1)The Songs




“Jade get down here it’s 8:45!” yelled my mom. I swifted my bangs to the side of my face. “Ma I’m coming, hold up!” I yelled back. I reached for my book bag but something stopped me from grabbing it. The sun the irritating sun beamed at me its force pushing me back. I turned to the mirror. I took a good look. Stupid glasses, dumb braces, but that’s not all I saw. A nobody wanting, longing to be a somebody, somebody who was lost just wanting and waiting to be found. I was looking at me, really cleary for the first time. “Who are you Jade Dawson?” I asked myself. “Jade get down here now!” yelled my mom even louder. My trance was broken at that moment; I grabbed my book bag and didn’t look back.

“The twins and Kamal are waiting for you outside, go ahead” she passed me their lunches. “And stop sagging those pants so low, pull them up!” I grabbed the twins hands. All she does is nag me. What I do, what I say, …what I wear. I could see if I walked out the house wearing big blue overalls, too tight pink tights or a black leotard with a matching beatbox in my hand singing “Lord of the Free”. No offense Kiara Nelson, I love the your style!
As I looked across the street, there was a guy who it seemed like he had been following me for the last five minutes. “Come on guys…were going to be late.” We started to walk faster. The twins were both 10, looked exactly alike but acted completely different. There was Jamal who was the oldest but so sensitive and sweet. You could be so mean to him, but he wouldn’t care, he would still treat you how you deserve to be treated and truly accept you for who you truly are, even if you didn’t know who you were. And then there was Jamel the youngest who was really stubborn and was always in a bad mood. He did hold grudges…a lot. One time I took his ice cream sandwhich out the fridge without asking, he went billistic and didn’t talk to me for a week. The only reason he got over it was because he took mine. Revenge is Sweet! Kamal was 12. He loves basketball, mom and our big brother Trevell. Oh I almost forgot! Trevell is our oldest brother. He recently dropped out of high school, joined a gang and was kicked out of the house. He ruined his whole life and he’s not even 18 yet but that’s not how it’s going to be for me. For I Jade Analeigh Dawson have a plan.





“Okay have a good day you guys, give your big sis a big kiss,” I said. Kamal and Jamel both stepped back and looked at me like I was crazy but Jamal sweet Jamal gave me a tender kiss on the cheek. “I’ll miss you guys”I said walking away towards my school. I reached in my bag to get my cell phone. “9:03! Oh my god I’m going to be late!” I yelled. With only 2 minutes left on the clock I ran, ran as fast I could possibly endure. As I was running I couldn’t help but look across the street and see the same guy from earlier running too. There it was the school door, I was almost there. RINGGGG!!!! There was the Manchester security guard waiting and willing to hand me my free pass to detention.
“Getting detentions already, Jade” he said. Yup! “Yeah you know me Joe!” I said happily, welcoming my pass of lateness. “Am I late?” said a voice behind me. It was him!! That lunatic that followed me the whole way? He goes here? Oh My GOD! “Yes. Sorry sir you and this young lady here both were just a couple of seconds late” said Joe. He looked over at me. “Really?” said the stranger unleashing his deep dimples. When he smiled it sent a cool chill through me..but not in a creepy way! I was relaxed! “Yes but you guys must get to class, hurry I would not want you two to be later than you already are!” said Joe in his big boy Itailian accent. And so we went two totally opposed directions…for now at least.







All throughout class I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Who he was or where he came from? But what bothered me most was that he was’nt even my type or even a type I would consider. He was Asian!!! And he had on those skater skinny jeans that I hate!!! Maybe Im just trippin out or something I did have ma’s spaghetti last night. Yeah that’s it. It’s just the spaghetti talking. Dang and Grandma said she saw some hair in those meatballs! What are we having tonight…chicken? I think.
“Would anyone care to to tell me the meaning of the liteary term assonance?” asked my English teacher Mr. Gruntzel. He looked around. “No one… what about you Ms Dawson?” I quickly snapped out of my trance… but not that quickly. “Huhh?” I asked unawarly. He had to look at me! “What does assonance mean?” he said as if he was running out of patience. “Um…I don’t know how am I supposed to know.” I said with a very nonchalant attitude, the best I must say I’ve had yet. “Ok well anyone else…” said Mr. Gruntzel. I sighed to myself. “Mr. G… a assonance is when vowel sounds are repeated constantly in any kind of approximate, internal or liteary poem…right?” I said. Mr Gruntzel looked at me in a really weird way. He looked at me as if though he was in some way proud of me. Then again he could have just been constipated off of drinking all that prune juice from the cafeteria. I mean he does do that a lot and prune juice really is in this season. Or it could have just been the constipated look that he gets every now and again. But I hope it wasn’t. I hope he really was proud. That would be a nice feeling. “Right!,” he said with a smile. I guess he was. RINGGG!!! “Class is over, don’t forget tommorow huge liteary terms quiz, study!!”






“Jade I just wanted to say good work today..and I was just wondering if you could be my tutoring intern, you know tutor other students in English!” asked Mr G. Me!?! I glanced back. Even though English class was like the easiest thing in the world because English was like poetry and poetry was like my life, but I had too many other things going on. I had to watch Kamal and the twins after they get home from basketball practice, then watch Michael my other baby brother who’s 3…I know I have a lot of brothers and I had to check on Trevell to see if he’s doing okay too. “Um Mr G it’s not a good time right now?” I told him straight up. “Is everything okay at home, hows Trevell is he doing okay?” he asked in a concerned manner. Mr. G knew about Trevell joining the gang and getting kicked out. Trevell was one of his best history students. He was always there whenever he needed him. That’s what I liked about Mr G always understanding and caring but never too much in your business. Ive had Mr G since freshman year and he’s always been a big help to me. I’m starting to see why Mr G was Trevell’s favorite teacher. “Yeah he’s doing good but I gotta-…” I said trying to get away. “Oww Kung pow chicken you just bumped right-…” I yelled.




I looked up and it was the same guy from this morning. “We have to stop running into each other like this!!,” he said with a cocky attitude followed by a smile. “And a better name rather than Kung POW rice ball would probably be the Maui Wowi or something cause…I’m Haiwian.” My face went into shock. I’m such a hypocrite! I always get so mad when peolple try to categorize me into one race (me being two:Mexican and Black) and now here I am making fun of one in a very stereotypical way, who has done me no wrong. “I’m so, so, so sorry, I can’t believe I just said that…that was ignorant rude and stupid of me.” I said as I walked out the door. I don’t expect him to ever talk to me again…no scratch that look at me! When I looked back he didn’t look mad, discouraged or sad. “Hey wait up, it’s okay. Besides I know something you could do to help me get over that tragic, tragic thing you just said.” He said with a smile, unleashing his dimples…he was so FINE!!
“Um what do you have in mind?!?” I asked.
“You could tell me your name or I’ll just keep nagging you until you do. It’s your choice whichever is fine with me!”
“Well, I really must say I have enjoyed your company but you have been following me for the last 11 minutes now. Shouldn’t you be getting home? Bye the way that question was rhetorical!”
“Don’t worry I’m going the right way, friend”
“I’m going to turn at the next corner sooo bye “friend”!!”
“Me too.”

It had been about 15 minutes now and he had still made every left, right and straight I had. “ Well I guess this is were we say good bye. I have to cross the street but you still haven’t told me your name” he said with another gorgeous smile.
“Well didn’t you nagg me!”
“Yeah but-..”
“No buts you nagged, so you get no name! That was the deal!”
“Oh okay well I guess I’ll just try tommorow then huh?”
“Wow you are a persistant one aren’t you?, you’ll never quit.”
“Well you know me”
“No I don’t.”
“Well I’m Ryan and you are…”





I can’t believe him. He won’t leave me alone. Doesn’t he realize that were talking to each from across the street. Everybody looking at us like were crazy. “ It’s…J.D okay” I said finally. He smiled. “Oh well JD can I tell you something… I’m not Hawaian I’m Chinese.” Said Ryan.



Oh my god! Are you kidding me! Calm down Jade! Just be really calm, you can handle this! “Then why did you say you were Hawaian?” I said in a calm tone that made it seem like I didn’t even care.
“Let’s see to get your name.”
“Oh the academy award goes to Ryan.”
“Why thank you but aren’t you supposed to be getting home. I thought I made it clear to you that were just friends. I know you like me but-…”
“NOOO!! I wish you would leave me alone. I’m going to go in my house and and youre going to go in yours. But do you want to know what’s the best part?”
“What? Please enlighten me!”
“Getting away from you!! Bye “Friend”!”







As I turnt into my entrance way I couldn’t help but look back to see if he was still walking or had just turnt back the other way. But he did neithier. He was across the street, exactly parallel to my house unlocking the door with his key. Are you serious? That’s why he was following me just now and earlier! “Jade, Jade come in, there are some people I’d like you to meet.” Called my Ma. Who could that be? Two people of Chinese descent emerged from behind the door. “Jade meet Mr and Mrs Song, Mr and Mrs Song this is my daughter Jade!” she said with a phony smile. “There are new neighbors from across the street, you may know their son Ryan, he goes to your school. Im sure you guy can be great friends.” She said too excited.


As if I would become friends with that, with that um… loser! Yeah that’s the word I was searching for! She was actin like I was 8 or something I don’t want some little play date. I’m just fine thanks! “Jade doesn’t really have any friends sooo..” she said.






“Maaa! I can’t believe you just said that!!!”I yelled as I ran up the stairs. Uhh!! I don’t have time for friends but if I wanted some I could have some..I think. She still had no right to comment on my social life when I hardly have one because of her! That’s typical ma though making everyone deal with her problems. I slammed my door tight and headed for my journal. Even though the door was closed Shut I could still hear some of their conversation!




“I’m really sorry about my daughters…clothing! She tends to dress like a gangbanger at times she maybe gets it from her brother! But dressing like such a boy and sagging those pants so low…it’s just not working. Hopefully all of this is just a phase…it will all go away”! What! I stomped down the stairs enraged. “Ma I don’t dress like some gangbanger, I dress like your daughter! 2] It’s not a phase and im not changing the way I am for nobody not even for you! Kick me out if you want…just like you did Trevell. 3] Stop talking about me and Trevell like your ashamed of us and stop acting like he never existied. He was here and now he’s out on the streets with probably same people who killed dad! Oh and 4] I don’t think the doors work anymore…people can hear through them! Someone should get that fixed!” I ran to my room! Remember this isn’t like some movie she runs up after me and apologizes…no this a book! And don’t expect me to cry eithier cause Jade Dawson doesn’t cry! She gets really mad at everyone and at everything, shuts everyone out and lets it build up inside her until she explodes!