John Dandy Boys Club

Chapter Seven: Calls from Talia and Pre-Debut Intentions

Vion's POV

Two hours of shopping for new clothes (as well as a new phone and computer) and school supplies later, I was back in my room getting myself settled in and putting everything away when my phone buzzed. Thalia. "Hey, lovely," I greeted, feeling delighted to hear from her after the nasty meltdown from dealing with Kenya earlier.

"Hey yourself, Vion," the young woman in question replied. "Look, I heard from my dad and your uncle that Kenya called you up and wanted you back by her side. Her parents aren't happy with her. Neither am I, to be real."

I sighed, sitting on the edge of my bed. "Yeah, she did. Wanted me to return to New Orleans and demanded that I throw her a giant house party to earn her forgiveness and respect," I commented. "I actually considered coming back until everyone said that I would be breaking my promise to my late parents and myself if I did return. And honestly, I don't think that I'd survive even after giving her what I wanted. She might've thought about ordering my death in either case."

"That won't happen," Thalia said fiercely. "Kenya's dad just served her a restraining order on your behalf and is now your attorney. He basically told her that if she even thought about trying to fly to Virginia so she could bring you home or even attempt to call you, she would be heading to jail. She got pissed off, saying that she would rather see you in an unmarked grave than see you being happy with someone else."

I snorted. "Figured she said that since she made me rely on her and take care of her hand and foot while I got nothing in return. Remember the time I had gotten sick back in seventh grade and she still demanded that I do all her chores AND feed her over the Winter Break holidays?"

"Who could forget it?" Thalia replied. "If it weren't for her momma taking you to the hospital when you were almost dying from pneumonia while you washed her lingerie by hand, you wouldn't be alive."

"Exactly, but it didn't stop her from hiring some bullies to knock me around. 'I don't care if you're sick, Vion. The world should revolve around me and you should be lucky enough that I want you around as my slave,' she taunted after I got out of the hospital. 'It's all about me and you're just living in my realm. I'm the ultimate princess.' Even back then, she was nothing but trouble. Not even her parents could get her under control."

"Well, if she doesn't want to face growing old in prison, she better follow her daddy's warnings and leave you alone," Talia said. "I love my cousin to pieces, but I'd be damned if she uses you like a chew toy any longer than necessary. You leaving N'awlins was what you needed and if she can't accept that, then she can lay some eggs or fly herself a kite."

"Thanks, love. And tell Mr. Halliday that I said thanks for pushing the restraining order."

"No problem, Vion. So, made any new friends in Stonehaven Pointe yet?"

And for the next thirty minutes, the two of us recapped our preliminary back-to-school adventures, talked about the classes we were taking, and other topics that came to mind before it was time to get ready for dinner. It felt good to just talk to someone who wasn't a total pain in the...well, you know. Why can't Kenya take a page from Thalia's book, I'll never know.

**************

"It's been a long day for everyone," Aunt Mona said after we said the blessing and we all helped ourselves to her baked chicken breasts and rice with spinach. To me, "Vion, are you ready to make your official debut at Trotter's Ridge High on Monday?"

"It'll be tough for you since you're going to start from scratch after transferring from your old school," Uncle Donnie warned me. "But then again, that girl didn't allow you to have much of a life other than being her slave and whipping boy, right?"

"Yeah, but I told Thalia that the move here would be the start of something new," I replied as I split a dinner roll in two. "She said that Kenya's dad ordered her- Kenya, I mean- to stay away from me and never contact me again or else face prison time. He was representing on my behalf as well as you guys."

"That's good to know, but I think that Mr. and Mrs. Halliday should've kicked her to the curb when she turned sixteen and made her do things on her own," Aunt Mona said. "Who knows what might've happened if you had stayed in that town?"

"Me dying early and Kenya finding someone else to bully and make into an expendable chew toy," I replied. "But I don't want to talk about her, you guys. Right now, my mind is strictly focused on my big debut at my new school and I'm going to need all the courage and strength to get myself through this. I want good vibes and positive attituudes for my junior and senior years at Trotter's Ridge. I can only imagine how things will go down on Monday, so I'm grateful to spend time with you guys this weekend."

"And we're grateful that you're here with us," Uncle Donnie commented, nodding his head as we all dug into our food.

After clearing the table and putting away the leftovers, I made my way outside just in time to see a shooting star shoot across the sky. "Star light, star bright. The first star that I see tonight," I began, remembering the childhood rhyme. "I wish I may, I wish I might. Have the wish that I wish tonight."

I took a deep breath before saying the wish that I had in mind. "I wish for a transformative and life-changing junior and senior year at Trotter's Ridge High School," I said. "I wish that I could finally break free from Kenya's domineering control. But most of all, I wish to be...the man that I can become."

Satisfied with my wish, I opened my eyes to catch another shooting star flash across the twilight sky. "Thank you," I murmured before heading inside. I ducked into the kitchen before grabbing a bottle of water and raising it in a silent toast. "To the new chapter of my life," I said to myself. "May my wishes finally come true."

I downed the bottle and headed to my room, ready to call it a day.

Ooh, Vion. Be careful what you wish for because it'll come true and you'll get it all and then some you never expected. Don't you all agree?

Anyway, the first day of school (and Vion's initial encounter with the John Dandy Boys Club) is in the next chapter, so don't miss out! And I want to remind y'all that the next three chapters are when this story finally sets the stage for what's ahead!

Dedication: ThatTrillBlasian.

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