Book excerpt: DEAR MOM, I hate wearing old-fashioned dresses every day. STANDING OUTBeing called White Girl because I speak too proper for the black kids, too poor to fit in with the cool kids.And then when I finally built up the courage to tell you;"Mom, I'm hurting. Mom they won't leave me alone." You say, "Turn the other cheek." I hated when you said "yes" to everybody, no matter how much you didn't want to do it.No matter how bad he treated you, no matter how much it hurt you, you said, "Sometimes, you just gotta pray about it."I hate being poor. I hate living with you. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you.Until the phone rings, and the voice says, "Khadija. Your mother is dead."This intimate story of a lost girl chronicles Khadija Grant's experiences growing up as a teen and how it has shaped who she is today. It was written to shed light on issues teens and young adults face, and is a reminder to parents like herself, who sometimes forget just how difficult it can be finding your way.