John Dandy Boys Club

Chapter Twenty-Five: Phone Calls and Candid Talks

"Quez sure makes a good interview look perfect for the New York Times," I hummed after reading the latest article from the school newspaper that featured his interview with me. It had been a long day for us since my return to Trotter's Ridge and I was grateful for some semblance of normalcy with homework and classes (not to mention the swimming and diving team with the next meet coming up). I was back in my bedroom taking a break from my homework assignments while Aunt Mona and Uncle Donnie were getting dinner.

Ready to dive back into the world of books and pencils, I was thinking about getting my AP Econ homework done when the phone rang. Talia. "Hey there, Talia," I said. "What's new with you?"

"Finally gotten settled in and met some cool friends here at Suffolk Falls," I heard her reply from the other end. "I'm at Coolidge Memorial High and midterms were just wrapping up. Thankfully, I'm ahead in the schoolwork, but it doesn't mean that I got less homework."

I chuckled lightly. "Well, I was getting ready to go back to mine when you called up," I commented, heading back to my desk. "Anyway, what's up with you?"

"Well, I heard that De'Andre's going to join you in becoming one of those John Dandy Boys this weekend, and it'll be good for him since he finally gave Kenya the boot after everything." A pause, then. "I mean, you and him are really cool people who didn't deserve Kenya at all, she giving you hell and putting him on a tight leash. And when she planned to have you killed so no one else can have you, it just made everyone want to lock her up for good."

"Tell me about it," I replied, sitting back in my chair. "I'm jsut done with the games and all that, Talia. I've not shed one tear for her even before all of this. Surprisingly enough, I feel nothing but relief knowing that the one who wanted me for herself yet didn't want me to be happy is out of the picture."

"Well, she's likely to be there until she takes her last breath," Talia piped up, clearing her throat. "For what I know so far, she'll likely be buried on prison grounds since she's serving two life sentences. But in all fairness, I think she deserves to fry in the electric chair. If you had died that day, I would've made sure that the death penalty would be enacted once Kenya was found guilty of capital murder. Mom and Dad both thought she should've been thrown out once she turned sixteen last year when her reign of terror on you went overboard. Kenya Halliday is a monstrous woman with a pretty face but an ugly heart. I have nothing but contempt and hatred for her despite us being kin to each other."

I shrugged. "Can't fault you for feeling that way," I replied. "Anyway, I gotta hit the books. I got a pop quiz tomorrow and two tests to study for. Being shot at isn't a good excuse for getting bad grades. We'll chat soon."

"Got it, Vion. Maybe you, De'Andre, and I can get together sometime soon and talk. My parents and I want to see you soon."

"Name the time and the place. Talk to you later."

"Gotcha."

We disconnected, my soul finally lighter after talking to Talia. It was a pity that such a sweet girl was related to someone who was...well, too wicked for anyone's blood. Putting my phone to the side, I turned to my AP Econ book and got down to work.

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

Third-Person POV

Meanwhile at Slade's Diner, downtown Stonehaven Pointe...

"I'm actually glad that I came here to Stonehaven Pointe," De'Andre said as he and the Westley father-son duo were sitting down to a small after-school meal since neither of them (nor the Booker-Copeland clan) had any lunch with the interview and all. "Grandma and Grandpa think that it's the perfect place to settle down and establish new roots here. Mom and Dad even said that this could be the fresh start we need since Kenya's in prison after what she did to Vion."