I got out of my car as I glanced at my watch. Like clockwork, Bishop and Bleek pulled up. They both stepped out of the car, fresh as always. Bishop and I dapped each other up. “Looking good, my boy,” Bishop said to me.
I tugged at my black suit. “This yo’ type of shit, but I put it on when I need to. Sup, Bleek, I heard Tania’s back.” I laughed.
He ran his hand through his hair, “Yeah, so far so good. Don’t jinx a nigga though. Ayo, where that nigga at?” he asked.
I glanced at my watch again, then said, “He’ll be here.”
They were worried that Beans wouldn’t show up, but after my talk with him, I believed he would. From the moment I met him, I knew he was one of those special ones. A rare nigga who carried great weight but also held their honor. Beans was a young man offered a life most people dream of, though it came at the cost of his pride and years of abuse. It was something Iwas familiar with. Now, it was time for him to demonstrate his strength in a different way. As we approached the New Year, we had to leave the past behind and focus on moving forward.
His car pulled up only minutes later. When he got out, I couldn’t lie, Beans came out with that shit on. His locs were in two cornrows as he rocked a crispy black suit with an orange silk shirt. He removed his shades and gave me a head nod. Bishop clapped his hands. “A’ight, let’s wrap this shit up. We got people waiting on us,” he said.
Bishop led the way into FBP as Beans came up alongside me. “What did you say this shit was?”
I grinned. “The one thing your parents feared. Power. In this moment, you’re Braylen, not Beans,” I told him.
He nodded his head. Beans was the missing piece to the Prestige. The guy was incredibly smart, and with the plans Bishop, Bleek, and I had made, adding his knowledge and credentials would transform Toussaint into something you could read about in books. When we entered the building and stepped into the meeting room, a sinister smile spread across my face. Her skin turned pale as if she had seen a ghost. Every moment she had desperately tried to avoid this situation, it arrived. The one she feared most was standing before her, not only to take his seat but also to claim his status as a certified millionaire.
Bishop and I stared at each other as Cynthia stood there alone. I cleared my throat, “Where the fuck is Clark?”
She glanced down at the table, then looked at me. “He left the country. Clark is terrified of what the Prestige will become. However, I still hold a vote,” she said to me.
It was just like Clark to run like a bitch. However, it didn’t matter how far he ran; his ass was mine. He was the last pieceof my puzzle, and Mr. Calloway wouldn’t fully thrive until his ass was gone. Clark was predictable. I knew that as soon as his little well ran dry, he would be back, and as soon as he touched down, I would be waiting. I gave Cynthia a half smile as I turned toward Beans. “Welcome to the Prestige. Here you have power. Power to do what’s right, not just for you, but for your generations down the line. Every decision we make here will affect our peers and every other person out there who is struggling to make a way. Braylen, you don’t need a vote because your seat has been waiting for you. You said you’re a Black Educated Ass Nigga. Now it’s time to use thatSfor a little razzle fucking dazzle. Do you accept your seat at the table to make a change?” I asked him while my eyes rolled toward Fiona.
Her eyes shot to Beans. “Braylen, wait!” she shouted. “This thing he’s talking about is something you’re not used to. These are important decisions that could change everything. Let me help you. We can be like a team. A family,” she pleaded.
I wanted to jump in and call bullshit, but he knew what it was. No matter how much shit I talked about Fiona, this was his choice. I could see him curiously looking at all of us. “Yes,” his deep voice said. “I accept.”
“Hmph,” I grumbled as I looked at Fiona.
She snatched her purse as she looked at me. We didn’t need to tell her to leave because she knew what she needed to do. Fiona turned toward Cynthia with pleading eyes. Cynthia lowered her head. Fiona walked past her in shame as she left the room. Once she was gone, we all turned toward Beans. “You are officially a part of something that will change the world.”
He smiled. “Like a secret society type shit.”
We all laughed. “But better.”
We all smiled. Although I had the Zoo, the Prestige was something different. It allowed me to be empowered in a way that didn’t revolve around hustling, killing, or dodging death to make a change. It allowed me to do what I live for, but in a way that carried some decorum. I was still able to save niggas and be a hero. We all left the Prestige with our heads held high. Just months earlier, this part of the world was concealed from us. To know that Black men, coming from a past beyond imagination, had succeeded in the game of life, or at least for now, filled me with even greater gratitude for choosing to live.
MORGAN
My body felt light as my pointe shoes dribbled across the stage. I let my arms softly flow while I spun, lowering my body into a curtsey-like motion. As I came up, I smiled when Alyse glided my way, leaping across the stage. I met her as we interlocked arms and performed a duet routine. Her crisp bun and makeup gave her the perfect ballerina look. Our matching tutus and bodysuits rolled out and came back together. The stage lights beamed on us as we neared the end of our performance.
I smiled as my newfound friends set out in the crowd, watching us. Samara, Dio, Peanut, Kareem, Paige, and to my surprise, Beans. It felt good to be a part of a circle that not only had my back but was just as crazy as I was. I truly felt like Princess Shira, who had found her tribe outside of her home. It wasn’t about not going back to Stone Castle, but more about being free inside and out. I learned that although different parts of the game seemed hard, instead of focusing on the creatures around me, I needed to focus on how to get to where I neededto be. When I encountered unexpected obstacles, whether good or bad, I needed to face them. Like with Kareem, I came across him, and although things were good for the most part, I took his obstacles as my own rather than letting him meet me on the other end.
Alyse and I finished as we gracefully bowed, and the crowd cheered. Roses were tossed onto the stage, and the sound of Kareem’s whistling and howling made me giggle. “That’s my girl!” he shouted. “I see you, baby!”
We slowly rose, waved, and rushed off stage. It was the perfect performance that I would do with my best friend all over again.
***
I sat in the studio while Kareem was on the other side of the glass. I bobbed my head to the beat while he got ready to rap. He sparked up a blunt as he, too, moved to the beat. Beans sat in the chair in front of me, messing with knobs and buttons on his mixing board. Dio came into the room. “How long is this going to take?”
Beans looked at him and laughed. “As long as it needs to. We don’t rush perfection.”
Dio shook his head as he tossed his hands up. “Man, I don’t know about this managing shit. I was talking to some people and—”
Beans turned toward him. “Nigga, relax. We have until after the semester, remember?”
Dio crossed his arms over his chest. “Why are you here? You need to be trying to get your girl back. Spend less time in this muhfucka and more time chasing her. I saw both of you at Shorty’s little ballet shit. I’ll make sure this nigga is straight. You do what you have to do. To be honest, Paige is Samara’s friend.We can’t have her around if y’all aren’t comfortable, so you need to fix it.”
