Her father’s words echoed through her head. That was the only thing that kept her going. This was the fourth home, and fourth consecutive time this happened. At first she thought that she was the problem, but after talking to Melissa and used her common sense, she came to the conclusion that it wasn’t her. Maybe she should’ve called Melissa first instead of just getting up and leaving like that. But she didn’t care, she just had to get out. She couldn’t stand being in that house any longer. Tears ran down her face and she began to sob as she thought back.
“Jamirah, Steve wants to talk to you upstairs.”
“About what?” She asked.
Margaret shrugged. “Idk honey, he said that it was very important.
Jamirah still had her book bag and school uniform on, it was a Wednesday.
“Okay, I gotta go to my room first. I’ll take off my uniform and then...”
“No honey, he said that he wants you like this.”
Jamirah didn’t know what she was talking about, but she was too tired from school to ask any questions.
“Okay...” She said, then she turned around and began to tread up the stairs.
Once she got up the stairs, she entered the first door on the left to go into Steve and Margaret’s room. She knocked twice on the door.
“Steve, you wanted to talk to me?” She said as she knocked.
“It’s Jamirah.”
No response came from the other side of the door. She knocked twice again. Still no response. She pushed her head against the door to listen to see if anybody was inside the room. She could hear heavy breathing.
“Maybe he’s sleeping.” She thought to herself.
Jamirah then turned around and began walking when she heard Steve’s voice coming from inside the room.
“Come in.” He said.
Jamirah then stopped walking and turned around.
“Steve, you in there?” She asked again.
No reply came. She already heard his voice so she knew that he was in there. Jamirah placed her hand on the doorknob and began to turn, then once it was opened halfway she slowly crept in.
“Steve, what did you wanna...” She stopped midsentence.
Steve was sitting upright at the end of the bed. The TV was turned all the way up to FOX 29 news. He only had his boxers on, his shirt and pants were off. Jamirah stopped walking and stood there.
“Uhh... Steve?” She said.
He didn’t say anything back. He just smiled at her and patted the bed for her to sit. She just stood there.
“How was school honey?” He asked in a conventional tone.
Jamirah did not reply to the question. She just stood there at the middle of the room while Steve was sitting on the bed. Once Steve saw that Jamirah wasn’t going to say anything back he got off the bed and started walking towards her. Jamirah started backing up as Steve strided towards him with only his boxers on.
“Don’t be afraid Sweetie.” Steve opened his arms up and said,
He had a gut, and his belly button was protruding out of his stomach. His eyes were dark and he was smiling, but she could see right underneath the smile.
“I just don’t want you to fucking touch me!”
“Why not honey? I just wanna make you feel good.”
Jamirah was now pressed up against the wall with her arms spread. She couldn’t back up any more. Steve was coming closer and closer to her, he was now standing only a couple of inches away from her face.
“You wanna use me.” She said.
Steve stopped walking towards her and slammed his fist to the side of the wall where Jamirah was backed up at. She jumped, she thought that he was going to hit her.
“Do you wanna continue living here?” He asked.
Jamirah didn’t say nothing. After a couple seconds Steve grabbed the back of her head and started to pull her down. Jamirah shrieked as she went down.
“THIS IS HOW YOU PAY RENT!”