The boys headed on the train uptown towards the Northern Bronx. It was different there. Trees brushed past the tops of roofs while homes were surrounded by soil and buried in ivy. This wasn’t an intentional aesthetic. In this part of the city, nature was never nurtured but overcame and endured until It took back what was misused. Older generations occupied the north side of the Bronx. Families that had founded the borough back when it was a collection of smaller towns with distinct neighborhoods. It was the closest place you’d find “old money.” This was where the wealthier schools resided, most notably Bronx Sci. A school built on the idea that those who passed through its doors would change the world. An idea rarely encouraged in the poorest part of the state.
While waiting on the platform, Dejari took it upon himself to start walking on his extended fingers, his entire body vertical. They headed to the back of the train car, his friend drawing the eyes of the other passengers. Carlo was used to his superhuman feats of strength but was always surprised by how easily he was able to keep up with his stride.
"You know they have scholarships for specials at my school. You could probably get in if you applied."
"Nah, I heard they force you on a sports team and then your name’s in a registry somewhere. I don't want to do all that. Plus I heard if you screw up, your family gotta pay."
"You don’t think you'll meet expectations?"
"I'd rather stick to my free shit and not have a microscope on me. At least back at the old school everything ain't shit. Even specials.” Dejari smoothly did a cartwheel into a regular standing position as they got their spot on the train by the last door. "It’s just a shame you got roped into that program and you ain't even a special, just nerdy."
"Shhh. Hey, not so loud.” Carlo hissed.
“Oh my fault,” Dejari said, cupping his mouth with a fist.
“Besides, you know I was forced to take that test,” Carlo whispered. Dejari laughed. “It's not funny man, the Nuns, Father Shelby, even our principal made me do it. "
“They still feel guilty for not sending you to catholic school huh?”
“Our old one was free. But they excused it by saying if we overdid the whole Jesus thing, it wouldn’t stick. Since we already get a lot of it back at the church.”
"How long do you think it’s gonna be until they find out you can't do nothing but math?" He asked.
"Hopefully soon. I hate this." Carlo replied, slumping against the door. "I was doing fine with you guys. Why does everyone think they know what's best for me?” Carlo said, crossing his arms and leaning back against the door in a moody huff. Dejari sucked his teeth.
"My guy you live in a church. Any opportunity you or Van get is a good one. Even I can see that. Speaking of which, how's Vanessa? I haven't seen her around in weeks."
"Why? You gonna hit on her too now?" Carlo said, raising an eyebrow.
"Yoo chill I ain't mean it like that. plus in 9th grade dating a 7th grader. It looks bad."
"Tell that to Sonny. He's in 8th, so he flirts with girls from all three grades. She's pissed about it.”
"Shit, you say that but I think he loves your sister."
"I do too. That's the problem. He’s too dumb for her."
"Brains don't mean a thing when we talking about love Carlo. Look at those girls over there. You think any of them care about how smart you are?" Dejari said, pointing to a group of young women standing by the door near the edge of the car. They were all wearing the same green uniform as Carlo but were very different. Their clothes were less wrinkled, they all had phones, he didn’t. They all had bags with extra accessories unlike him. Carlo thought they were all beautiful with nice hair and clear faces. The perfume they all collectively wore filled the train with sweet scents that smelled like good credit and rent money he thought.
But one of the girls quickly caught his eye so hard he thought he’d go blind. She was the tallest one in the group, very fit, tan-skinned with a small black dot on her chin and long striking white hair that draped over her shoulder. He’d never seen anyone so beautiful in his life. He watched her snow-white strands sway to the rocking of the train. And when she laughed, her smile-to him at least, seemed to be the kind of thing that drove a man to paint their masterpiece, write music or dare to go to the moon. It gave off the power to believe in something greater.
“Yo bro you're staring too hard,” Dejari slapped Carlo on the shoulder. Carlo looked back at his friend flustered. He rubbed his cheeks which felt surprisingly warm.
“Ok. So, what’s your point? Girls love morons?”
“Nah, if I said that, all that hope you just built up in ya chest would turn to hate,” Dejari said, pressing his finger where Carlos' heart was. Carlo pushed his hand away. His ears felt seared.
“S-shut up!”
“Bro your jaw was on the floor.
“I..ugh ...Un….unfortunate.”
“Hehe, Yo that’s what I mean by no brains. It’s not something you think about. Sammy and Van probably don’t even realize what they like, hell neither do you. But when you feel that shit, you gotta either walk away or go for it - no thinking.”
“Where'd you learn all this? You date a lot?”
“My sisters. They keep me on my toes,” Dejari said, sticking out his tongue. Carlo scowled quickly before looking back at the group of girls. This time when he did, the white-haired sight stealer was staring right at him. It was brief but intense, neither turning away until finally Carlo sunk his head low and faced Dejari.
“She's still staring,” Dejari said with a small smile creeping on his face.
“How can you tell?” Carlo said, his ears on fire.
“Peripheral vision, smart one. Humans don’t need to turn their heads to look.”
“Shut up, it’s hard for me,” Carlo said pointing at his lazy eye.
“Oh yeah, my fault. Well, she looked away so you can chill now.”
“Really?”
“No.” Dejari giggled watching Carlo melt in his shoes. After another few minutes, the train stopped. With the school being only a block away, a green wave of young people flooded out the train and started downstairs towards the building. Carlo noticed how different it looked. The school wasn’t a wide slab of concrete like his last one. It was two buildings. Both, over eight stories with a glass exterior with two bridges that connected to one another. Around it was a large field, cut low and maintained by working groundskeepers, with topiary in the shape of the letters S-C-I by the front.
“Whoa…” the boys said, staring at the campus in awe. Carlo suddenly felt a heavy bump against his shoulder. A young man, sporting red bushy hair, brushed past him.
“Don’t touch me.” He barked, his anger emphasized by his bushy eyebrows. He had already stormed off before Carlo could respond.
“The hell was that?” Dejari said his face scrunched up in confusion.
“Well, that's a good way to start my first day I suppose,” Carlo said, holding out his hand for a dap. Dejari instead went for a brief hug.
“I’ll see you when you get back to the block ok? Don't skip, you're making us look bad.”
“We never looked good,” Carlo noted. Dejari laughed, letting go and heading back towards the train. Watching him leave, Carlo suddenly found it difficult to turn away. With the sudden feeling that if he did, it would be the end of something. He stood still, slowly waiting for his friend to disappear from view before finally setting his sights on the school.
“Don’t think….ok. Don’t think…Do not ponder- or deliberate or contemplate, cogitate-wait is that too many ways to think…Oh. I’ve messed up already ....”
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