After walking Leo to his bus stop that was not that far from the house, I made my way towards school.

       As I walked along the sidewalk, I stretched my arms high in the air and yawned, trying to ignore the throbbing pain that continued on in my head. Leo wanted to help so bad...but I don't want her to make attempts to kill him too.

      And I don't want...it's best not to mention it.

     No one knows about our situation. No one. My aunt Naomi is busy following her dreams as a architect in Brooklyn, she doesn't know what lies behind her sister's mask.

      The cold autumn air filled my nose as my mind flushes. No more being home Lyric. Time to be school Lyric.

       With a low grin, I let my hand drag against the metal fence. My eyes glossed over the faded graffiti that rested over the sidewalk...I used to have a habit of spray painting on old buildings, but that habit died after I got a day job.

       "Hey!"

        Startled, I throw my hands in my face as a dark grey convertible speeds up the street. I lower my hands as Evelyn's hand waves frantically out of the window. Her bracelets clashing together. If it was a drive by, they wouldn't yell or ask question, they'd just open fire.

      "Don't act brand new! Get your ass in this car!" Evelyn shouts out, turning up her radio. I roll my eyes before jogging over to the passenger's side of the car.

      "Damn, your reflexes are horrible." Evelyn remarks as she doubled over in laughter. Evelyn was the definition of carefree. You'd hear her singing off key lyrics to Ciara and Beyonce.

      I let out a small chuckle as I buckle my seat belt. Evelyn hands me a large greasy bag.

      "And this is?" I ask, letting my eyebrow raise. Evelyn starts driving the car while throwing up gang signs of all sorts.

      "I got you your favorite, the egg, ham and cheese combo from Hardees." Evelyn speaks as several crumbs ran down her chin. My eyes widen at Evelyn throwing up the 1879 Red Crow sign.

        Instinctively, I reach over and smack her hand down. If anyone saw that and Evelyn was wearing blue...the gang will find out and make her life a living hell.

       "Hey!" Evelyn snaps at me angrily. I narrow my eyes at her short fit of rage. "Do you know what you're doing?" I ask her, my voice was so grim that Evelyn relaxes her glare.

        "Eve, that's a gang sign, and you're throwing it up at one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Philadelphia. The Red Crows are not to be fucked with...you hear?" I grab her shoulder as I warned her. Evelyn didn't mean doing stuff like that but that kind of stuff can get her killed out here.

        Evelyn purses her lips before talking again, "I hear you girl. I didn't even know....I saw some of my friends doing it and I thought it was some sort of dance gesture you do with your hands." She fumed as she made it to the crossroads.

       I pull out my sandwich from the greasy bag. Honestly. I never eaten food outside my house before, when Evelyn started buying me all sorts of food, I felt like being introduced to a new world.

       I close my eyes as I take a nice big bite, the eggs nearly falling onto my lap, the bacon welcoming my tastebuds and the cheese amplifying the flavor. My tongue screamed out heaven as I savoured every bite.

        "Okay. Question." Evelyn begun, breaking the silence. I'm busy stuffing my face by this wonderful creation to even hear her.

         Evelyn scrunched up her nose as she looks me up and down. "What the fuck is that?" She repulsed. I shrug as I continued eating my sandwich.

        Today I threw on my baggy sweatpants with a tight faded white t-shirt that was tightened around my chest area.

       "Clothes." I spoke between bites of my sandwich.

       "The hell they are! Your body is way too sexy for that. When we get to school we're getting you changed!" Evelyn fusses at me as I carelessly ate the crust part of my sandwhich.

        "I picked your outfit out today. It's all black so you don't need to feel like you're center of attention." Evelyn continues on as we grew closer to the school's parking lot.

        Archibald High. The school that consisted of multiple fights. People who are busy warped in who's beefing with who and the hallways continued to smell like weed.

       If I'm honest. I feel safer there more than I do at home.

       Evelyn glances over at me.

       "Is everything alright at home?" Evelyn asks out of the blue. Her eyebrows were raised as her lips were formed in a straight line.

       I smile, "There's nothing wrong. I'm fine." I lie as I wave my hand at her dismissively. I look out the window of the car at the dark grey sky.

       "Wow, the sky is beautiful innit?" I ask, trying to change the subject. "But it's gonna rain...." Evelyn grumbles as she makes another turn.

       "Still...it's beautiful in a way." I chirp as a weird toothy smile grew across my face.

         Evelyn lets out a fake scoff, "You're cute. But you're weird. I don't know how you can be both at the same time but somehow you did it."

         I could feel my eyes slightly water as my eyebrows lowered down. "Shit...I forgot how sensitive you are..." Evelyn sighed as she made her way down the parking lot.

       "Don't worry about it." I reply sharply as Evelyn parks at the farthest end away from the all the cars. I rest my head against the seat, drawing in a deep breath.

       "Hey. You still need to get this diploma." Evelyn lectures, knowing that this is a line I would typically use with her.

       But nonetheless, she's right. I need this more than anything.