door, she liked this time of night since almost no one was awake, and she was free from any prying eyes as she went to her favorite spot in the town, she didn't know what kind of tree it was, or who had planted it on the hill, but it was one of her favorite places to go to, it was secluded on the edge of the forest so no one really went there, and the roots had several places where she could comfortably sit or lay down, she started running as she left the suburbs and got to the hill, she got to the tree and smiled, it's branches were frozen and bear, leaves littered the ground, but Jazmine didn't mind as she sat down and got comfortable, looking out across the town.

"Great view." A stoic voice said, making Jazmine jump, she turned around and saw Huey leaning against the tree, a cigarette between his lips, his hands in the pockets of his trench coat, "you can see all of suburbia from here, even some of the city."

"What are you doing here?" she asked rudely, crossing her arms.

"Just relaxing, having a smoke, thought that was apparent." He said, blowing smoke into the frigid night air.

"But why do you have to come here!"

"Because I don't like smoking around Elli, makes her question me too much." Huey said, taking a deep drag, "what are you doing out here?"

She sighed, "This is my favorite place to relax, which is kind of hard right now with an unbearable asshole talking to me." She grumbled.

"Hard words for such an innocent looking girl." Huey said.

Jazmine ignored him and continued to stare out towards town.

'Hey." Huey said, making her look at him.

"What is it now?'

"Sorry for pressing the issue with your dad." He said, he wasn't looking at her, just staring up at the stars, smoke pouring out of his nostrils.

She eyed him, "why'd you care so much?" she asked.

"Partly because of what you asked Riley." Huey said, "I know you didn't mean it, but it still hurt him, he thinks about Vanessa every day since she passed…"

"And I said I was sorry," Jazmine said

"Right, but there's another part." He said, 'curiosity got the better of me, you're half, which meant your father was black, and I wanted to know if he was still in the picture, or when he left."

"Why would you care about that?" Jazmine muttered, glaring at the ground.

"As I said, curiosity got the better of me."

"Better get it under control, it kills cats you know."

Huey rolled his eyes. "it also brought along some of the greatest inventions and break through's in the world."

"Somehow I don't think knowing whether my father is here or not counts as a 'breakthrough'." She mumbled.

Huey shrugged, "maybe it will be." he said, looking at his watch, "it's 1 in the morning, we should head back, we have school in the morning."

"We?" She asked.

"Yeah, we,"

"Aren't you a little old to be going to school?"

"I'm seventeen." He said with a raised eyebrow, "a junior."

"Oh…I just thought…um…" she turned red, "n-never mind."

He put the cigarette out and started walking down the hill, Jazmine beside him.

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Huey drove down the street with Riley beside him, "you ready for work?" Huey asked.

"Yeah, you ready for school?"

"Of course," Huey said, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well you was out with that Mariah Carey lookin' bitch all night." Riley said with a smirk.

Huey rolled his eyes, "I ran into her, it wasn't my intention to meet up with her."

'Nah man don't be like that, I know you feelin' her, you don't gotta hide it."

Huey pulled up to the sidewalk, "We're here."

Riley got out of Huey's old Lincoln continental and looked at his new job site, "Wuncler's Autoshop." He muttered, "Not too bad."

"I'll be back by four," Huey said to him as he put his car in gear.

"Make sure you pick up Elli before you come get me." He said, running inside.

Huey shook his head and turned his car around, heading north towards Wuncler High School. As he pulled up to the stop sign, Jazmine ran across the street, slowing down when she got to the other side, Huey raised an eyebrow and turned onto the road, pulling up next to her, 'Need a lift?" he asked.

She eyed him warily, 'Um…no I'm fine."

"Jazmine, its 10 degrees out there, and it's another sixteen blocks to Wuncler High.'

She sighed, and got in, 'Thanks." She mumbled.

He nodded and continued on, "So how come your mom didn't take you to school?"

"She never does, she always has work this early."

"Do you need a ride back?"

"I-I don't want to be a bother to you, askin' for rides…"

"You're not asking, I offered." He said boredly, turning into the parking lot, it was still early so not as many people were there.

"Thanks for the ride." She said, getting out.

"You gonna take the offer?" Huey asked.

She hesitated, then nodded, "Sure," she said with a small smile, "If it doesn't inconvenience you."

"We live beside each other." He said, scratching his chin, "It won't inconvenience me."

She nodded and started walking again, hugging her bag to her chest.

Huey got out and slowly walked towards the school, his hands in his pockets, a few of the people already there watched him warily, he just ignored them as he walked in and went to the office, he got his schedule and started walking to his first class.

"you think you can get off with punching my girlfriend freak?" someone shouted angrily, making Huey look over, a large teen was screaming in Jazmines face, his fists clenched, "that's very disrespectful."

"She disrespected me first, talkin' about my family like that." Jazmine muttered, trying to walk past him.

"I'm not done talking to you!" he shouted, turning her around.

"Don't touch me!" she shouted, pushing him away.

'You little whore!" he shouted, rearing his arm back to punch her.

He never got that chance as Huey flew out of nowhere and kicked him into the wall.

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Riley waited outside of the auto shop, his white wife beater covered in oil stains and dirt, he zipped up his brown work jacket, "where you at Huey come on!" he shivered, 'Cold as motha fucka out here." He finally saw Huey's car turn the corner, "Thank god!" he said, walking towards it as he pulled up, 'where you been nigga!?" he asked looking inside the car, and found not only his brother and Elli, as he expected, but also Jazmine, "oh, sup Mariah."

"Mariah?" she asked.

Riley got into the back, 'Hi daddy!" Elli said happily.

"hey baby girl," he said with a smile, then looked at Huey and Jazmine, 'so what y'all doin' together?" he asked.

"We kinda got into some trouble at the school." Huey muttered, heading home.

"Whatcha mean?"

"You want the long story, or the short?"

"Let's go short, I don't got time to listen."

"Guy tried to hit Jazmine, I saw, I stopped him, and I beat him and several teachers."

"Why'd you attack the teachers?" Riley asked.

"They got in the way." Jazmine said, rolling her eyes, "at least that was his excuse, and I didn't need you to stand up for me Freeman."

"So you just wanted me to let you get the shit knocked outta you?"

'No I wanted you to mind your own business."

"So that's a yes on getting punched." Huey said, turning down Timid Deer lane.

"Shut up! God you're so infuriating." Jazmine grumbled.

"No more then you are." Huey muttered, pulling into his driveway, almost immediately Jazmine threw her door open and walked to her house.

"Damn, were y'all fighin' all the way there?'

"No," Huey said, turning the car off.

"Yes they were.' Elli said, "They woke me up."

"Daaaamn, why y'all gotta mess up lil bears naps huh?"

"We didn't mean to, but apparently Jazmine likes to yell." Huey got out of the car, "let's just get inside and cook some dinner, Granddad's probably waiting."

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Riley sat with granddad in the living room, Granddad was watching the news, his withered eyes scanning the TV, "how was work?" He asked.

"Good, the boss is pretty cool, co-workers don't ask too many questions." He said.

Granddad eyes his grandson, "why do you care about them asking questions?"

"I don't want anyone on my sack granddad, I mean, a fifteen year old who is already working? You'd think they'd be all up on my jock, but nah, they just kept on workin', treated me like they equal, except fo this one guy who kept askin' me why I wasn't in school, ain't no one care whether I was in school or not back in Chicago."

"It's different here that's for sure, I met one of our neighbors, Sarah Dubois? She was all nice and inviting, shit that ain't happen unless you knew them before hand, and even then they don't come into yo house unless you invite them."

"White people granddad." Riley said with a smirk, "I met her yesterday, she got a daughter, she's Huey's age and I gotta say, she fiiiine."

"Boy hush up, bein' disrespectful to ladies."

'They ain't even here Granddad!"

"So? You still bein' disrespectful."

Before their argument could continue, Elli's voice sounded from the stairs, "Daddy." She mumbled.

Riley looked over, he immediately ran over to her, "hey baby girl, what's wrong?"

"I had a bad dream." She whimpered, "About Mommy."

Riley picked her up, and almost immediately she wrapped her arms around his neck, laying her head down on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, 'riley said, walking up to her room, "do you want to tell me about it?"

She shook her head, 'No."

Riley laid her back into her crib, "baby don't worry, it was just a dream, dreams can't hurt you, do you understand that?"

She nodded, "can you tell me a bed time story?" she asked softly.

Riley smiled, "of course little bear." He said, 'which one you want to hear?"

"The one where you and mommy meet."

"You always want to listen to that one." He said, tickling her stomach and making her laugh.

"It's my favorite!" she giggled

"alright, so I was at a party that was bein' thrown by my friend Tyreese."

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Huey stood outside the door as Riley walked out of Elli's room, "sup bitch." Riley said.

"You know, I never thought you'd ever have any sense of responsibility." Huey said, "And yet here you are, taking care of your daughter, telling her stories and calming her fears."

"You and granddad, y'all sold me short back home," he said.

"That we did," Huey said, "let's get some sleep, you got work, and I got class."

As they walked into their shared room Riley hesitated, "hey Huey?"

"Yeah?"

"You still a little bitch."