Jamaica Clay
March 29, 2016
Creative Writing

Next, we have Lia Simpson. The crowd clapped and cheered as she walked across the stage. After the graduation, she went to celebrate with her family and friends. Later that fall, she began to prepare for college as she was leaving in a few days. Lia’s mom and dad dropped her off and said their good-byes to her. Lia attended and HBCU and was excited to join the band. Lia had been a city girl all her life, but her college was in the deep country. She had to learn to make friends quick so she can get a ride to the nearest town for supplies. Lia enjoyed her school and quickly became involved in activities. The band was Lia’s ticket away from school. She really love travelling to other schools and performing with the band. A guy name John was a drummer with the band. John had a few ladies that really liked him, but he only had eyes for Lia. They both went out on dates and began to get serious. After about 8 months of dating, Lia became pregnant. They both told their parents the news and they were furious. Their parents didn’t agree on the idea of having a child so soon. This began to stress Lia and John about the pregnancy. Now, with the band having performances and practices, her school work and other activities and stress, Lia had a miscarriage. This really hurt Lia and John. Lia took away from her activities for about 3 weeks to recover and gather her thoughts. Shortly afterwards, Lia and John moved on from the situation, but Lia notice John’s emotional behavior has changed. John still loved her and they dated but he wasn’t excelling like Lia was in school and her activities. John really admired the hip hop songs and lifestyle that was being portrayed in the videos. John’s family would send him money every week for school but that wasn’t enough to satisfy him. He started doing money schemes and taking out loans where ever he could get approved. He started hanging out with a new crowd of people and where into a fast and flashy lifestyle. He has never done any drugs before until he changed friends. Lia would often talk to him and try to encourage him, but that would cause arguments and domestic violence between them. He would always apologize for his actions and then Lia would take him back. This went on for about 3 more years with its share of good and bad days. The graduation day was slowly approaching and Lia had received her cap and gown. John had fallen out of school and began to live a dangerous lifestyle. Lia graduated with honors and her family and friends couldn’t have any more proud of her. As she skims through the crowd she notices that John wasn’t there. She was disappointed, but continued to celebrate with her family and friends. Later that evening, John finally showed up to her party. He was sloppy drunk and was with another woman. Lia was furious and embarrassed. John sparked a fight and with and slapped her in front of everyone. A fight between Lia’s family and John broke out. John and the woman eventually left and Lia calmed down and went home to relax. John drove over to her house later that evening with flowers, music, and sincere apologies. Lia welcomed him back in her home and life. John told Lia so many lies that she believed all of them and considered having a baby with him. And Lia did have a child with him. John changed his way for a short time, but eventually went back to his old ways. The stress of failing out of school, short on cash, and a baby on the way really took a toll on him and fell deeper into drugs. John became the local dealer. He was making fast money and also smoking his own supply. The violence between them got worse. The verbal and physical abuse caused Lia to have a complicated pregnancy and develop postpartum depression. John was so drunk and high that he didn’t even make it to the delivery of his first born child. He laughed at Lia when she told him the baby was born. This went on for 5 years between Lia and John. They’ve tried intervention, rehab, and hospitals. It would last a month or so, but then he went back to his old ways. Lia’s mom eventually gave her and ultimatum. Lia needed help with the baby and trying to work, so she finally left John and went back home to her mom. Lia began counseling and shifted her focus on her family. When John finally realized that Lia left him, he became enraged. John would try to call her and her number was disconnected. He didn’t know where she was and gave up on looking for her. He still thinks about her and the baby every day, but realizes that he was a burden to her and needed to leave her alone, but he couldn’t. A few months after Lia left, John’s family grew tired of him and eventually left him alone. John was homeless. He went from the local drug dealer to have plenty of friends, women and money to nothing. John couldn’t believe that he has gotten to this level. He was living out of cars, stealing, and trying to make a living the best way he could. John was living in a box outside of an abandon building. When he would wake up, he looked around and began to think how he got this way. He couldn’t call on anyone because he used them all bone dry. This put John in a deeper depression and increased his drug usage. A construction worker was walking by the building to survey the site and notice a man passed out on the ground barely breathing. He called 911 and they rushed him to a nearby hospital. The nurses were able to identify him from previous visits and called family to come and see him. He stayed in the hospital for about 1 month for recovery. John’s dad called Lia and told him what happen. Lia came to the hospital to see him but didn’t speak to him. She spoke with his family and friends and they got a chance to see the child. She prayed for him and left the hospital. All the drugs, alcohol, and unprotected sex lead John to have AIDS. John passed out once he heard the news. His family prayed harder than ever before and immediately called Lia to tell her the news. Lia and their child went for testing the following day and were free and clear. John became suicidal and was placed in a restricted room and on watch for 24/7. A Chaplin walked by and noticed him crying hysterically. He stopped to offer help, but John hollered at him and told him to get out. The Chaplin walked by again the next day to offer help and John kicked him out again. This went for the rest of the week until John finally asked the Chaplin why he keeps coming in his room. Frank, the Chaplin, said I saw you in need and he wanted to offer help. Frank opened up to John first little by little until John became comfortable enough to speak about his life situation. John cried and sobbed and asked Frank a ton of questions as to why he went down the road he did with his life. He question God’s work and plan for him with Frank. Frank spoke with John as in depth as he could but eventually Frank explained to John that he will have to seek God for himself and he will guide him every step of the way. Two years later and John finally had a positive direction in his life. He enrolled back in school, starting a clean lifestyle, and building a relationship with his family again. The one person he wanted to see was Lia and she was very nervous about seeing him. She agreed to see him only if the parents were there. John was extremely nervous and happy to see Lia and their child. They meet in a park and John was happier than a kid on Christmas Day. Lia introduced John to their child John Jr. He didn’t even know he had a son. They both cried and talked for about 5 hours. The parents left them alone and watched from a far. They both wrapped the conversation up and agreed to meet in another week or so. John couldn’t believe that he had a son and began to think about how he wants to be the best for him and make a great example on how a man should be. John graduated college with a Business degree and landed a great marketing job in his hometown. His relationships with his family were better and he was spending more time the John Jr. John and Lia had a good friendship and Lia didn’t want to complicate things with John. She said that they would have to take it very slow and John agreed. Even after all these years, John still loved Lia and wanted her more now than ever before. He realizes the mistakes that he made and wanted nothing more than to make things right with her. One evening John was leaving from work and was struck by another vehicle. John’s car flipped over and landed upside down. John unfortunately was not wearing a seat belt and didn’t survive. Everyone was extremely devastated and couldn’t believe what they just heard. John’s family and friends were puzzled and shocked. It was still like a dream to them. Lia and John Jr were in disbelief. Lia cried so much that she passed out. She couldn’t believe that this is the same man she met and loved since college. She went through heaven and hell with and had a child with has left there lift completely. A year has passed since his death and everyone started moving forward and carried out his will. See during the time he was partying and doing drugs, he left a will for his family. He made a lot of money selling drugs and put that money in a safe place. John left the deed to a house and $50,000 for his parents. He also left $100,000 for Lia and John Jr and started a college fund which already had $20,000 in it. He had money donated to charities for HIV/AIDS foundation. Lia and John Jr visit his grave almost every holiday. They still meet with his family around holidays and speak on how John was a changed man and how he loved God.