“So how was your first day at the war zone?” my mom asked as she, Dad, and I sat down to dinner. “Can we expect you to make any new friends?”

I only smiled, giving her the answer she was hoping for. “I’m actually the hot topic of the school, in a good way,” I said and launched into a soliloquy of all that had happened so far, including the number of back-to-school party invites I’ve received by nearly half the school for the Labor Day weekend. “Already, I feel popular, but I don’t plan to get too much of a swelled head the size of Dallas.”

“Good to know, son,” Dad said, nodding his assent. “But I do want you to gain a bit of a reputation. I’m not talking like Coretta had in school because it’s something you want to avoid, but I want you to leave a legacy you can be proud of. Too many times your mother and I let you be the ultimate wallflower at Tubman Memorial High and now it’s time to shine for yourself.”

“You’ll be graduating in two years before you even know it,” Mom added. “You’ll never relive your high school years again after that.”

I thought about what was said as I finished my first homework assignments for the year and got ready for bed. Sure, I was a wallflower back home, but it was not just because of Coretta and her wicked lies, but also because I was too much of a bookworm to pay attention to the rat race of climbing the school social ladder. I wasn’t a jock, but I was pretty good in swimming and diving. I wasn’t a dunce, but my grades weren’t too much for being a valedictorian. The only things I was excellent at were artwork and music, since I was pretty avid at the piano. So, I really had no excuse for being a wallflower. Maybe I just grew used to it. And that was the real reason I got bullied and humiliated back at Harriet Tubman Memorial High School.

But Dad did have a point. Maybe this was finally the momentous point in my life I needed the most to create my own story in high school and stand out all on my own. I knew I wasn’t like my sister in any was, shape, or form. So why not take a chance on this fresh start? I only hoped that I wouldn’t get into too much trouble.

Sighing out loud and putting away my Chem I homework, I gathered my things for school tomorrow and dressed for bed. Dear God, I silently prayed, show me the path that I need to take so I can have a great time in high school. But most of all, make sure I remember where I came from and grant me protection from all harm.

Feeling more at ease, I snuggled deep into the covers and fell asleep.

SEPTEMBER 1ST-4TH, 2015

The next day, I didn’t see much of the Bellevue kids all day. It turns out that they were absent all day. So, it was another day of playing the role of the new kid from the countryside and making new friends and hanging out with the Pep Committee.

Thursday was more of the same. The Bellevue kids were a no-show so once again I played the role again, even accepting an afternoon on the town from Amber and Carli this coming Saturday. On the one hand, I knew that what I had told the others was most likely to happen, that I was going to be a fleeting interest to that group. But on the other hand, I kind of wanted to know what was their story and how they lived their lives.

Friday at school came and went and Jadalyn and I were making plans to go to Pete’s Diner before the first home scrimmage football game against West Morehouse Academy and then attend Rakeem’s after party. I, of course, was given a curfew to be home by midnight that night. “How good is the other team,” I asked Jadalyn as we made our way to the bus ramp.

“Not bad, but we always beat them,” she replied before stopping in her tracks. “Oh, wow.”

“What, Jadalyn?” I asked, stopping next to her. “What is it?”

She only pointed and I looked to see the signature smirk of the mystery leader of the Bellevue gang coming towards us looking like a classic football jock in his red varsity jacket that looked out of place with his all-black Diesel outfit. His smirk turns to a smile as he came towards us.

“Crap, what now?” I hissed worriedly. “Should we bail?”

“Nope, just gotta stick it out until he leaves,” she whispered as Mystery Jock faces towards us.

“Well, Xavier, looks like the rumors were right,” he crooned. “I welcome you personally to JMHS. Name’s Alex.” He extends his hand out and I hesitantly shake it. “I do hope we see more of each other soon.”

“I’d like that too,” I demurred.

“You’d better head off,” he said. “Jadalyn. Don’t miss your bus.”

He didn’t have to tell us twice. As soon as he nodded, we both turned tail and ran to our bus and got in our seat. “That was intense!” I said just as the bus pulled off.

“Tell me about it,” Jadalyn breathed. “My mom said that everything that happens once won’t be repeated again. But if it happens twice will surely happen a third time or more.”

“I just it happens this once,” I said. “Why he was so interested in me, I’ll never know, let alone want to know.”

“Well, just be careful,” Jadalyn mused. “I have a feeling something is up. So keep your eyes and ears open, okay?”

“How could I afford not to?” I gave her a weary smile. “Now about tonight…”

SATURDAY AFTERNOON SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2015

The football game was fun (we won 29-0) and the party was amazing, if not rambunctious (Rakeem made sure there was no alcohol involved since I told him I didn’t drink) and I made it home in time with ten minutes to spare. Now it was Saturday afternoon and I was listening to Stevie Wonder on my iPhone, just contemplating of all that had happened. Jadalyn had told me that there was something going on involving the Bellevue kids and yet she couldn’t pinpoint on the matter entirely. Madison had often commented that they were cool with them, but they only said hey a few times in between classes but that was the extent of it.

“Enjoying the day, Reeves?”

I snapped out of my thoughts and saw Alex and a tall, athletic, Black guy with perfect hair grinning at me. They were both wearing matching white athletic shirts that showed off their physiques and black basketball shorts. “I was just waiting on my friends Carli and Amber,” I hollered from the porch swing I was sitting on. “We’re heading out for an evening out on the town.”

“Meet my friend JR,” Alex said, indicating the Black fellow next to him. The guy was also wearing glasses that didn’t look too dorky. “JR, this is the new kid everyone’s raving about, Xavier Reeves.”

“Oh, I’ve heard about him,” JR said, his accent a little bit of the Ozark roots. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Xavier.”

I took a sip of my iced tea. “Likewise,” I said nonchalantly.

The boys smirked at me. “Why do you hold back?” Alex asked.

“Excuse me?”

The boys made their way to the porch just as Carli’s red SUV pulled up into the driveway. “Why do you hold back?” he repeated. “If you want something, you should go out and take it for your own. You have the right to do it. That’s our lesson of the day for you, free of charge.”

I arched an eyebrow. “Oh, and you’re teachers?” I drawled, a hint of French Creole evident in my voice. “You both don’t look like any teacher I had back in Texas.”

JR smiled at me condescendingly. “We’re teachers, but also students,” he said. “Students who have been where you are. Someone who is in need of a good sense of direction.”

I wasn’t too pleased at his comment but decided to play along. “How so?” I only asked, standing up and finishing my tea. “Do tell.”

“You wouldn’t believe us if we tried to tell you,” Alex said, jabbing his elbow at JR who merely winked back.

I wasn’t in the mood for their games anymore. So I dove for the jugular. “Try me,” I said, brushing past them and opening the front door. “Mom! I’m gone!” I hollered.

“Okay, Xavier! Be back by midnight,” she said from the living room.

I looked at the two dimwits who looked like cats who ate a flock of canaries. “Goodbye you two,” I said as I joined a gob smacked Carli and Amber who saw and heard everything. “How you girls doing?”

“Whoa, Xavier, that was-“ Carli began but I held up a finger to silence her.

“Give me one second, guys,” I said, then turned my attention to the guys who were retreating down the walkway. “Why do you two hold back” I hollered back and laughed pitilessly.

The girls gasped in shock yet excitement was evident in each of their eyes.

“The guys laughed uproariously. “You’re lucky, Xavier Reeves,” JR said, chuckling as he wiped a tear from his eyes. “Yup, you’ll be seeing more of us soon, sooner than you think.”

“You’ve been chosen,” Alex added as he and JR began to run down the street.

As soon as the boys were out of earshot, Carli exploded “That was so awesome!”

“Totally!” Amber agreed as I got into the car. “No one has smack-talked the Bellevue boys and lived!”

“What do you think they mean that you’re holding back?” Carli asked as she started the car and pulled out of my driveway.

I shrugged. “Beats me,” I said, sitting back.

“Just watch yourself, Zay. These guys are intense and since they now know where you live and how you act, there’s no telling they’ll do next. If I were you, I’d stay away.”

“Given.”

And when we had met up with the other at Shauna’s Diner, we reiterated them on how I had put Alex Richards and JR Pittman in their place just by being sassy, laughing and joking every time we told it.