PLEASE DON'T TAKE, DON'T TAKE IT PERSONAL LIKE I KNOW YOU USUALLY DO
______ die with you.
|ELEMENTARY SCHOOL|
KASSANDRA WAS ALWAYS an optimistic woman, never going unhappy for too long no matter the circumstances. She spent her entire life trying to instill this trait in everyone around her, especially her children.
She is what some would call a 'free spirit' but in her opinion, she was just doing what made her feel good. Being happy made her feel good.
Though she understood happiness wasn't a feeling that stuck around long for most people because of the situations they were born in. So she tried being someone people like that needed, she sought it her reason to live.
Be someone to someone, was her motto.
"Don't you got homework to do little girl?" Kassandra sassed playfully
"No!" Kenji giggled, "You can even check my book-bag."
Eyeing her daughter's mischievous smile, Kassandra simply shook her head "Imma let your father handle that."
"Daddy is a silly man. He tried helping me with my homework yesterday and he was more confused than me."
"You're in third grade... what is there to be confused about?" Kassandra raised an eyebrow, placing the dish rag across the sink
"Thats what I said!" Kenji exclaimed, dramatically throwing her hands in the air
Before Kassandra could reply, her chest tightened as she roughly coughed. She quickly ripped a paper towel off of the rack, holding it to her mouth.
Kenji frowned, even though she was so young. She wasn't naive. She knew something was wrong with her mother, plus, the blood gave it away,
"You okay mommy?" The little girl tilted her head innocently before running around the kitchen island-counter to retrieve a water bottle from the fridge
Kassandra weakly smiled, taking a seat on a stool as Kenji handed her the water "I'm alright baby. Don't you worry your pretty little head about me."
Wiping around her mouth with the paper towel, she stared at the blood clots she'd coughed up then shook her head and threw it in the trash.
Kassandra had cancer, stage two lung cancer to be specific and it was only spreading as the days passed. The disease had been hereditary in her family for as long as she could remember, oddly enough it was more prominent in women of her bloodline.
Kenji twisted her lips, playing with her fingers "You lie, mommy." She whispered
Kassandra's eyebrows furrowed, "About what?"
"You say you're okay but I know you aren't." She stared down at the floor
The older woman sighed, she chuckled quietly, playing with the tight 4c curls in her daughter's head "You listen to me, hm?"
Kenji looked up at her mother expectingly, confused at her laughter.
"You're right." She began, smiling softly "I don't know if I am okay. I don't know if I will be... but what I do know is how much I love you. No matter what happens to me in these next couple months, whether I am okay or not, I love you more than anything on this planet and nothing, not even my sickness can stop that. You understand me?"
Kenji nodded, "I love you more."
"Mhm." Kassandra laughed, "And don't call me no lie, lil girl! Thats a curse word."
Before Kenji could respond, the loud yelling of Sekani upstairs interrupted the mother and daughter duo. Kassandra raised an eyebrow while Kenji giggled loudly. They watched as the boy ran down the stairs towards the front door as though he was on fire.
"My mom's outside!" He yelled, his book-bag flopping roughly against his back "Bye guys! Love y-"
Just as he rushed out the door, a tall woman had already been standing there about to knock making him collide into her, sending him tumbling to the floor.
"Boy!" Anita rolled her eyes, staring down confusedly at her son "What are you doing? Matter fact- I don't even wanna know, just go to the car."
Sekani laughed, quickly hopping back onto his feet and running outside towards the black Honda.
Once he was out of sight, Anita closed the door and shook her head "That's exactly why I be telling his hardheaded ass to stop running in the house!"
Kassandra chuckled, "That's all him and Santana do."
Anita hummed in agreement, walking closer with her arms open for a hug "Hey lady." She glanced at Kenji whom stood there giggling "Hey KenKen."
She shyly waved, glancing between her mother and Anita as they hugged and began a conversation that she could hardly understand.
"Glad you came to see me." Kass said, taking a sip of her water
Anita laughed softly, placing her hands on her hips "How you been? Hopefully getting better."
With a small smile, Kass chuckled "I been good but Ion think i'm getting better. Sometimes I just pray God does what he thinks is best. I won't question him."
Nodding in agreement, she sighed softly "Thats all you can do, love. Take it day by day and continue to pray and also have hope."
"My doctor been mentioning chemotherapy but can we even afford that? I did some research and most times chemo doesn't help so I'm conflicted."
"Is there anything else you could do?"
Kassandra bit her bottom lip, glancing down at her daughter whom stood next to her "Gone on outside. We talking about grown folks business."
Kenji narrowed her eyes up at the woman, she was hoping her mother forgot she was there and kept talking. She murmured a small huff but didn't say anything, she simply followed directions.
Once she stepped foot outside, she immediately felt the suns heat hitting her body and the wind blowing softly. It was hot as hell but oddly enough it felt good.
Kenji walked further into the front yard, a quick smile gracing her face once she saw her best friend (in her mind) and crush sitting on his porch.
"Siah!" She yelled, waving her hands wildly in the air to catch his attention
Blake stared at her with clear boredom in his eyes. He truly and wholeheartedly thought it was something mentally wrong with the little girl.
Before he could fully start his normal routine of ignoring her, she pranced her way into his yard and right onto his porch
He sighed deeply "What?"
"What ya doinnn'?" She asked, smiling cheekily while twirling her hands behind her back
"I'm locked out of my house." He mumbled, his lips formed into a frown when he noticed the large bandaid on her knees "What happened to you?"
"Oh, I fell off my bike."
"Did you cry?"
Twisting her lips, Kenji made a humming sound "Yeah... but my dad said scars just show how strong and brave you've been."
At that topic, Blake glanced down at the new cigarette burn his dad recently put on his forearm. It was just one of the many scars that littered his body.
"Cool."
A silence emerged over the two children, making Kenji chew on her lip out of awkwardness. There is nothing more she hated than quietness after a conversation because what is there to talk about now?
Blake rolled his eyes, noticing her change in body language and the reason for it "You talk a lot like a lot, a lot. More than a normal person should."
"You're mean." She scrunched her nose at him, softly kicking his shoe
"Yeah and you're stupid." He huffed, scooting farther away from her standing figure "You should learn that not every bit of silence has to be filled up with your loud mouth."
Kenji gasped, "How dare you? You still pee in the bed!"
Blake looked away from her as his cheeks burned bright red from embarrassment, "I haven't did that in three weeks, liar." He grumbled
Laughing hysterically, she held her stomach "You're actually funny."
"Okay, great. Can you go away now? I want to wait for my mom to come home by myself."
"I thought we were starting to get along and finally have a bond like all the other real friends!" Kenji sighed dramatically
"I didn't even know we were friends." He slowly blinked at her
"Oh that's low, even for you." She pressed her tongue against her cheek
"Sorry. Can you go away now?"
"Why don't you like me?"
"Because you're annoying."
"I just want to be your friend and help you."
"What?" He paused, looking at her with a scrunched face "I don't need your help with anything. Stay away from me."
"Everyone needs help, silly." Kenji crossed her arms over her chest sassily
"Not me."
But instead of normally reacting with sadness, Kenji gave him a smile and waved as she walked away towards her house.
"See you at school tomorrow Siah!"
Blake rolled his eyes irritably, even though a small smirk tugged at the corners of his lips.
I PROMISE TO GET A LITTLE BETTER AS I GET OLDER AND YOU'RE SO PATIENT AND SICK OF WAITIN'
AUTHORS NOTES %
This is just a filler chapter.
Feeling like this guy rn ð« this the shortest chapter I ever put out but hell I had to think of some