It wasn't that I was incapable of doing the work—it was simply that I didn’t want to. While Phoebe and her family focused on healing for the rest of spring break, I focused on my coursework, submitting some assignments late and preparing others. Mr. Monroe arranged for a physical therapist to visit the farmhouse to assist me. I had a massage session, icing, a short footwork routine, and rest. I wasn’t one hundred percent, but I could at least walk a little better without the boot. It showed me what money could do, and I wasgrateful for what he was offering me, but it wasn’t without a lecture on catching me and Phoebe fucking. I respected and took in his words.
I finally walked out of the class to Phoebe standing there waiting for me. She wrapped one arm around my waist and looked at me. “Everything okay?”
“Everything Gucci.”
As we headed out of the building, Gabbie was entering. Her face was filled with disbelief, but mine held a smile. I winked at her as Phoebe and I continued into the yard. The goal was to meet everyone near the parking lot because it was almost time for Dio’s little show. The campus seemed extra packed today, but it could have been because of probate season.
As I walked through the yard, I spotted Dean August standing under a tree watching. I told Phoebe I would be over there with her and everyone else in a minute. I made my way toward Dean August as she smiled while watching me walk to her.
“Xavier, I see you're healing?”
I ran my hand through my hair. “Yeah, a little something. How are you?”
She glanced around. “I’m okay. You all have made my time as dean peaceful, and I enjoyed it.”
“That was past tense. What do you mean?”
She moved away from the tree. “Ah, you caught that, but you still haven’t been reading your communications. Dean Mercier is back.”
My head flew back. “We like you more,” I told her.
She patted my arm. “This is not high school. It isn’t about who your favorite principal is. They always say it’s a man’s world, but remember, there's nothing without a woman or a girl. Whether in the seat of a dean or not. Whether on the court or in a class. Even when everyone around you is failing and you’re pushing forward, don’t forget the reasons you chose TSU. The reason the African AmericanInstitute was created. They were meant for teachers but have transformed into something phenomenal. You pull what you can from it—the values, the life, the struggles—and use all of that to become the excellent Black person you are. Not everyone understands that, and I hope you do. With or without me, you and the rest of the students are Black excellence; you just have to see it,” she finished before she walked off sadly.
“The fuck?” I mumbled.
I tried to hurry and get over to where Chevy and the crew were. My feet were moving, but not as fast as I needed them to. When I did approach the crowd of people, I made my way through to the other side as all of the Zoo stood there. Not one nigga was missing. Even my older brother Mison was here. I grabbed Phoebe’s hand and walked her over to him.
“Sup, nigga?” Mison said.
“Phoebe, I want you to meet my oldest brother, Mison, but they call him Mali.”
She looked at me and then at him. Mison laughed. “Don’t be scared. A nigga just in a wheelchair,” he told her as he held his hand out.
She reached out and shook it. “Bro, this is my girlfriend Phoebe.”
My brother nodded. “Finally.”
I laughed. Phoebe moved toward Samara and the girls while I headed over to Chev. When I got to him, I realized this was the first time he wasn’t holding his twins. I stood alongside him.
“That nigga is on campus somewhere.”
Chevy didn’t turn to look at me; instead, he responded. “Who?”
“Yo’ fucked up granddaddy.”
My eyes lowered on him as his head twitched slightly. He then nodded. “Bet.”
I didn’t know what that meant, but if I had to guess, the nigga was plotting in his head. Chevy despised his grandfather, and I didn’tblame him. With everything he had been through, Clark’s time was running out.
Chi Kappa Chi’s chant belted through the yard, letting us know they were coming. I glanced at Jalen, whose eyes widened in amazement. My baby brother was enjoying each time he came to this campus, and I fucking prayed that he got accepted. However, with Clark back and his history with the Zoo, my fear was that he wouldn’t.
SAMARA
My eyes wandered around, looking to see if my mother or the Mighty One was around. Since the day they showed up, I had been on edge. I didn’t know whether they had people watching or were watching themselves. I did tell Chevy and Zaria, who seemed to be unbothered by it all, but I knew Chevy was calculated, so he was probably coming up with a plan I didn’t know about. Since they came back from their vacation, I wanted to tell them about my opportunity to study abroad, but I hadn’t found time to share the news. Then I thought about doing it today, but when Dio sent a group text about his probate, I decided to hold off until after he had his moment.
My eyes lit up as I watched six guys standing in a line holding torches. They were all wearing black masks that covered their faces with only their eyes exposed. Their thin black crew-neck sweaters sat neatly over orange button-up shirts with the collars resting on the sweaters. Their black khaki-like pants and flats added a gentlemanly touch. It was a mix of the Kappas’ and Alphas’ vibes. Jesaiah, Beans, and the other big brothers stood alongside them. Jesaiah held a long, thick paddle over his shoulder. Beans stood with an oversized ChiKappa Chi Greek letter paddle in his hand. Another guy held an orange cloth that looked like a napkin, and the other held a whistle in his mouth.
Before they could even start talking, the girls hooted and hollered from the other end. That was when I saw the girl I fought. Her eyes were fixed on Dio, who stood at the end of the line. I knew it was him because his eyes were something I loved about him. He was focused as he stood there breathing heavily. I turned to look at Zeus, who didn’t hold an inch of aggression in his face, but more of the air a proud father. The show hadn’t even started, and you could see the love for what his brother was doing in his eyes. Foe nodded in approval.My nigga,he mouthed. Preach smiled with his arms crossed over his chest. Diamond laughed.
