Jaquita Burrell

“Diamond in the rough she tough” you know that saying but everybody doesn't want to be cut like one and baby do I have a story to tell. So trust me when I say been there and done that, lets not forget I'm only 21 with all this wisdom but we haven't gotten to the trials yet. I went to a elementary school where I met some of my worst enemies and close friends (only at heart though). I played the violin, I was in ballet class learned ballet, and every form of dancing there is. Here's where I found my calling though. I had art class everyday and believe it or not that's where my peace were. I found love and joy in doing art. I learned pottery, painting, almost everything dealing with the Arts. My school was called “School of the Arts.” We had a art show coming up and my art teacher advised me to work on some paintings that we wanted to display and in the art show and I just knew I had 3 to display and I worked really hard on them. The day of the art show, I set up the paintings and I was in the newspaper for displaying my Artwork. I wasn't there when they were being viewed but when I got back to school I was told my paintings where auctioned off. I was so excited someone actually recognize my work, I wasn't worried about the financial gain of the part. I was only 10 and just was excited someone seen and bought my things. Knowing that I made other people happy made me Happy and that's my comfort zone. Being in newspapers was even more of a bigger accomplishment for me. That was my first time being in the Newspapers and for MY artwork. Opportunities like those let me know it may was my first time but it wasn't going to be my last. I had a crew in elementary school, Kiki, Danna, Tina and I had a couple of other friends but those were my main three. They've all been to my house and met my family but we had different relationships with each other. Danna was my friend close to heart, we did family things together and come to find we were actual cousins, we shared a common family member but once we got to middle school she went a different route, I was sad but I was happy for her, she went to the school I wanted to be at. Danna and I friendship grew apart but I knew we would always be connected in some kind of way. Our story isn't finished yet though. Tina was a friend I did dirt things with, we use to be on the bus doing sexual things and we use to sneak to the library and do sexual things before we got on the bus. We had an actual play date at Danna house and we did some things there but never to be told of. Once we got to middle school Tina branched off with other friends. She put herself in a category to think she was better than the rest but only to turn out like the rest. Crazy huh. I don't speak to her anymore and don't plan to. I'm a leader not a follower. I wish her all the best though just not at my table. Then here's Kiki, no I didn't save the best for last. I saved the worst and she's most definitely not the last. Kiki and I were close, we hung out mostly on the outside together, we made up dances together and I remember this one time she came to my house and I wanted to kiss on her and Do sexual things, please don't forget we are still elementary school in this part but yes I wanted to do sexual things to Kiki but she really wasn't down at the time. Kiki and I got to middle school and became the worst enemies. I feel like she switched up and she envies me, which was true. We fought every year of middle school, guess what I won every time. You can't beat somebody with ill intentions. You went against me and I stayed true to our friebdship. I molly wopped her every year. 3 years of trying me. The last fight we got into was big, her big sister tried to jump in and I left with one side of my braids gone only because my hair got pulled. The fight was a fire for her to continue hating. Kiki isn't left out yet like Tina is. During middle school I became closer to one of my boy cousins Z. We became really close, I looked out for him and he looked out for me. We are always connected no matter how far apart we may seem. we stay spiritually connected. Enough of school. Let's talk about the things that happened outside of them females. I had this one hood friend in middle school who did hood things with. We was always in the hood, walking to the hood stores. I liked having her as a friend til she switched on me. Her and I came across a sexual encounter with each other. We kind of played with each other but once she invited other friends over I left. Those wasn't my friends and once I left I was the topic of the conversation. Do you know them “wannabe’s” got on social media, we had Facebook then, they posted bad things about me. The rumor was I was gay and tried all of them. I tried one person, that I thought was my friend. I never was close to the other girls and never tried to be. I left once they came and I asked myself how did I tried y'all. Moral of the story: Monkey see Monkey do. I'm leaving something out,I lost my virginity at 14 on my birthday. I was with someone who I don't mention til this day so we gone keep it like that. I was experienced for my age, I was around and seen a lot of things at the age of 14 and younger. I felt like I was forced to grow up fast but now I know it was all a plan. I have a lot of wisdom for my age and continuing this story you'll see and find out why. Skip to HighSchool. I'm not a virgin anymore I was 2 boys in so I was kind of experienced than most. I went to this high school that was I excited to attend because it was the school everyone talked about and went to. But none of my “friends” from middle school was there. I walked into high school alone. I rode the bus by myself, I literally walked every path alone physically And spiritually. My 9th grade year I met my best friend brother, who didn't know was gone be my best friend at the time, we had a Spanish class together. I was the only 9th grader in my Spanish class with upperclassmen. One day in Spanish class this man keep picking with me like he usually do but I was tired this day. I don't know why but I turned around and snapped on him this day and he poured a soda on me, I got up and flipped the desk and walked out. It was forget everybody in that school. I still laugh about to this day cause that's a memory I could never forget. So that high school was my first year but it wasn't my last. I left my 9th-grade year and went to a more advanced high school. At least I thought it was more advanced. I learned a lot. I met my first real boyfriend. But we're not gonna talk about him. He's not important not rn. Skip to my senior year, my lit year, 2017 taught me a lot. I graduated at 17, got pregnant at 17 for the first time and only time for the people in back who swear I had 1000 abortions with anybody, fought one of my close friends, met my best friend, met my enemy. Even though I got pregnant, that was a hard decision I had to make, something I didn't want to do, I didn't want to abort my child, but my mom forced that upon me. I let everyone tell their stories about me but now it's time to tell mine. 2017 was a eye opener for me, it showed me a lot but no wait I have more to tell, you think that's just the beginning. Wait til you hear the end. I will be the only one telling my story this time.