Tevelle Taylor
We laugh. We argue. We cry. We smile. We talk. We ignore each other. We agree. We disagree. We wake up and nod our heads at each other as if we were “bros.” We hug. We FaceTime. We text. We take screenshots of music that we like and send it to each other. We crack jokes. We look at each other and smile when our forty-one-year-old mother uses slang like “facts bro” or “on fleek.” We’re in different books but on the same page. We vent. We hugged and cried when she went to college. We get on each other’s nerves. We take each other’s breath away but give each other life. We’re close but far apart. We mock our mother and bring back memories of when we got in trouble and got yelled at. We motivate each other. We give each other advice.
We give our opinions when one of us asks, “What hairstyle should I get?” We dance. We hype each other up when there’s music blasting on the radio. We stay up late and play Uno, both on the phone and with actual cards. We take pictures of each other. We complement each other when we post pictures on Snapchat. We both want to be successful. We’re both going to be successful. We tell our mother that we’re going to put her in a nursing home when she gets older if she keeps getting our nerves. We laugh. We argue. We cry. We smile. We’re inseparable. We can’t be split apart. We’re each other’s, favorite person. We love each other. We’re friends. We’re best friends. We’re brother and sister.
“Inseparable” was published in My Soul Evaporated, a collection of personal narratives by 10th Grade Students at Benjamin Banneker Academy for Community Development. Help support the unique voices of our young authors by sharing their stories and making a donation! To receive notices about opportunities for your child, sign up for our youth writing opportunities newsletter.
