Chapter Seven #3
I turned back around to see the same guy from earlier…
the one that heckled Ayira, coming up in a suit and tie with books at his side.
He flashed an easy-going smile with those stupid bright pink lips, and caterpillars for eyebrows growing thick across his face.
Students were starting to gather around as he came walking over towards us, keeping a respectable distance on the grass with his hands behind his back like someone with secrets to hide.
“I’m hosting a meet and greet debate about the status of the Underground and who should be next in line to control the affairs, I would love for you to join us seeing as you’re…
One of them,” he said. Maggie hadn’t turned around, but the way Isis’s eyes widened with a slight shake of her head, I knew something was off.
“Maggie let’s just go,” Isis whispered.
“I’m fine,” she muttered.
“Danielle…” The man nodded towards Ayira with his face softening. “I’ve been trying to reach you for the past–––”
“I am not her,” Ayira said as she stepped forward. “That is my sister–––”
“You don’t have a sister, and I’d appreciate if you stop playing––”
“Who the fuck are you talking to like that?” I snapped but Souxie grabbed my arm and motioned for me to stand with Maggie.
“Xavier, isn’t it? Xavier Martin?” Souxie asked delicately. “You seem to have other motives besides harassing–––”
“Harassing? No, that’s what the First Family does. Have you seen the latest about Dr. Holmes? He sent out threatening omens and messages to prominent families, scaring them into submission and forced support. This is what they do. This is how they control those they assume are weak!”
“But what the fuck does that have to do with me?” Maggie asked out loud, refusing to turn around. The panic in Isis' face began to set in as she desperately tried to shield her. “I don’t know nor speak for the First Family. I don’t have shit to do with–––”
“So who are you? If you don’t claim the First Family? Who do you belong to? Where do you come from? Where are your parents, and your actual family?” He asked.
“I’ve never seen anything about her parents,” someone muttered as talk began to spread with more people gathering around.
“Her mother would be First Family but why haven’t we heard from her?”
“Maybe it’s her father,” someone else said.
“Is he even in her life?”
“Why is it that no one has ever seen your mother who I have no doubt is First Family? Who is she?” Xavier pressed with a tilt of his head. “You can’t even turn around to face me let alone tell me where your family comes from.”
Maggie suddenly turned around, eyes blood red, fangs out as she broke into the most emotional smile, trying to mask her anger.
“This is what you wanted to see right?” She asked before looking at everyone. “This is what you all wanted to see right!?”
“We just want the truth,” Xavier said with his hand out towards her. “Look at her! She shouldn’t be allowed to walk the Grounds!”
I caught Solomon King rushing up behind the growing crowd with his hands in the air, and without warning?
In the middle of Xavier talking, a football spun like a missile hurling in the air until it cocked the center of his forehead, knocking him clean off his feet, He hit the ground hard with his legs in the air and his back thumping loudly on the ground as I covered my mouth in complete shock.
Everyone reacted with the OOOOs and OHHH!
Of course, I had to let it be known when I caught Xavier’s eyes painfully gaze in our direction.
“TAH! That’s what yo stupid ass get! That’s where you belong right there on the ground! Embarrassing!” I shouted. Looking around, I saw Namir roll his shoulder before shoving one arm in the air. Solomon grabbed the ball and tossed it back at equal speeds as Namir caught it with one hand.
“Unless y'all are getting paid to stand around, MOVE THE FUCK ALONG!” Namir shouted before shoving the ball back into the air towards Solomon who caught it. “Those interested in joining the conditioning practice for the games, we start in five! This isn’t time to play this summer! The games are upon us!”
“Let’s go! Let’s go!” Someone else shouted with a clap of their hands. “DREW COLLINS WILL DOMINATE THIS SUMMER!”
I wanted to laugh when Xavier and his male groupies attempted to help him get up, but his face was cracked.
The usual bright yellow skin was bruised in the center like a target.
It was as if everything he said to put her on the spot was ignored the moment Namir showed up and hit him from a distance.
It didn’t matter what you said when it came to Maggie, the moment her boyfriend showed any affection or loyalty towards her on the Grounds, everyone fell for it.
Yet, when Namir came up to Maggie, he attempted to talk to her, but she abruptly turned and walked off.
“Maggie? Maggie?!” Namir shouted but all you could see was her shrinking white hair shriveling up her backside towards her neck.
Ayira was about to follow when Souxie grabbed her arm and pulled her away, stating Maggie needed space.
Namir simply nodded with a tweak of his nostrils before turning to walk off in the opposite direction without another word.
“Are they fighting with one another?” Isis whispered with concern.
“They’re fine,” Souxie assured us. My eyes peered at her with suspicion.
“What do you know that we don’t?”
“I know that if you don’t hurry and make it to your next class, you will be more than just on academic probation,” she shot back. I looked at my phone before sucking my teeth because I was in fact already late.