At the shop, Jackie asked Tasha what was wrong. She even offered to close shop up.
"Ever since two weeks ago..." Jackie started to say. Don't go there, Tasha thought. I don't want to talk about it.
"Mom's a nightmare and school's worse. Same as always," Tasha said bluntly, even though there were a million words to describe what was going on. She just didn't want to talk about it. She desperately wanted to tell Jackie about her mom, who wasn't even able to function. Or Bri, who was never going to let her have a moment of peace. Or all the kids at school, the rumors they told and the awful things they wrote about Tasha on the bathroom walls. How there was no way to escape. If she could, she would run away. But instead, she asked Jackie if she could have her break, and she headed for the bathroom.
Jackie was concerned. She knew Tasha had always had things tough. The neighborhood she was living in wasn't the best. Robbery, crime, and gang activity were regular occurrences. Jackie also knew that Tasha's mom wasn't her normal self. Things had always been hard for Tasha but lately she hadn't even been talking. She noticed Tasha looking behind her nervously everywhere she went, as though she were scared that someone was going to come. But who?
Jackie had gotten to know Tasha one day when Tasha was at the mall looking for a job. She was in need of money for college and Jackie was in need of help at her small store. Over time she had found Tasha was a smart girl with high hopes, even though she lived in a bad neighborhood. Her favorite subjects were English and chemistry, and she wanted to be a scientist when she grew up. She was shy and did not like to draw attention to herself. Instead, she studied and worked hard. But lately it seemed like she was slipping away. What happened?