Tragedy & Revenge: The Backstory

Part One.

"Xavier wake up it's time for school."

Zay heard his pops say something about waking up for school but he ignored him. He pulled the covers over his head and stayed in his slumber. Frank knew that his son wasn't gonna budge so he took matters into his own hands. He walked into Zay's room and yanked the covers off him. Zay groaned and quickly sat up, "What the hell pop?"

"Get up and get ready for school. Now." Frank said.

"I'm up, chill." Zay said.

Frank smirked and left his son alone. Zay turned on The Blueprint album and headed into the bathroom. Today was the day Zay started his junior year of high school at a new school. He was leaving his boy Timmy behind to go to school with the rich and white of New York City. It wasn't what he wanted but he had no choice but to be okay with it.

Frank sat at the dinner table with his cigar in the corner of his mouth while reading the paper.

Known Italian mob boss found dead in Soho.

"May he Rest In Peace, fat motherfucker." Frank said.

"Frank." Theresa said.

"I'm sorry, not really." Franklin said.

Theresa sat the coffee up on the table and sat across from her husband. Frank put the newspaper down and fixed his coffee the way he liked it.

"You think he's gonna be okay in that school Frank?" Theresa said.

"He ain't got no choice but to be okay. All that money I spent on his tuition better not go down the drain." Frank said.

"Frank let's not forget, they weren't even gonna except him until you started waving your checkbook around." Theresa said.

"That's right cause money talks and bullshit walks. You and I knew that it was gonna take more than his impressive transcript to get him in that school." Frank said.

By this time Zay had put on his uniform and stood in the mirror. The tie, the slacks, the blazer, all of it was clashing with his personal style. He threw on his bag and joined his family in the dining room.

"You bought that boy's education." Theresa said.

"And I'll buy it again if it means he has a shot to be somebody in this world." Frank said.

Zay walked in, "Pause, so I didn't get into that wack ass school because I'm smart as hell?"

"Now weasel your way out do this one." Theresa said before going to fix Zay a plate.

Frank told Zay to sit down so they could talk. Zay poured himself some orange juice and took a few sips.

"Yes I bought your way into that school. But guess what, I ain't the only one. Half of those trust fund brats you finna call your classmates probably had their way bought too. The other half I'm sure their smart so they got in on that alone. But you son, you don't get that luxury. Now that you're in you're gonna have to work twice as hard and be even smarter than they are." Frank said.

Zay shook his head, "Why put me in a school where I'm being set up to fail? Why could t I stay in public school with my friends?" He asked.

"Letting you stay in a school that ain't challenging you is setting you up to fail. I did have the best growing up and I don't want that for you. I want you to have the best, okay." Frank said.

Zay ate a few bites of his breakfast then headed to the truck. The ride to school was a quiet one, Zay was not feeling this new school situation at all. He felt like he was being set up even though this was supposed to benefit him somehow. Frank pulled up in front of the school and put the car in park. Zay looked out the window and shook his head.

He was definitely out of place here. "Make me proud son." Frank said.

"Whatever." Zay said.

Zay got of the truck and walked inside. Before he could get in the building an administrator clocked him for wearing his durag. Zay removed his durag and his waves were spinning. As he was walking down the hall he felt an arm wrap around him.

"Bout time you got here." Arin said.

"Ain't shit in here worth rushing for." Zay said.

"It's your first day, give yourself a chance." Arin said.

Zay took out his schedule and shook his head, "Ion like none of these classes. Look at this shit, bruh. AP Honors literature , AP Honors calculus, AP Honors European history, Philosophy, and AP Honors Chemistry."

"Don't feel bad, I'm in all those classes too." Arin said.

"Nigga getting away with murder is easier than this shit." Zay said.

Zay's first class was philosophy, he took a seat beside Arin and began brushing his waves. The headmaster came on the intercom and did the pledge of allegiance , which Zay did not stand up for. During the announcements Zay brushed his waves until the teacher told him to put his brush away.

"Since we live in the technological age and everything is based around technology. Has technology taken away the need for human interaction?"

Zay crossed his arms and slouched in his seat. The others went back and forth debating on the question. The teacher sat on the desk and pointed to somebody in the front.

"What about you?"

"I don't think it has. You're still able to interact and engage with people through your phones."Victoria said.

Zay looked at the girl and his eyebrow went up. Out of all the girls in the class she stood out to him the most.

"Mr. Harper why don't you share with the class how you feel?"

Zay shrugged, "I wouldn't say it's taken anyway the need for human interaction but it has had an affect on how we interact with each other in real time."

"Elaborate." The teacher said.

"For some people it's easier to interact with someone behind a phone screen because they don't have to do the whole face to face thing. But some people hide behind that so much when it's time to be in front of someone, they can't do it." Zay said.

"But the technology is there for us to utilize it to its fullest potential."

"I understand that but some things are better said in person. It's easy to misread a text message. Me personally I prefer to have face to face time. That way I can see you and read your body language. I wanna be able to look into your eyes and I want you to look into mine." Zay said.

The girl smirked at Zay and turned back to the front. The class went on and Zay kept his eyes glued to the back of her head. When class was dismissed he smoothly walked alongside her.

"So what'd you think of the class?" Zay asked.

"I liked it, it challenges you."

"I wasn't too keen about it at first but I think I could get used to it now." Zay said.

"Why is that?"

"You."

The girl smirked and Zay held out his hand, "I'm Xavier but you can call me Zay."

"Nice to meet you Zay, I'm Victoria."

~

Did ya miss me? 😈

I don't know how long this is gonna be but we gone see.

This idea literally came to me out the blue and I just ran with it.

Tell me what y'all think 💙