Chapter 2.

that's how the war ended." The teacher spoke as the room was full of boredom and no one actually paid attention to her. This was one thing that made Cyn hate her life a little less; her getaway - school.

When the bell rung Cyn picked up her books and wasted no time getting out of the door 'cause of her free period.

She walked to the cafeteria and sat on one of the lone benches and pulled out her granola bar since that was basically all that she had, she didn't worry though cause she had work after school, and when there's work there's money.

"Aye Cyn." Cyn looked up and saw Ryan, one of Oakland's wanna be 'gansters', he was nice lookin', and that was the problem, every female here done slept with him and who ain't, dreaming about it or next in line.

"What?" He came and sat beside her on the bench that she was on.

"Why you acting like that." He gripped her arm as she moved it away.

"Don't touch me." She rolled her eyes at him at him fixing her sweater.

"Why not, I only wanna get to know you." Cyn was going to this school nearly four years and he's just wanting to get to know her? This made Cyn laugh inside.

'Daddy told me about them...' She thought to herself

"Nah I'm good." She told him getting up.

"What's up with you. I only wanna-"

"Fuck me, I know." Cyn said before he scoffed.

"Why you actin' like that?" He asked holding out his arms.

"Like what exactly?" She asked raising her brow.

"A bitch!" He said aloud.

"Cause you can't get me I'm a bitch? Boy please." She got up picking up her books.

"You ain't nothing good but a trailer park mattress anyways, acting all important and shit and knowing you ain't fuck." He said walking off, rolling her eyes Cyn didn't have time for his shit, besides she already had a lot on her plate. She knew what these niggas was about, and she knew that they were up to no good.

After she got out of the cafeteria she roamed the halls until she had reached the bathroom.

When she got there not as much people were in there than she'd expected. Most of Oakland's girls only came to school to dress up anyways, so this was their spot.

Cyn went in one of the stalls and started to pee, she rolled a bit of tissue off and wiped between her legs, she removed the tissue and saw blood, Cyn hated having her period. She was surprised that she wasn't notified by the crucial cramps that would occur before her monthly came on.

She took a pad out of her bag and took the rapper off sticking it to her panties. Cyn pulled up her pants and then flushed the tissue down the toilet, she walked out of the stall and over to the sink where she washed her face and hands then dried it.

She walked out of the bathroom and into her last period class which was language arts.

She didn't have a problem with none of it, she just didn't like the teacher; she was one nosey bitch who Cyn felt like always wanted to know a scoop of her business and that was something Cyn didn't like Mrs. Parker for.

She pushed her way through the door and all eyes were on her, she was late once again.

"Ms. Bridges, please be seated." Mrs. Parker said.

"Did y'all hear Mathew got shot?" She heard one kid go and his side of the room just erupted in whispers.

Cyn sighed and walked over to her desk with her head hung low, ignoring everyone who was watching her. She finally made it to her seat and she sat down propping her hand under her chin.

"Now today we are going to learn about the Expository essay. Any topics?" She asked. Everyone looked around then someone's hand shot up.

"Dating." He said.

"Yes dating, what about dating? Now I want a rhetorical question." She said as a hand at the front shot up.

"Why is it important to date?" One guy said.

"I like where you guys are taking this but let's go further." She pushed.

"The importance of dating." She pulled the expo marker out of her drawer and began to draw the bullets.

"What are the importance of dating? And today you..." She said pointing directly at the students,

"...as young people don't know what dating is, its not some twenty four hour thing. Dating takes time." She stated, and this was true, sex was the only thing that roamed these kids minds; raw, dirty, raunchy sex.

"So what is the importance of dating?" She asked once more.

"To get to know the other person better."

"Why should you get to know someone better?" She asked.

"So before you open your legs you'll know if they infected or somethin'." One boy said as the class erupted in laughter.

"Okay any other......"

"So that you can learn love throughout the process, and maybe take things further than just dating, like marriage, lovers, soulmates..."

The class grew silent as Mrs. Parker stood to the board dumbfounded, they'd never took a lesson this deep, everyone looked around and was speechless.

"Good Damien." Mrs. Parker said snapping herself out her daze.

"Okay, this is a project for the end of the semester for you, what is dating and how do you see it?"

"I see it as getting that girl in my bed and getting her out by the crack a dawn, that's how I see it." Carlos said as Mrs. Parker straight faced him and the students laughed.

'Illegal ass'. Cyn thought as she rolled her eyes and pursed her lips.

the rest of the class there was nothing said other than Mathews death and work, but thing was Cyn had nothing written down on her paper as yet. The bell had rung and most of the class was already out the door as she stood up and started packing up her stuff.

"Um Cyntana?" Cyn rolled her eyes and faced Mrs. Parker.

"Yes."

She opened her mouth then closed it right back.

"I hope you do good." Taking a while, Cyn nodded and threw her bag over her shoulder. She was surprised that she hadn't stuck around longer; everyday she had some vision for Cyn.

Cyn walked out of the class and it started again.

"I heard it was over drugs."

"Nah man, he robbed one nigga and they retaliated."

"Yea man, we were real close you know." She mentally rolled her eyes and shook her head.

Through out the day Cyn managed to hold steady and move through as if it was nothing, she hated being in the mix and this wasn't what she stood for at all.

sat on the grocery store table since there were no customers in the shop and kicked her feet lightly.

"Get down Cyn." Reena said.

"Why?" She answered a little irritated.

"Cause this is a store. You not home." Hopping off the counter she noticed a few men walking in, it was about three of them. Cyn watched as each of them walked through several different aisle but none of them picked up anything, she finally saw one of them starting to make their way over to the register.

"Lemme get a mild and a lighter." One came to the counter and asked.

Cyn spun around and grabbed the pack of black & mild giving it to him. He felt them each deciding on the one he wanted and placed the pack on the counter.

"$2.75."

He pulled out a fifty dollar bill and slid it to over to her. She reduced his change from the total ten and handed it to him.

"Nah keep it."

"I don't want it." She said still holding the change to him.

"Don't worry bout it." He said again, hesitantly she took and thanked him.

"What's your name?" He said licking his lips, but not in raunchy way but more rather self-soothingly.

"Cyn."

"As in Cynthia?" He asked just like the other folks who encountered her would.

"No, Cyntana." He looked at her in confusion then nodded.

"That's different, I like it. I'm Rodney." He smiled.

The other two came to the counter shortly before purchasing what they wanted which was nothing more than a bunch of junk food and a few Swisher's.

"I'll see you around, Cyn." Cyn nodded. Before he walked out of the store he gave her one more glance.

"I'll see you too." She mumbled ringing up the other guys groceries,

Confusion played with Cyn's mind, curiosity filled it. She wondered who was he, where was he from. Cyn's thoughts were cut when realizing that her business was her; and only her...