John Dandy Boys Club

Chapter Nineteen

Vion's POV

It's amazing how life can be full of surprises nowadays- some of them unpleasant and some of them full of promise.

Since my debut at Trotter's Ridge High, I've been on the radar of the John Dandy Boys Club and an invite to join their all-boys clique by their advisor (who's also the school superintendent for the county, no less) who thinks that I have the potential to be a part of their brotherhood. Of course, I've been in Virginia for the past few or several weeks and there's the issue of Kenya to deal with since she's now arrested for conspiracy of murdering me. But most of all, a small cynical part of me still thinks that it's all too good to be true- like everything will change up on me and I'd be left to fend for myself once again.

But on the other hand, Superintendent Westley (the advisor for the John Dandy Boys Club) said that I had to make one too many sacrifices to please Kenya- missed out on so many opportunities all to be hated and clowned by some insecure young woman who didn't want people to succeed if she couldn't. Misery loves company and I was tired of being around her. Who knows what might've happened if I stayed? Oh yeah, dying before I even started junior year and Kenya herself just dancing through life without a care in the world.

I told myself if I was given the chance to make friends outside of my comfort zone that I would take it and make myself a part of the group while remembering what I stood for in life. And though I'm still not sure where this could lead to with the John Dandy Boys, I'm going to take the ultimate shot in the dark and own it like a man. Kenya's not going to deny me any more opportunities all because she said so. She had her chance to be a real friend and support me for most of our time growing up in the Lower Ninth Ward. Yet she used and tore me down to build herself up. And as of now, she can go her own way while I go my own way.

No matter what happens, I'm going to live life and thrive in it.

The next few days were spent without seeing much of the John Dandy Boys around, though I did take the opportunities to see the older male versions (with Mr. Westley leading the fray) as they stopped by the house. A few of them being police officers, they promised me that Kenya wouldn't have any more chances to try and come over here.

It was now Thursday morning and despite the crisp fall-like air, I was outside for break period with some of the members from the aquatics teams (men's and women's) and the Pep Club members as we just chilled out and prepared for next week's midterms. "You're so lucky to be joining the John Dandy Boys Club, Vion," commented one of the female divers as she and I enjoyed coffee. "You're already a hot topic here since you arrived in Virginia before school started and they've been watching you since the first day. How do you do it?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm still wondering about that myself," I replied. "Anyway, I just stayed to myself and made nice with them like I've been taught to. Plus, I'm not one to stick my nose where it doesn't belong or do anything outlandish or stupid to get their attention. That'd be wrong."

"Amen to that," commented one of the dark-skinned male divers named Antoine as he joined us. "Little man, you already know the deal on how it's easy to fall out of favor with those guys. Whatever you got going on to stay in their good graces, you make sure to keep at it and use it wisely. No need to be blackballed or anything."

"I know. I haven't heard much from them since the last time I talked with the Westley duo. I hope everything's okay."

The redheaded female diver hummed to herself. "My friend Cassia told me that they had a long weekend and needed to recover," she said. "She has a cousin named Blake who's a part of them and they usually stay at the Westley manor near the beaches to catch up on schoolwork. You  can expect that to happen when the formal invite's made to you later this week."