When We Love - Tashae S. (best non fiction books of all time .txt) 📗

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, ready or not here I come" I shout looking around for Cash Monroe, my best friend of 4 years. "You might as well come out" we were playing hide and seek in the woods behind my house, an activity we did every day after school when we had no homework. We met in 1st grade when I moved next door with my family, Cash was outside playing basketball by himself when I walked over to introduce myself. We immediately hit it off when I told Cash my name "Nala, like off the Lion King?" He asked staring at me "yes, do you like that movie?"

"I love it" he answered flashing his toothy grin and that was the beginning of a newfound friendship. "Cash you need to come out now"

"Here I am" Cash screams poking his head out from behind a bush beside where I was standing "I'm going to get you" Cash just laughs as I begin to run after him. I've always been faster than Cash, he's a little chubby so that slows him down sometimes; he's white, short, with long sandy brown hair that's always a mess, has blue eyes, and he wears braces. I, on the other hand, am skinny and short with light brown skin, green eyes that I get from my mother, curly natural hair, I wear glasses, and I have braces also. "Got you," I say grabbing Cash's arm and sticking my tongue out "no fair" he pouts crossing his arms "it is so" I replied rolling my eyes. "Cash, Nala, it's time to come in now" my mom calls from the back door gripping her large stomach, she was pregnant with my little sister and she was getting bigger by the day. "But we haven't even been out here for an hour" I whine dragging my feet as I walk towards my mom "I know sweetie but Cash and his family leaves today, remember?" I glance over at Cash who is playing in his braces, he and his family had to move away because his dad just got a new job, I've known about the move for a few weeks now but I just wasn't ready for him to go. "But my mom said we were leaving tonight" we walk into the kitchen where my dad was doing some paperwork "why do you guys look so down?" He asks taking off his glasses and pulling us both into his strong arms "Cash has to leave" I mumble with my thumb in my mouth, a bad habit I've had since a baby. "But you knew that he was leaving soon" my mom butts in sitting across from us at the table "maybe I could stay here with yall"

"No sir, you cannot" Cash's mom walks in shaking her head. I always thought she was beautiful, long brown hair, long legs, the prettiest smile, and blue eyes, she always made me feel like family when I was around. "That's not fair" Cash groans walking over to his mom "it is, and it's final, have you given Nala her gift yet?"

"Gift?" My ears perk up when she mentions that "no, but can we walk over and get it?"

"Yeah, your dad is to the house" Cash runs over and grabs my hand "come on Turtle" I roll my eyes following him out of the kitchen. Turtle is the nickname Cash gave me because he says when I get around people I'm shy and want to hide, like a turtle. So, I gave him the nickname Pig because he's chubby and likes to eat just about anything. "I didn't get you a gift," I say as we get to his house and climb the stairs leading to his room "you weren't supposed to, duh" once in his room I frown looking around. Everything was gone, our pictures, his Spiderman comforter and rug, literally everything and that's when it hit me even harder, my best friend was leaving. "Stay right here" he directs leaving me at the door and walking over to his bed "my mom and I got this from the mall Tuesday" he bends down and grabs something from under the bed; as he does that I hurriedly swipe at my eyes. Cash always teased me when I cried, and I didn't want to hear it today, he stands up and walks over with a small box in his hand "what is it?" I ask as he hands it to me "just open it" I shrug slowly opening the box. Inside was a charm bracelet with a small pink pig, green turtle, the letter N, and the letter T on it, I gasp smiling over at him "it's so pretty Pig"

"I knew you would like it" he takes it from me and unsnaps it to put it around my wrist for me. "My mom got me one too but it's on a necklace" he rushes over to his dresser and picks it up so I can see "now we're like twins"

"Are we going to stay best friends when you leave?" I ask playing with my bracelet "yes, I promise, best friends forever" he walks over with his pinky finger out. I smile looping my pinky finger with his "best friends forever and ever".

"Nala Keyshae Anderson, get your butt down here right now" my mom yells from downstairs I just groan turning over in my bed while throwing my comforter over my head. "Nala, mommy says get up" I hear my little sister Belle whisper walking into my room. She's 6 years old and my favorite person ever, just like me she got her name from a Disney movie, Beauty and the Beast, my mom is a huge fan of all Disney movies. I sit up turning over to look at her "you look pretty for your first day of school" I compliment as she sits on my bed. She was wearing a white dress with pink flowers on it, some strappy white sandals, and a pink bow was stuffed in her large puffy ponytail. My sister has eyes like my mom, is missing a few teeth, has naturally curly hair, and has smooth darker brown skin like my dad. "Thanks, I want you to take me to school and pick me up today, not mommy" I chuckle sitting up in the bed and stretching. "Okay well let me get dressed and we'll leave" she smiles jumping up "okay I"m going to go tell mommy" and with that, she runs out. When my sister was born she was a premature child so she's small for her age, but she's so sweet and can turn any bad day to a perfect one. My mom, her boyfriend, my sister, and I just moved here to South Carolina for a fresh new start. My dad died in a car accident 2 years after my sister was born, she started dating her current boyfriend Bryson 2 years after he passed. At first, I didn't like him much but that didn't last long, he helped us all cope with the death of my dad and he treats my sister and I like we're his. Bryson is a doctor and an author, he got promoted to a job here in South Carolina and asked us to come to live with him, my mom is a journalist and usually works from home. However, Bryson bought my mom her own office once we got here and she's going to start her own business from that.

I get out of bed and walk to my bathroom, turn the shower on and glance at my reflection in the mirror; my curly hair was all over the place, my freshman year of high school I was able to get my braces taken off so my teeth are almost perfect now. I gained tiny freckles on my nose and cheeks, and I now wear contacts, I only wear my big nerd glasses around the house. I didn't want to move away from the home that I grew up in but I agreed that we needed a fresh new start. I'm going to miss my friends but I just got out of a really bad relationship and moving is a new way for me to start over for myself too. After I shower, brush my teeth, and do my hair, I decide to slip on a yellow short set romper and some brown wedge heels, along with some gold hoop earrings, and my charm bracelets I never leave home without. I got my first charm bracelet from an old friend, then every year after that for my birthday, my parents either got me a new one or added a charm to them. I grab my car keys and backpack and strut downstairs to the kitchen where my mom, Bryson, and Belle all were "good morning family"

"Good morning baby girl" Bryson answers as I walk over to give him a hug "you're going to be late, but you look good," my mom says with a smirk as I kiss her cheek "thank you very much"

"Yes you look pretty Nala" Belle smiles through her milk "thank you" I wink fixing myself a cup of coffee. "Are you two ready for your first day of school as a first-grader and an eleventh grader?" Bryon asks pouring himself another cup of coffee, he's very handsome, tall and dark skin, has a short haircut with waves, he's really built, has hazel eyes, and pretty straight white teeth, I always tell my mom she found a good one. "I am," Belle says getting up to put her dishes in the sink "I guess I am, you know I don't like people much" I answer glancing at him and sipping my coffee. "But you're going to be fine sweetie" my mom assures walking over to me and touching my cheek I just shrug looking away, it's easy for me to make friends if the person talks to me first, I am way too shy to speak first. Like me, my mom is also short, she's about 5'1 and I'm 5'0, her hair is also naturally big and curly like mine and my sister but she often keeps braids in her hair. She has freckles on her nose and cheeks too, we're half Indian so that's where we get our looks from, Belle hasn't yet got them. "Okay well I think we should get going," I reply glancing up at the clock on the wall "yes go, go, make sure you have everything"

"I have everything mommy, love you" Belle sings hugging my mom "I love you too baby, both of you," she says back giving Belle a kiss then me. "Have a good day guys, love you" Bryson waves walking over to my mom "love you too" Belle and I say together as we shuffle out the kitchen and out the house. Belle's elementary school wasn't too far from the high school I was going to be attending, I have a gold Jeep Wrangler that