Free A Girl From Flint by Treasure Hernandez Page B

circle. “She came over right after you left this morning. I didn’t even know she was coming.”
    Tasha looked at Honey. She looked good. She had cut her hair in long layers, and her Chloe glasses matched her black outfit.
    Amra, Tasha, and Honey went back to Ms. Pat’s house, where Honey pulled out two plane tickets. “Y’all bitches ready?”
    Amra looked confused. “We leaving tonight?”
    Honey smiled. “Yeah, bitches, we leaving tonight. Let’s go. Get your shit.”
    Amra and Tasha were so geeked to be leaving home, they started jumping up and down. They had been waiting for a year to join Honey there.
    â€œWhat are we gon’ tell Ms. Pat?”
    Amra’s mom had been upset at her since she had told her about not graduating. “I don’t care what you tell her. I ain’t telling her shit. She ain’t here, so we’ll leave a note. She wants me out of her house anyway, so I’m out.”
    Tasha agreed to leave, but she felt bad about just leaving a note for Ms. Pat. She went into the kitchen, grabbed a piece of paper, and started writing:

    Dear Ms. Pat,
    I love you. For as long as I can remember, you have always been here for me. You are like my mother, and you are the only person who cared about me when my own mother did not. You have taken care of me, put clothes on my back, and food in my stomach, and I want to tell you thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for everything, Ms. Pat. I love you dearly.
    Amra and I are going to Michigan with Honey tonight. Amra is upset, so she wanted to leave right away. I just wanted to let you know that we will be okay, and to let you know that I love you, and so does she.
    Sincerely,
Tasha

    Tasha folded the letter and placed it on top of Ms. Pat’s pillow. She finished packing her clothes, and then called Joe when she was finished. She didn’t feel like she owed him an explanation, but she still wanted to let him know she was leaving.
    â€œHello?”
    Tasha smiled at the sound of his voice. “Can you come over here?”
    Joe said yes, and within fifteen minutes, he was at her door.

    Honey saw Joe get out of his car. She leaned over to Amra and whispered, “Who is that?”
    Amra laughed. “His name is Joe. That nigga fine, ain’t he?”
    â€œHell yeah. Tasha done stepped her game up.” Honey nodded her head in approval.
    Tasha walked outside with Joe. She looked at him sadly as she gave him a hug.
    â€œYou look good, ma,” he said as he stood in front of her and stared down at her. “Why didn’t you tell me you were graduating today? I would’ve done something special for you.”
    She looked up at Joe and couldn’t help but smile. When she was around him, he made her heart melt. She was feeling this dude. “I guess I didn’t think you would come.”
    â€œI’m proud of you, ma. That’s a good look right there. Everybody don’t make it through high school. I would’ve showed up.”
    Tasha shifted in her stance. “I just wanted to tell you bye before I leave.”
    Joe frowned in confusion. “What you mean, before you leave? Where are you going?”
    Tasha put her hands in her back pockets. “I’m moving to Flint, Michigan.”
    Joe nodded his head and just looked at Tasha.
    Tasha was searching for anything in his eyes that showed how he felt. Joe never showed his emotions. Just tell me you want me to stay. Just say it, Joe.
    Joe went into his pocket and pulled out a wad of money. He counted out a thousand dollars and handed it to her. It was the first time he had given her anything.
    Tasha didn’t take it, though. She honestly liked Joe and wasn’t trying to get him for his money.
    Joe folded the money up anyway and put it in her purse. “Take it. You don’t know what Flint’s like. I got people out that way. That city is the gutter. You might need it.”
    Joe