kind of person who had the ability to just disregard comments like this, but the guffaws of CAT M'NOO and her friends cause a blush of humiliation to come overwhelm me in its waves. I kno

YDIA is also making her way to the back towards the storeroom, and I trail beh

s, KYOLINE. Your mother is not feel

nd. And she's either locked herself out of the apa

ing note as always of the marble c

were black or white. Right or wro

ife-my life, especially

hy I pla

nd number of each square, a million sequences, and a multitude of strategies. And

of predetermined moves? Which if you m

predetermined steps. But in life, all you can do i

nce around me before carefull

ed you. I'm si

ge inwardly, hoping Lydia d

I'm coming.

something. "But I can't

ll be there in a bit,

like the parent and felt like

tten the money from the gun run, that's going to go towards the two months' rent we're behind an

ing on the floor outside our apartment. "Come on,

ey and help her stagger to her bedr

me." She st

is yet another loser who she'll be better off without,

It'll make you feel better." And it will sober her

pouring the coffee when a knock a

n-about my mom causing a disturbance when she couldn't get into our

oor to find a man holding

for KYOL

ing about smiles and laughter-they're infectious and brighten up the whole day. Maybe th

ling a lungful of their heady perfume before I examine the card. The flowers are from TENZ JER'SEY. They have to be a good sign. He wouldn't be sending me flowers if I was useless or meaningless-if I was unlovable, right? Because people comment on my background f

pretty certain that he would never do something like that t

wers again and grab

owers are gorge

you, baby. Aren't

come home for

ng in the back room at MANCHESTER LED at 5 p.m

extra work after having to leave

r shift. After putting the flowers in water and looking at them again, I know I should be quick if I don't w

auto as I head over to my closet. I stand before all the sparkly dresses before me, my gold-tipped fingers running over the fabrics as I deliberate over my options. And my eyes fall on the security tag

arkly dresses, it allows me to play the part of being worth something and

at that's not reall

h it's not gold exactly because the sales tag reads that it's CHAMPAGNE MIST. This dress, and all of the other one

ready as quickly as possible, finishing it off with my work

y green eyes, I calculate in my mind how much money I'll earn this afternoon and h

nd, where I know that it'll more likely sit and get cold and stay unt

anything on Valentine's Day in my entire life, and I'm in such a great mood

le cloud of happiness, daydre

going to get pull

down to t

s for the family of m

asy. It's because it reminds me of the sun. Of happiness. And of positivity. Because with all of the issues in

ng I hear. No tire squeal, no beep-just the near-silent glide of a car pulling up next to

y eye to see if I can make out who's in the

t inches along beside me. Goosebumps erupt on my arms. I walk a b

my chest. Is someone behind me? Or a policeman

feel if my dress is still on, wincing when my fingers touch hard plastic. The