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Background Music -manuscript- Samari Poole I have many regrets, but this one haunts me the most. Years pass, and I still wonder what would’ve happened if you stayed. not only you, but if I stayed too? As the sun sets over the still harbor, the lights that shower the city light up, one by one. I can see the silhouettes of the strangers' lives. Parents embrace their children; petty feuds form; crowded apartments and slow-dancing lovers. This busy city never fails to amaze me every night that I escape the silence that engulfs our small condo. Tonight, the faded stars wait for my arrival on the roof, and the moon starts the nightly shift of lighting a path below for the tired workers and the slumped, drunk stragglers I am a survivor, not a victim of what happened. I'm ready to finally rest in the cold and damp ground back home, so I booked a plane ticket for the day after tomorrow, where my family is. For now, I have time to finally let the stories of Momma, Rowan’s, and my lives be spoken into existence again. Pre-Chapter Momma had a decent childhood. She was the only child of a soft mother who nourished her and was easily forgiving. A father who showers her full of kisses and hugs before his night out and found passed out on the couch in the morning. Although she was an only child, she had a sister. Naehema was her name. It was always the “Nahema & Hadleigh” duel from day one. Momma said Aunty Hema had olive skin, wavy medium hair that hung around her heart shaped face, rough hands, One dimple and piercing hazel eyes that held oblivious happiness. Quite the opposite of my mother. My mother had a medium-dark complexion, soft hands, medium-short kinky hair that slightly hid her slim round face, and dark eyes that observed silently. The list goes on truly. Memories Before Me Chapter 1 College life We finally escaped the grasp of our parents and Lancaster, California's grip. The freshman year of college began in August, and it's now November, a couple of days before the week of Thanksgiving break. Am I excited? No, but yes? I intended to spend the last few classes relaxing in my and Hemas's dorm. Watching reruns of the Office or some romcoms. You got mail sounds like a perfect movie right now. I have to remind myself to watch it. “Jo, it will be fun. We don't have to stay that long. " Naehema pauses the TV and holds the remote captive from me so she can have my full attention. I stare at the screen, offended and confused. “It won't be just us, Wyatt will be there.” I turn towards her blankly, and her eyebrows are pulled together with a pleading smile. My no came out harsher than what it sounded like in my head. I brushed it off and turned back to the TV. Then back to her again, offering the last bit of popcorn to her as an apology. “Can you push play now?” I reached over the