John Dandy Boys Club

Chapter Fourteen

(A/N: Play the song in the header when directed! Song: "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack)

Vion's POV

It's amazing how word of mouth can cause a great deal of excitement or scandal, especially in a small town where everyone knows one another.

But when it comes to a newcomer like myself, anything can and will be bound to happen.

For me, word of my performances had reached an all-time high and I was soon greeted with smiles and more invites when I arrived at Trotter's Ridge on Monday after a quiet Sunday with Uncle Donnie and Aunt Mona. And if I wasn't the hottest topic since my arrival, I was definitely one at the moment.

"Dude, you ought to audition to compete on American Idol! The way you sang those two songs Saturday proves that you're one kid that's full of surprises!"

"I still can't believe that you've had to hold back your gifts, Copeland, no thanks to that god-sister of yours! The way you performed last weekend blew my mind! I may have forwarded my video to my dad and his friends!"

"You remind me so much of my grandpa who sings at church! Or maybe one of the talented singers! You could be in movies or musicals with those looks and that voice! That Kenya girl who bullied you didn't know how good she had it!"

"Vion, you are a hit. I know you may have heard of that one time too many today, but even I have to admit that you have a lot of talent," Principal Fordham commented as I joined her and Vice-Principal Talbot during homeroom. "My family and I were immediately stunned with your performances at the diner and at the house party."

"I couldn't stop watching it myself, even shared it with my church members," Talbot piped up as the receptionist came in with cups of coffee and freshly-baked muffins on hand (She gifting me with a multi-berry bran muffin). "Every day you showed us that you're coming out of your shell and breaking ties with the shy boy that your former god-sister wanted you to be."

"Well, I'm still reeling from this past Saturday myself," I admitted, taking a small sip of the hot beverage. "I mean, I don't like to put on airs, but this Saturday, Kenya's words kept nagging at me to not go to the diner or the party- how I was only being a poser and how you guys will find me out. It was getting tired and I was just done with her. Even as we're states apart, she still likes to get into my head."

"Distasteful," Talbot muttered. "And you told your uncle and aunt about this?"

I nodded. "They said that they knew that Kenya's mind game affected me deeply and things were getting too old real quick. But when I performed one of my favorite songs at the diner, I remembered all the times when my mom and dad would play their favorites over the radio or stereo- how Mom loved herself Sergio Mendes as she baked some malasadas (Brazilian donuts) or when Dad was playing some B.B King while working on the car. And I always remembered them dancing to some Bessie Smith, Nina Simone, Roberta Flack, and even Faith Hill. Our musical tastes always deviated from everyone else's back in the Lower Ninth Ward of N'awlins, but we always loved our tastes. Even I still had my musical playlists that make me think of my parents or even a taste of home. Kenya, however, always insisted that the new rap music with too much cussing and debasing people while promoting sex and drug usage was the thing for everyone. I thought that it gave me a headache but had to keep that to myself since she liked to play it while I did her homework or cleaned her house after her parties and all that."

Fordham shook her head. "No wonder that you had such a toxic relationship with her," she said sharply. "You should be given a medal for dealing with such a girl with a poisoned mindset. Thank goodness that you left her."