Detroit, Late 1984
"I'm going to kill you, you stupid bitch!"
Thirteen year old Shea Williams sat up in her makeshift bed slowly; running a hand over her tired eyes. Her moms boyfriend had been screaming obscenities since midnight - throwing everything he could get his hands on around their shitty trailer - including her mother. Shea's heart fluttered in her chest as everything suddenly went eerily quiet. Was this it? Had he finally killed her? This was the norm at her house most mornings but sometimes her mothers chaos overwhelmed her into a full blown panic attack. This unfortunately was one of those mornings.
"Fuck you, Larry! You get the fuck out of here! I'm sick of your shit! You aren't my fucking husband I can fuck whoever I want!"
"Not while I'm paying your bills bitch!"
Shea exhaled the breath she'd been holding as the fight raged on. She pulled the thin sheet up to her neck and sank back into the mattress on the floor. As long as Maria and Larry were fighting - they were leaving her alone and for that she was thankful.
She hated her mother - for all that she put her through, a different, drug addicted man every month - a cold and damp trailer with no food. She glanced out the small window in her room, seeing the cool gray sky that threatened snow. The water pipes had to be frozen by now - since her mom spent what little money she had on booze instead of bills.
"Fuck you!"
The sound of her mother being slammed against the wall caused her to jump again, panic seizing her as Larry's heavy boots came down the hallway. She wasn't sure how much longer this would go on - or if he was really going to kill her mom or worse - come after her next.
X
"Rabbit, you need to go check on that girl next door."
Jimmy Smith, Jr. opened his eyes slowly, it was 6:32am. His mother, Stephanie Smith, was standing over him with a look of concern on her face; knowing all too well what that girl was going through - this was life living on 8 Mile.
"Rabbit. Get up. I can hear Larry screaming all the way over here. Shea could be in trouble. Go over there and check on her."
Shea was a smart girl; knew when to keep her head down and her mouth shut but this had been going on for to long and Larry would eventually get tired of beating on her mom and go in search for new blood.
"Get up."
Jimmy stood up from the couch quickly, grabbing his shoes and then a heavy coat from the rack beside the door. Stephanie had kept him awake most of the night with her own company but whoever he was laid content in her bed fast asleep. "Peck on her bedroom window. Don't go to the front door." She added; moving back through the trailer to check on his baby sister Lily.
"I'm going to kill that bastard."
Hr was out the door a second later - jogging across the lawn until he stood outside of Shea's bedroom window; a feeling of dread washing over him as he tapped on the glass gently. He could hear the adults in the house screaming and cussing loudly and wondered if Shea could even tell he was there. They had been friends since they were in six - when she punched a kid in kindergarten for making fun of his large buck teeth.
Since that day they took care of each other.
X
Shea jerked her head from the bedroom door to the window, surprised to see Jimmy come into view. The look on his face matched her own as he stood pecking on the thin glass. This was one of many times he'd came to her rescue. Slowly she made her way over to the window and lifted it up - ushering him inside quickly. A harsh burst of icy air flooded the small room - causing her to shiver.
Jimmy slid his lanky frame through the window with ease and crouched down to where Shea sat on her bedroom floor. He placed a finger to his lips as they listened to Larry's footsteps retreat back to the kitchen quickly.
"I don't need this shit Maria or you! Don't come crying to me next week when they cut your power and you and that little bitch freeze to death!"
Once the fight was back at the front of the small trailer Jimmy leaned close to Shea; searching her face. "Are you alright?"
Shea'a eyes were too large and bright blue; searching his desperately as she tried to take in air; her chest rising and falling in panic. "Hey. It's alright now. I'll fuck that asshole up if he comes in here. Calm down."
She nodded; unable to get her breathing under control as Jimmy held her at arm's length, running his hands over her arms. "Shea. Focus on me, okay? Like we practiced. Deep breaths into the lungs." Two weeks ago he had found her bruised and broken when Larry came home and her mother was out fucking some random asshole in Warren.
How a mother could continue dating someone that had put his hands on her own daughter was beyond both of them - another reason they both hated Ms. Williams.
Finally her desperate breathing calmed and she did as she was told; drawling air deep into her lungs.
"You're freezing." Jimmy muttered; running his hands over her bare arms quickly to try to make friction but it was no use. It took her another long moment before she could fully answer him; her words quick and desperate. "No heat or water here. Do you think your mom would let me take a shower before school?"
Shea looked up from the floor slowly - a look of pure heartache on her face. Jimmy hated that look - it brought him to his knees in front of her; brushing the fallen strands of dark brown hair from her face as he frowned, looking into two matching pools of blue. One day he would get them both as far away from this shit hole as he could.
"Yeah. Grab your stuff. Here." Jimmy shrugged off his jacket quickly and put it around her; forcing a smile as she looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Thanks, B…." She whispered as he helped her to her feet, watching her quietly as she went around the small room gathering what she needed for the day.
X