i. Little One {4}

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Omniscient

Sunday. August, 2006.

Playground at Church.

Laanville, Mississippi.

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"I can walk with my eyes closed" Sarahi who was sitting criss crossed looked up from her stick figure she was drawling with chalk. She gave Cateleya a confused look. "Mirar. Watch me" Cateleya got up from the blackboard they were sitting on. She closed her eyes and walked in a straight line.

Sarahi eyed her suspiciously. "I don't like that" she mumbled, and looked back at her drawling. "Que?" Cateleya questioned and Sarahi didn't reply. "Are you scared of the dark?" Sarahi shook her head no, still facing down. "Okay then stand up" "why?" "Because I'm going to deatch you" Cateleya replied.

Sarahi didn't reply and continued to draw. "Please" Sarahi shook her head again, standing on it. It didn't seem safe. Plus she kinda lied, she was a tiny bit scared of the dark. But she couldn't let Cateleya know that because then she would think she was a baby.

"Grab my hands" Sarahi pouted as she stood up but she immediately made a plan to run away. Before she could Cateleya grabbed her hands. She was already in shock, but Cateleya pulled her close and that's when her eyes widened. She unconsciously held her breath for a couple of seconds. "Close dem" she heard, but all she could process was Cateleya's breath that smelled like pink bubble gum.

Cateleya gave her a disappointed look and Sarahi gave her a fake smile. She gave in and finally closed her eyes. "Can you see?" "No..." "Okay then walk. Follow my voice"

"If I'm supposed to be following your voice why are you still holding my hands?" "oh right, uh sorry"

Cateleya dropped them and Sarahi was about to pout, but stopped herself. She didn't really want her to drop them. 1. She was scared and 2. She hadn't held someone's hand in a long time.

Sarahi followed her voice and then got startled and tensed up when Cateleya hugged her. "Yay you did it" Cateleya said into her ear. Sarahi's brain suddenly felt fuzzy.

Before she could hug her back they heard Cateleya's mom as she came out the church.

"Mija vámonos. Estoy listo"

"I gotta go" Cateleya tensed up and quickly dropped her arms, stepping back. A smile that reached her eyes on her face.

"Bye" "bye" Sarahi tried to hide her disappointment by sucking on her lip that so badly wanted to poke out. She watched her leave then sat back down and continued with her chalk. Wiping her watery eyes with her arm.

5 minutes later her grandmother was walking out the church with a group. Sarahi didn't need her to call her over, she was already skipping to the car at the sight of her.

"Sorry baby, I had to talk about the Bible study dinner" "we're going to start going again?" Sarahi asked, with a slight panic in her voice.

"Yes, there's a chance, I'm going to be home a little more" Sarahi didn't reply. And again started to suck on her bottom lip.

"Let's go to store so I can start fixin my Sunday supper" Sarahi showed no emotion as she slouched into the passenger seat and looked out the window.

🌊🌊

Home.

"Do you like hanging out with Juno?" The elderly woman drank a sip of her black coffee to drown out the nasty taste on her tongue. She got it every time she said his name. She didn't respect nor agree with his transition, she felt he was disrespecting God. She got disgusted every time she thought about it, but then again she was disgusted the moment she saw her daughter with him 10 years ago.

Claretha didn't want him to force that lifestyle on her grand baby, but she was going to have to force herself to hide it because she needed the financial help.

"Yes ma'am" "does he force you to do anything you don't want to do?" She asked, forcing herself to ask. She really didn't want to know just in case he had. She couldn't carry any more guilt because she was going to have to take the money either way.

"No- wait yes. He forced me to eat my greens even though I wanted to play with Rayven" Sarahi replied, looking up from the tic tac toe game they were playing. "But they were delicious so I'm happy he did" she continued.

Claretha said nothing as she sipped and stared at her granddaughter. All of this was bringing back unwanted feelings about her daughter. Sarahi looking like a copy and paste of her mother made it worse. Her dark skin, light brown eyes that matched her sandy brown hair. Even their smile was the same, she just didn't have her mother's dimples, but she did get her baby face.

"Nona do you not want me to see Juno?" Sarahi asked noticing her grandmother staring at her. "Why do you ask?" Claretha asked, wanting to reply carefully. "Because of your face when you talk about him" Sarahi tried to do the mugging face and her grandmother chuckled, shaking her head.

"That's because we have history" "what does history mean?" "Nothing you need to know now, just grownup problems" Sarahi was going to ask more, but shrugged her shoulders and moved on.

"Nona can you make grilled cheese and then we watch Like Mike?" "Do you want tomato sauce?" Sarahi quickly nodded.

"Start a new game while I get it ready" The elder woman told her as she was getting up from the dining table.

Everything was ready 14 minutes later.

They were in the living room, Claretha had her tray table in front of her and Sarahi was sitting at the coffee table.

"Make me like Mike" Sarahi said in sync with the TV as she dipped her sandwich into her sauce.

After she finished her food she got on the couch and snuggled with her grandmother. Towards the end of the movie she was dosing off, but it was interrupted when they heard a knock on the door.

Sarahi didn't move and closed her eyes. She knew it wasn't for her because she didn't have any friends.

But then she heard a familiar accent. "RAHI your friend at the door" her grandmother yelled. Sarahi sat up confused then walked to the door.

Cateleya was standing at her door. Before they could say or really see each other Claretha was telling Sarahi to go put on her play shoes. Sarahi did as told but she was still confused on why Cateleya was at her door, asking for her to come out. Sarahi wondered what the plan was and if it was a set up.

When they were face to face they smiled at each other.

"Do you wanna come play at the park with me?" "Sure" Sarahi mumbled, hiding her excitement. She's never had someone ask her to come play with them. A part of her was uncertain though.

Why did Cateleya wanna hang out with her?

"Be home before the street lights come on" "yes ma'am"

They passed by two houses and Sarahi had noticed Cateleya's outfit. A white beater and dark green basketball shorts. Sarahi eyed her in confusion and curiosity, but mostly concerned.

'Why does she have on boy clothes and she's a girl?' She thought. 'I thought God said it was forbidden? Does this mean Cateleya is going to hell? I don't want her to' Sarahi's mind wondered.

Cateleya could feel Sarahi's eyes on her and she didn't like it. The stares weren't as soft as they usually felt on her. This stare was making her a little uncomfortable.

"Why does your mom let yuh wear boy clothes?" Sarahi asked and Cateleya was caught off guard, but didn't take offense to it. Her mother had already explained to her that people wouldn't like it.

"Cause it's más ba- uh cheaper" Cateleya replied, stopping herself from speaking Spanish. Sarahi nodded, unfortunately understanding. She's heard her grandma crying about money before.

"But when we lived in Colombia, I wasn't ah- allowed to. She made me wear dress and skirt even though I hated it. She didn't want me to be called a mári mocha" "what's that?" "Uh it's uh like a curse word for tomboy" Cateleya nervously explained, the best way she could.

Sarahi nodded and Cateleya felt relief.

"I don't think we can play tag with two people" Sarahi brought up as they made it to the park. Cateleya smirked "we're not. Ima deatch you how to play football"

"Wait what?"

🌊🌊🌊🌊

30 minutes later.

Sarahi's hands were on her knees as she panted, trying to catch her breath. "One more" "I can't, I'm tired" she replies. 'Football sucks' she thinks.

"Please" Cateleya begged, she liked playing with her. Sarahi looked up to decline again, but the words got stuck when she saw Cateleya's big brown eyes and her pout.

"Fine" she groaned, standing up straight. Cateleya smiled so wide it made her eyes shut.

Sarahi raised her hands and Cateleya threw the ball. She didn't throw hard enough to knock Sarahi down but Sarahi still dramatically fell.

Cateleya walked over to her, after rolling her eyes at the dramatics. She put her hand out and Sarahi grabbed it, but it caught them both off guard when Cateleya fell forward after she tripped on Sarahi's foot. Landing next to her on the grass.

Sarahi laughed loudly, like it was the funniest thing to her. Cateleya couldn't even get mad because the laugher distracted her. It was so full and sweet that it felt contagious. It started off as a snicker then went into a full on crackle. Cateleya loved it.

After she calmed down, both of them stared at the sky in a comfortable silence until Sarahi had a question.

"Do you miss Colombia?" She asked, making Cateleya look at her then quickly look back at the sky. Cateleya ignored the forced accent Sarahi used and shrugged. "Every. Single. Day. I miss my cousins and my Abuelita. I miss the food and the black and white festival..." Cateleya's eyes started watering. "I miss the smell. No huelo como en casa" she whispered the last part.

Tears streamed down her face and Sarahi noticed it right away and panicked.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry. Please don't stop being my friend" and before Cateleya could say anything Sarahi leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

It was an act she had gotten from when Juno pushed Jayla in the pool and kissed her face after to apologize. It was the first time she had seen the act so she didn't know it was something lovers usually do or a mother to her child...

A burst of different emotions went through Cateleya's body when her shock wore off. She was speechless and could only smile while still looking at the sky.

"Do you feel better?" Sarahi nervously asked as she ran her fingers through the grass. "Mhm" Cateyela replied as she looked at her. Then they smiled at each other.

"Yuh don't have to walk me home" Sarahi made known as they walked back to her house. "I know... But I want to" Cateleya replied and Sarahi didn't know why, but that made her want to smile. She sucked on her bottom lip to stop herself.

If she showed too much excitement that meant she was a weirdo, and she didn't want to be a weirdo.

"So I'll see you tomorrow?" Cateleya asked as they made it to the stoop. She was kinda sad that they couldn't hang out longer. "D- do you wanna sit together at lunch tomorrow?" Sarahi hesitantly asked. "We can" "really? Okay, see you tomorrow" "buen- good night" "night" Sarahi mumbled and went in the house.

She immediately met her grandmother who was coming out of the kitchen.

"Perfect timing, supper is ready. Go wash up" Sarahi said nothing and did as told. They ate dinner then Sarahi begged to watch an episode of That's So Raven and she was allowed to because she ate all her dinner. She took a bath and now she was praying.

"Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the lord my soul to keep; Angels watch me through the night, and wake me with the morning light" "Amen" Claretha stood up, but froze as Sarahi continued. "Please watch over mommy, big man and Jayla and my new friends Rayven and Cateleya. Amen"

Claretha eyes started to water and she cleared her throat. She knew what she had to do, she just prayed that trusting Juno again with someone of hers wouldn't have the same outcome. She was gonna need all the strength and faith in the world.

'Let's get you into bed" she said with a quivering smile on her face. "I love you Nona" "I love you too baby, let's try to stay in our bed tonight okay?" Sarahi didn't reply and Claretha kissed her forehead.

Hii. I Hope y'all have a wonderful week :)

02/26