Over time Anita had made me feel more welcome. Of course I tried to run away again, but after failing a second time I never tried again. I don't plan on trying again either, Anita had made me feel like I belonged somewhere. She took time to understand me. She even tries not to waste food, but she doesn't like leftovers so she just makes smaller portions. She restored my hair and taught me how to take care of it. She's just amazing, better than any foster home I've ever experienced. Plus, over the summer I worked with teachers and I'm all caught up for 8th grade.

"ARE YOU READY FOR SCHOOL MARIAH?" Anita called out from downstairs.

"YES MA'AM." I said picking up my booksack and slinging it over my shoulder. I ate breakfast then she dropped me off at school.

I walked into the school and started looking for the office.

Somebody bumped into me and I went flying onto the floor. I quickly stood up already annoyed. "Could atleast say sorry." I mumbled.

"Why would I say sorry ? you bumped into me." He said turning around.

"No you bumped into me."

"Did not"

"Did too."

"Shut up."

"Ugh. I HATE YOU." I said walking off. Ruining my first day of school already.

"I HATE YOU TOO." He yelled back and I flipped him off making him flip me back off. We both walked off angrily.

I kept walking through the school with a mug plastered on my face.

Some girl bumped into me and my already bad mood skyrocketed. "Omg I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there. It's my first day and I'm sorta lost. You don't care.. omg I'm rambling again. I'm sorry , I do it when I get nervous."

"Woah, calm down." her rambling somehow eased my bad mood. "I'm lost too.. maybe we can help eachother?" I suggested.

"Yeah, thanks. What's your name?"

"Mariah, yours?"

"Adonna."

"That's cute!"

"Thank you, yours too."

"Your skin is glowing."

"Thank you, my mom says it's melanin."

"I want melanin. How do I get it?" I asked and she laughed.

"You already have it silly."

"I'm confused."

"Basically it's your skin." she said then she started explaining it to me.

"That's the first time anyone's ever told me that."

"What about your mom? My mom tells me all the time."

"I don't have a mom, I just got adopted 2 months ago."

"Then what about your adoptive mom? My mom always said family is the people that love you the most."

"She's the best."

"We're gonna be family now." she said and I nodded.

"How about we be sisters?" I suggested.

"I like that."

"How was school?" Anita asked me as I got into the car.

"Some boy bumped into me and made me mad." I I huffed then started rambling. "But then I bumped into my new sister, Adonna. She taught me what melanin is, how come you never told me about that? But I'm ready to go home now, I'm kind of hungry. Can I call you Nana? Adonna says family is more than blood, that means we're family."

"Slow down Mariah. I'll tell you more about black history when we get home. We can stop and get fast food if you'd like. And yes you can call me Nana, because we're family. Also look what came in the mail today."

She handed me my new birth certificate and I smiled. I never knew I wanted a last name until I had someone important to me. I'm officially Mariah Lynn Valentine.

"ADONNA COME ON ... WE BOUTA BE LATE." I yelled walking into her house. "It's our last 1st day of high school, we needa be on time."

"I'd rather be fashionably late." She said fixing her hair and I rolled my eyes.

"Well I'd like to be fashionably on time."

"Can you believe I'm a YouTuber of all things and you do hair with a big ass ig following?" She cheesed.

"Yeah, i mean look at us. Talented bad bitches."

"yup, it's the melanin. but I'm ready."

"Ite come on"

I posted a picture I took this morning, with my newest hair color. I'm known for coloring wigs and always having colorful hair in. I know how to do installs, but I'm not a big fan of doing them.

Adonna took her picture and captioned it telling people to watch her new YouTube video.

Adonna's really into fashion and natural hair, so that's what's on her channel, hair videos , hauls, etc.

Occasionally we both host events but for me it's just fun and extra money, to her it's a possible career path.

"let's go, we already behind. Plus I told Alyssa I'd come get her." I said getting in the car and Adonna got on the passenger side.

We picked up Alyssa, got breakfast, then we made our way to school.

Alyssa^

"Ayeee, we got classes together." I cheesed looking at Adonna.

"Well duh, we did sign up for the same stuff."

"Look girl don't start."

"Man I only got lunch with y'all, let me go find this class." Alyssa huffed walking off. I didn't say nothing cause we not close like that.

Me and Adonna found our class and walked in. "I still don't like his ass." I mumbled to Adonna about Chris.

"Girl that was 8th grade year let it go." She laughed and I shook my head no.

"Nahh, he pissed me off that day." I said taking a seat.

"Alright guys... PAY CLOSE ATTENTION. Today you will be assigned a partner. You and your partner will sit together from this point forward. You'll be working on a project that's worth 50% of your grade. They'll be some class time to work on it, but you and your partner will have to meet outside of school."

"When's it due?" Some random boy asked.

"I wasn't done. Every 2 weeks you'll be given a new assignment to complete with your partner. If your partner isn't doing the work let me know immediately. There going to be two groups, group A and group B, you'll be doing different work. Everyone will turn in their projects halfway through the semester to be reviewed. After that A groups and B groups will be paired up. The 4 of you will put your work together for the next part of the assignment. It's due the last month of school. THIS IS WORTH HALF YOUR GRADE, if you fail you will fail this class."

"Wait I'm confused." I spoke up and Chris sucked his teeth mumbling something.

"On what?"

"How do the A and B groups work."

"A and B groups are researching different things. You'll need both sets of research to do the last part of the assignment next semester. Which is why your group of 2 will turn into a group of 4." I nodded and she started assigning partners. Hopefully I get Adonna.

"Adonna and Luke, group A."

Adonna rolled her eyes at the teacher and I waited impatiently for my name.

"Mariah and Chris, group B."

"she can't be serious." I mumbled.

"guess you gotta let it go now." Adonna chuckled.

"who? not me. I'm still salty he ruined my day."

"It wasn't ruined, you met me and learned bout black history."

"I can't believe them folks from foster care ain't teach me, but then again they was abusive soooo..." I trailed off and Adonna frowned.

"Well on the bright side .. you got the best nana ever."

"fax no printer."

"Sit with your partners, and NO YOU CANT SWITCH." the teacher said and I rolled my eyes.

Adonna got up and went sit next to Luke, while I got up to go sit by Chris. We went by them so that our seats could be by eachother.

"Hey." I mumbled sitting down.

"wassup."

"the sky."

He shook his head. "I see you still irritating."

"I see you still rude."

"You bumped into me."

"Did not."

"Did too."

We were interrupted by Adonna tapping our shoulders. "Let it go, y'all needa do this project or y'all failing."

"Whatever." we both mumbled turning around.

I looked him up and down. "Copycat."

"How tf was I was posed to copy you."

"i-" I started but was cut off by Adonna. "Don't start. Me and Luke dont want hear that."

"Forget you and Luke we tryna argue in peace." He said.

"Facts." I agreed till I realized I agreed with him, shit think fast. "Wait holdup don't do her."

"Uh uh. Stop." Adonna said before he could reply. He just sucked his teeth and I laughed. Adonna nudged me and I rolled my eyes.

"I'll stop mentioning it if you stop mentioning it."

"I guess we could agree to disagree." he said and I nodded.

"Since they group A and we group B, maybe we'll be a group of 4 next semester."

"The first step of the project is to get to know your partners, I'll give you each a questionnaire to fill out on your partner. Find out as much as you can about them, it's due at the end of the week." The teacher said passing out the papers.

The rest of the day flew by and I learned Chris was in literally all my classes, annoying.

Soon it was time for cheer auditions. Me and Adonna didn't have to try out because we're captain and co-captain. We just have to pick the members.

"Don't forget you said you'd host that party with me Friday." Adonna said and I nodded. "I forgot to ask my mama. Lemme text her. You asked nana?"

"Yeah, I asked as soon as you asked." Nana never really gave trouble when asking to go places, she knows I'm responsible. Adonna's mom lets her do social media, but she doesn't want her to do it forever.

"Whew.. she said yeah." she cheesed.

We picked the cheer team members then went to the car.

"Ugh, where have y'all been?" Alyssa asked standing next to my car and I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Cheer auditions, why you still here?"

"Your my ride home."

"Girl I ain't agree to all that, you asked for a ride cause you was running late. But come on ima bring you. You got lucky auditions didn't take longer."

After I dropped them off I went home and waited for Nana to come.