Lived Experience: Kimmy Johnson

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Read Kimmy's Story

My name is Kimmy and I am 15 years old.  I am in 10th grade, and I really like math, even though sometimes my friends and boyfriend think that’s weird.  But I do … I love math and l love how everything fits together just right when you’re doing an equation. I wish my life worked like that. I wish I could just solve for X in my live and have everything figured out.

My mom kicked out my dad after he tried to burn the house down around us. I don’t care what he said, that is what he did. I’m proud of my mom. But I hear her crying at night, and it makes me sad. I wish I could tell her she did the right thing. But she’s always putting on a brave face, and trying to be strong, and I feel like she’s afraid to tell us the truth. But the fact is, of course, I know the truth. My brother Mike and I know everything already. We know what’s going on – we know why Dad moved out, and why Mom cries all the time.

But now I feel like I can’t tell her anything, because it will upset her. Sometimes I feel like my mom is trying so hard to make everything perfect that she doesn’t want to hear when things aren’t – even if they don’t have to do with Dad.  But it is easier now that Dad is gone – I really don’t mind meeting him for dinner every now and again with Aunt Kali, but I don’t want to live with him anymore.

I mean I love him and all – is that okay?  To love him even though he hit my mom?  Well, anyway, I might love him but I never want to live with him again – never again.