Chapter 11.

. That was what the 2nd of April made Cyn, she didn't receive anything better yet she didn't even had anything to do, but just being able to say that she's a responsible adult said something, there was a time where she couldn't have call herself one, but if you'd ask; she was one from a very long time considering the fact that she had taken care of herself from at the tender age of thirteen.

She had school today, but she wasn't going. Point was that she didn't feel like it and honestly Cyn didn't have any money to go. She'd been ridding on air now for the past week and that shit wasn't cutting it, she heard Rodney leave awhile ago and if he knew her ass was still here laying up he'd probably smash her head.

Hearing her stomach talk back to her, Cyn got out of the bed and she walked to the kitchen to fix something to eat.

She went to the fridge and pulled out a carton of eggs along with a package of bacon. She then walked to the cupboard and pulled out the rarely used skillet.

Cyn got the olive oil and she greased the pan before the putting it on the stove, she walked back over to the counter where she picked up the eggs.

"I thought I sent you to school..." She jumped at the sound of Rodney's voice causing her to drop an egg.

He walked into the kitchen with both hands in his pockets as he stood before her bareback.

"I- I..." She didn't know what to say and even if she said something she knew that she would've gotten caught up in her lies.

"You what...We had an agreement, and your not keeping your word Cyn. How you suppose to live like that, you gotta be a man of your words." He said flashing a look of disappointment.

"I really wasn't feeling school today I-" He cut her off before she could've said anything else.

"You betta' don't lie..." He said coming closer to her biting his lips.

"I-I just...well I don't got no money" she was lost for words really and she had a big ass lump in her throat.

"Why you ain't ask me for somethin', you know I'd give it to yuh'."

"You know I ain't the one to ask." He chuckled about to walk away.

"Pride is one dangerous bitch ain't it." He smirked as she chose to ignore him.

"It's not pride, I just wanna get shit on my own." He looked up at Cyn and shook his head.

"In order to make it somewhere your ass gotta make couple a' sacrifices even if it mean going out your way to ask for shit...get dressed." He said blandly.

"What?"

"I said get dressed it's only after nine." Rolling her eyes she flung the pan down into the sink as she heard him chuckled.

fact that Cyn let some twenty-three year old talked her into going as if he was her daddy really bothered her. She really wasn't feeling this school today honestly and she knew people saw the look on her face.

"So what you doin' since it's our senior year?" Travis asked biting into his burger as she picked at her fries.

"Travis to be honest right now I really don't care bout' no damn school, I just wanna be up and outta' here." She answered.

"What's been goin' on I'on even know why you left you could've stayed...who are you even staying with?"

"It don't matter just know that I'm safe as hell and doin' better than ever and that's that."She smiled knowing she was getting some sense of peace.

"Well that's good.... Happy birthday by the way." He said remembering.

"Thanks..." She said smiling at him.

"I was suppose to get you something but I'on know you lil' picky." He said squinting his eyes causing Cyn to laugh.

"Nigga I'm sure anything would do..." She said as he nodded.

" Cyntana Bridges please report to the principles office immediately, Cyntana Bridges please report to the principles office now!"

Cyn and Travis looked at each other in unison as she scrunched up her face.

"What the hell you done did sis." Travis said as she wondered the same.

"I'on know, I'll be right back." She said irritated.

"By time you get back lunch gone be over..." He said with his brow raised and Cyn brushed him off.

She made her way out of the cafeteria down the hall to Mrs. Gaskin's office. She pushed the door open without knocking and to her surprise there sat Debra leaning back in the chair.

"Nah, I'm not doin' this..." Cyn said about to turn around.

"Miss Bridges please sit..." She heard Mrs. Gaskin speak.

Rolling her eyes she pulled out the chair and flung her body down into it.

"What?" She answered as Cyn looked at her.

"Miss Frazier would you like to explain to her." Cyn looked at her aunt who sat there with a swollen eye, she looked as if she was pounded to powder in the clothes that she wore. Cyn hated to openly admitted but she felt sorry for her.

"It's your mama Cyn..." She said running her hand over her face as Cyn sat up.

"What about her?"

"They found her yesterday in her cell....with a sheet hung around her neck." She said as tears fell from her eyes ...Cyn didn't know why, but every time she saw this woman she made her sick, her façade that she had put up had her sitting there with her mouth slightly parted.

Cyn felt something in her but it wasn't compared to what she had felt for her Daddy's, hurt, but still it didn't faze Cyn, she didn't know what to think better yet what to do. That was her mama but at the end of the day how can you have feelings someone who had abandoned you, better yet someone you never expressed or gotten love from. Cyn didn't know what to think or how to go about this.

The bell had rang and without a word Cyn got up from the seat and left for her fifth period. She pushed her way through the crowded hall and the only thing that kept playing in her head was the day that her mother had left her....

"Baby I'mma be right back alright, I'm just gone get a few stuff for us, mama gone make sure you straight baby girl, I'm gone make sure you need for nothin'." She rambled

"Where are you going mama?" Cyn said looking up at her.

"I'm just goin' away for a few days just to get better, I promise you baby that I'll be back. Your Mama's baby alright, you my everything."

"Okay mama."

"Be good baby and don't let a soul tell you what you can't do from what you can..." She said and young Cyn nodded.

"Okay mama..."

"I love you baby....." She said pressing her lips against her forehead.

Cyn watched as her mother hoped in a tow truck with some unknown man driving off into the night and never once looking back...

That was the last time she'd ever saw her mother's face. Ever since that night my life been going down hill.......

Cyn got to Rodney's after work, nobody was there, she threw her bag on the couch. She went straight into the room, Cyn couldn't have waited until she had gotten out of those clothes.

She found herself in the bath tub, cleansing herself of today's dirt, the water felt so good running down her spine as she gasped a bit, she ain't never had nothing like this at home, speaking of home, she felt so dependent on Rodney, she really wanted something for myself.

Cyn wanted to get a place of her own, in the next month or two, fuck graduation. She wasn't even planning on finishing the whole semester and it was fine by her.

Getting the drying off towel she dried off her body and threw on her boy shorts with a big shirt.

Cyn stepped out of the bathroom and saw the living room light on and last time she checked she had left it off, she walked to the living room seeing it empty and turned towards the kitchen where she saw Rodney standing up shirtless leaning on the counter top.

"How long you been here?" She asked him using the towel to dry her hair, he looked up at her as his eyes roamed her body, she felt like he was stripping her and they weren't even touching.

"I just came, you been here this whole time?" He asked and she nodded.

"Yea..." He nodded as he kept his eyes on her, ignoring his gaze she walked over to the fridge and grabbed her sandwich that she had brought from work and placed it in the microwave.

"You couldn't have brought me one?" Rodney asked playfully.

"I would've; I just didn't know your taste." She shrugged it off.

"Anything would've worked...how was your day." Remembering it Cyn pursed her lips and rest her sandwich in the plate.

"It was alright I guess." She lied as he took a bite of her sandwich. She tried to wiped the thoughts of her mothers death out of her head.

"Well that's good enough ain't it." He said and she nodded.

Far from good enough; closer to deceit, hurt and just plain lies.....

"Somethin' off about you..." he mumbled leaning over the counter.

"Something like what?" She spoke lowly causing him to stand up straight.

"Your whole aura Cyntana." Cyn felt water build up at the brim of her eyes as she fought the urge to cry. Rodney caught on and walked over to her.

He looked down at her letting at a breath and held he by her shoulders.

"You good?" He asked as she looked up at him.

That's question alone broke her as the tears only fell.

Deciding not to question it. He pulled her into him as she held a firm grip on him.

He knew she was going through it. He knew that this girl was broken.