(Years Went By)
March 31st was Kia’s birthday. She was turning 13. Big number, to her. She was excited! But it didn’t go as she planned. Her parents were fighting. But it didn’t stop her. She baked a cake, so everyone would stop fighting. She thought it would possibly help. It was Kia’s first time baking. Well, she baked cookies when she was 7, but they didn’t turn out. But ever since then she’s been cooking and baking and the food has been good.
For her 14th birthday she got a “New Bake Oven” from her mom. Kia baked No Bake cookies and a muffin. She was so happy! Her dad got her a card with ten dollars inside.

When she was 13 her parents got a divorce. It was a big change for she and her brother. They were sad. But they would rather be sad than have their parents fight all the time and not be happy. Cooking always helped, because it helped her to cope with her feelings; by taking away her sad or mad feelings. When she would cook, she wouldn’t even remember why she was sad or mad. But when their parents got a divorce, her mom, brother and she moved to a small town called Seymour. Kia’s brother and her dad didn’t want them to move. But their mother took them.
She hated that it turned out like this. Kia hated the town, because she liked cities and she didn’t want to leave her dad. But she had no choice. Her mother, brother and she moved in with her Aunt, Uncle, and cousins in their big blue, white shutters house. They had a big back yard. Kia was really shy.
Kia never wanted to move from her dad or the city. But her family and she got through it. She always asked herself,
“Why? Why did this happen? Why did they do this to me?”
But she didn’t really know what was going on.
Now Kia turned 16, her dad passed away last year. One beautiful day she was playing outside with her cousin, brother, and friends in the front yard. Kia’s brother, her cousin and she went inside to get water bottles. But once they got into the house, they saw their mom and Aunt crying. Kia’s cousin told her friends to leave and went back into the house. Kia’s brother and she casually sat down by their mother. She was starting to tell them what happened with their dad and how. They didn’t believe her at first. But it was true. So her brother ran to his room crying. Kia didn’t know what to do. She was stunned, and sad. She had mixed emotions, because what her dad did to her.

When she was nine years old, one of her uncles molested her. She told her mom when she was eleven; she regrets not telling them sooner. But her dad didn’t believe it. So Kia’s mom and Aunt took her to child care to get her checked out and to prove her Uncle had. But nothing was proven. Kia was going to a dance and her mom told her that there was nothing to prove and that they let him go.
When she was thirteen, her dad also molested her. The night when her dad did that, and when he fell asleep, she went cross the street to her Grandma’s. It was at two o’clock in the morning. So the door was locked and everyone was asleep. But thank goodness she had a cell phone, she called her Uncle Bob and he unlocked the door for her. She didn’t tell him anything. Kia was crying but it was too dark for him to see. He got her a blanket and a pillow and she laid down on the couch and her Uncle Bob went back to his room. She tried going to sleep, but she couldn’t. So she called her mom, her mom answered. Kia said, “Mom? Are you on your way to get me?” Her mom said, “Of course. I can’t wait to see you.” Kia was crying, but she didn’t notice till Kia talked and heard the crack in her voice and asked, “What’s wrong?” Kia said, “Nothing just tired.” She didn’t want to say anything till they got back home.
They got back home. Kia went into her mother’s room and casually sat on the bed. She had a tear coming down her cheek. Kia said, “Mom? I need and have something to tell you.” Her mom said, “What Hon?” Kia told her everything of what her dad did. Her mom was in shock. She was mixed emotions; she asked her if she wanted her to do anything. Kia said, “No. I don’t want to be put through asking questions or answering questions again.” When her dad would call, she wouldn’t know what to say. She’d cry. But one day he called and her brother answered and they talked. Then her brother gave the phone to Kia. Kia said, “I don’t want to talk to him.” Her brother Kaleb said, “Why won’t you talk to dad?” It broke her heart, because Kaleb doesn’t know. But that night she told mom and so mom talked to Kaleb about it. Kaleb didn’t believe her or her mother. Kia was really sad and depressed, she went straight to her room and covered up with her blanket and cried.

On Christmas day, her dad and step-mom came to Seymour and went to Kia’s mom and step-dad’s house. They brought her and Kaleb their presents. Then their Nana came over. Everyone knows about what her dad did. She was so embarrassed. But her step-mom doesn’t know. Kia was dying inside; she’d try not to cry. She felt sorry for dad because after they got done opening their presents he went to the motel because her Aunt didn’t want them over at her house because she knows too. Kia has guilt, anger and sadness. Because of what happened to her and to her dad.

On the day of his funeral. Everyone was crying, but as they were in the church; people and elders were saying what they wanted to say for her dad. At first Kia wasn’t crying, but when they put a picture board of her dad and playing his song, “You Got a Friend in Me”. She started crying, she never planned on crying because she hates crying in front of people. But she couldn’t help it anymore. Then after the funeral was over, everyone left with silence and hugged each other.
His grave was with his aches and it said, “Here lays a great brother, father, husband, and friend. David Wyatt.” After the funeral Kia’s brother, mother, step-father and the rest of the family went to her grandma’s house. Kia’s grandma made a fried chicken dinner and had a BBQ, because that’s what her dad would’ve wanted. He would’ve of wanted no one to cry, but no one could help. Everyone was too sad to eat. But they did because Kia’s Uncle said, “You guys, Dave wouldn’t want us to be sad. He’d want us to get together, have a nice dinner and pray.” It helped, when he was speaking; Kia felt something, like a hand; a hand of her fathers’. She smiled and said, “I love you dad”, in her head.
As a few weeks went by, Kia and her brother got a silver necklace, and it had a type of a charm on it and on the charm is was her dad’s thumbprint.

She has also been put in to the hospital twice. Once was because of her juvenile arthritis and the second time was because she had to have surgery on her ovaries because she had a cist size of a full grown turkey.
So she thinks about her future, she wants to follow her dad’s steps. By going to, “Le Cordon Bleu”.
When she gets old enough she wants to go to the college Le Cordon Bleu in St. Louis. Then going to a big city and have her own business. She wants to be happy and make her dad happy.
Kia’s mom got re-married and they all moved to a beautiful house but still in the small town. Everyone was happy, but Kia was not sure.

On the last day of school, she asked her crush out. But he rejected. So she went home early, because she couldn’t keep it together. Her Aunt came and got her and took her home. She went straight to her room and balled her eyes out, and curled up with a blanket. Her mom came in to her room and asked what’s wrong and Kia told her. Her mom said,
“His loss, he’s missing out.”
But she didn’t believe her. She said,
“Whatever, there’s something wrong with me. I’m not beautiful. I’m not even pretty.”
She had no self-esteem. Her mom and other people kept on and always told her she is. But she never believed them. When they would say she is she would say,
“Whatever, no I’m not.”
Her whole family loves her and is proud of her. Bur her mom and step-dad wants her to better with grades, they believe she can get better. But she can’t. She thinks to herself,
“How can I get better!?”
She’s stressed, worried all the time. She doesn’t mean or wants to; it just turns out that way. She tells and talks to her mom about everything. When she’s down or having a bad day, she’ll talk to her mom. They’ll lay down and just talk about anything or why Kia or her mom is upset.
Kia wants to do well in school, but she feels she’s nothing and that she can’t do nothing or anything right. She also feels like no one likes her. She used to get straight A’s till her dad passed. She thinks that she has some fake friends. Because they are mean to her most of the time. But she thinks they’re just joking. She’s not for sure. So Kia talked to some of her friends and told them how she feels. They understand and they said that they’re just joking.
Kia knows her dad wouldn’t want her to be like this, he’d want her to find peace and just be proud of herself. But she has so much on her mind. He’d want her to stay with her brother and mother. He wouldn’t want her to do something stupid, like suicide. Even though she has wanted to, because she’s been bullied and heartbreaks and two guys cheating on her.

Kia is confused about everything. She wants to be happy and in love, but when she is or does something always happens or knocks her down. She’s sometimes depressed, she has her moments; she has her moments when she misses her dad.
Her 16th birthday was really hard for her. Because he wasn’t there. She had a party but didn’t want one because it didn’t feel right to her. She is and will always be a daddy’s girl.
She helps everyone, but she’s lonely herself.
“The person who helps everyone to be happy is truly lonely themselves.”
She tries to make and have everyone else happy before her, she loves and enjoys making other people happy.
She also tries to get through it. Sometimes she is really happy. Most people don’t get her. They say she’s perverted, cause if someone says, “Shave it.” She’ll take it the wrong way. So people think she’s perverted all the time. When she’s not. Yeah, she’s perverted. But not all the time! She gets mad, because people think they know her. But no, they just assume! But she doesn’t care, it just makes her mad. People see her smile not her tears or madness.

But Kia is ready for college. She really hopes she gets into that college! She wants to be an awesome chef, open up her own business and call it, “Big Dave’s”. Because her dad was named David.
Kia doesn’t want to be just one type of chef. She wants to do it all. Where customers can order anything! Even breakfast for dinner. She even has her own recipe that she thought of when she was fifteen. Her recipe was called, “Chuck-Wagon-Mac.” It had, “Mac ‘N’ Cheese, Corn, Diced Tomatoes, Tomato Sauce, Mushrooms, and Hamburger Meat.” It’s homemade and everyone thinks it’s good!
She’s had heartbreak, she’s been through a lot more than anyone understands or knows. But Kia knows everyone has had worse than others and not only one that has had some of the stuff that she has had.
Honestly, she doesn’t want or expect anything. All she wants is for people to be honest, even if it hurts. That’s why sometimes the truth is the ugly truth. In most people’s lifetime the truth will hurt, but just power through it. Truth is better than being lied to! It’s sometimes hard to get the truth, especially in this generation.
She’s an underdog, but she talks to everyone, even her dog. Sometimes talking to her dog helps. She likes everyone and loves her family, friends, and some of her teachers. She doesn’t judge by looks. Because she knows, looks don’t matter and that nobody is perfect. Kia isn’t racist or anything. She thinks everyone should be equal.
Kia has been bullied as a kid. But she moved and got a fresh start. Kia is happy now. She’s met a guy that she loves and he loves her too. He treats her well and good, her family likes him as well. So she can’t stop smiling anymore. Well sometimes she’ll have her sad moments. But she’s mostly happy and glowing because he makes her feel special. She feels confident with herself now.

He also wants to go to Le Cordon Bleu. They got to know each other. They walked every day and talked every hour. They always tried to make time for each other. They have most things in common. He gets along with her brother and he also makes her feel beautiful.
Kia is really happy they found each other. She never thought she would ever fall in love with him. They’ve known each other for the longest time. He wants to marry her one day, she does too. He helps her; he loves her and doesn’t just want one thing. Like what she thought all guys wanted. But she was mistaken. She hopes and wishes nothing will break her or bring her back down. She has been broken before but she always gets through it. Kia and her family are so proud of her, of what she has accomplished and got through.
She loves making people happy and making them confident in themselves. When her cousin was sad or when her mother was sad, Kia would always be there for them and help them laugh by saying all sorts of funny things. She helps anyone and everyone that needs it. Kia is happy for what she has done for people. She’s happy that she can also make others happy. But she is also proud of herself.
“A relationship comes to those unexpected.”
Kia really wants to succeed and do well in life. She wants her family to be proud of her, especially her dad.