𝘑𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘦
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𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦 at Starr Gove Alternative; for a reason the new student didn't know. She assumed it was because of a football game happening later tonight and Joule stood in the midst of it by herself—the instruments loud and students chanting the school's name rhythmically.
The once high-ponytail her tresses were styled in was cascading down her back at arm-pit length with the left side pushed behind her shoulder and showcasing the stud earring in her earlobe. It was a pink-out day for the classmates and faculty and Joule must have missed the memo since she felt like the odd person wearing a brown faux leather motorcycle jacket over a olive green top scalloped pineapple crochet bodice and high-rise skate jeans; slip-on white Vans skate shoes.
Approaching up behind the cheerleaders was the football team in their emerald green and gold varsity jackets. The closer the jocks came, Joule swallowed and the same eyes that watched her on her first day in the two classes they share, was moving in amongst the other players. The specific player's eyes was syrupy amber brown and he stood out with his bright blonde hair against his dark, ebony suede skin tone. Before Joule was able take a better look at his features, her nerves got the best of her and looked away.
The jock sensed her anxiety, releasing a quiet chuckle as he walked by and leaving behind a warm and robust fragrance breezing off his body. Joule swallowed, peering over her shoulder to the player just to find his eyes were still on her until he turned the corner.
"Somebody's gotta crruusshh!" The sing-song voice makes Joule face forward and found that her classmate Solan and her friend Roven.
Solan changed from her platinum blonde to a ash pink 30-inch straight lace-front wig in support of the breast cancer PINK OUT day. Standing to Solan's side was her openly gay best friend Archie that held a peanut skin-tone, and the same five-foot-four height as Solan. Senior, Archie Edwards was extremely attractive and Joule felt herself possibly having a crush on him her first day the two met with Solan. But Joule realized Archie was into his own gender after he announced how tight a football players backside looked in his jeans.
That crush was crushed.
"Wha...No."
"Ohh, don't be shy. It's a'ight to crush on D3." Solan told her, "He one of the finest dudes in this school. You wanna sit with us out in the courtyard? This shit gonna be going on for the next thirty minutes. Might as well get some vitamin D in the process."
Joule agreed to walk out into the sunny courtyard with Solan and Archie. There were only a few other students scattered at tables. They sat on the dark green expanded metal picnic table; Joule sitting on the bench seat while Archie and Solan seated on the table.
"So, their just gonna let us miss our fifth and part of our sixth period for a hallway parade?" Joule asked.
"Every year," Archie responded, "But trust me, the teachers gonna make sure we receive the homework after."
"Of course." Joule chuckled, "Why..do y'all call him D3?"
"Davon 'Dash' Dawson," Solan revealed, "We call him Dash because he fast on the field and court. He always Varsity on football and basketball wit a couple other players. He not like the typical jocks, though. He notta cocky, asshole. He talk to everybody and don't feel cheerleaders the only girls he gotta date. Homie actually dated a chick for two years you'd never think he would look at. Guess he ain't gotta type."
"So, why you never tried to approach him?" Joule asked Solan.
"Cause I don't do niggas every chick around here want," Solan started, "I'm too territorial for that and like to fight. I like the nerds. Y'know, the ones in the new STEM program that's going to college for engineering or some shit. That's a better secured future than a athlete on borrowed time once he tear a ACL, or getting canceled for saying some bullshit and lose million dollar deals. Dash cute, but no."
"Why don't you talk to em?" Archie asked, leaning forward a little to stare at Joule. "By the way he was eyeing you down, you gotta chance. Y'all can make some cute blonde, sandy brown haired babies in the future."
Joule snickered lowly. "No way. His blonde hair is real? No dye?"
"That's what the whole Starr Gove thought bout him and his twin sister and brother that graduated four years ago. Until we saw their parents one night at a game day and they hair blonde, too. I hear they come from a longline of dark skins with bright ass blonde hair."
"I heard they family from some island." Archie seconds Solan's background on Davon Dawson. "Don't ask me which one cause it's too many islands in this world for me to even remember. But, I also heard it's a lot of them in Glenpool like thirty minutes outside of here."
"Like their own town?"
"Pretty much." Archie said as he stood from the table with his wallet, "Y'all want something out the snack machine?"
"Hot Cheetos and a sweet Gold Peak tea." Solan ordered for herself and Joule declined wanting anything. Archie returned in the school building as Solan laid her gaze on Joule. "Ain't Chloe yo foster sister?" her questions answered with a head nod, "Why don't y'all talk much at school?"
Joule shrugged, "We live together and talk enough there, I guess."
"Hmm. You know Chloe used to get bullied like a mufucka last year." Solan disclosed with a light laugh, "That's till APG made her and KeyAsia—her bully-turned-friend—tied to the hip for a long ass time. Now they're inseparable. Which I think cool. I don't know why everybody was so bent outta shape bouta red haired White girl going here as if it's not a small group of em. Probably cause the other four grew up here and Chloe really come from a rich family. They can probably sense that on her or som' shit."
Joule frowned in confusion since it was the first of her hearing about Chloe's background. "What? She told me her Mother was heroin addict."
"Yeah; that come from a rich ass family." Solan revealed, "Now her Daddy I hear is the broke one that her family didn't agree wit for getting her Mama hooked on drugs. She left the family, they cut her off and anything that came from her and guess what he done; left they ass high and dry. Her Mama chose drugs, leaving her delinquent daughter to feign for herself and that left Chloe being fostered by Miss Sheryl."
"You... Know a lot about everybody's lives here."
"They don't call me Tweety for nothing." Solan winked, accepting the chips and drink from Archie that returned.
"Yeah cause this bitch know everything about everybody." Archie chimes in.
"And he know every DL mufucka around Starr Gove to Starr Tech." Solan told her, "And no; Davon Dawson's not on the DL list. You can crush on em."
"So how many are?" Joule was interested to know.
"Well, I don't like to out nobody." Archie bit into his Snickers bar, "Just pay attention to my facial expressions when a dude approach you. If you good at reading looks like I think, you'll know which ones on the DL list."
Joule nods, as her gaze saw the pregnant assistant principal conversing through the glass of the common area. "You know everything about people, right, Tweety? What about APG?"
Solan's gaze finds Jalea through the glass. "Everybody know her story. The beginning at least. Parents killed in a car accident cause the cops neglected to cut on they siren lights during a high speed chase, they sued the department and won the case; the amount they was paid wasn't public knowledge but if I had to assume, it was millions each kid. The brother in prison for killing his twin sister and her abusive ex in a drive-by shooting. So, now it's just her and her two little sisters but one already outta state. That's why she leaving."
Joule's gaze softens at Jalea. "Wow... That's really sad."
"Yup; make it even worse I hear her babydaddy gave the order and come to find out the dude, Dominic Christie, was his blood brother."
The information puzzled Joule, stopping the words in her throat.
The school bell ringing pulled her out of her silence. "Come in yall!" Jalea shouted out the exit of the courtyard, "Parade over time for class!"
Joule, Solan, and Archie stands in unison, heading for the entry.
"How do you know her baby father sent her brother to do it?" Joule wondered, as they enter the halls.
"Cause my big sister they paternal cousin and she on this on-again off-again relationship wit his brother—Gove City Crips leader—that she just found out about. I don't know his name. I never saw him before; but of course when you find out a Christie's the reason behind your mother and sister's brutal murder, who wouldn't go after the closest thing apart of their family. Which brings me to you."
Joule stops with Solan as Archie continues to walk to his last period. "Whha—Huh?"
"When I said, I know everything about everyone, that includes you." Solan stared at Joule as the students walked around them. "You're kin to that woman that had something to do with that Young's murder. You're apart of the Preston's. Your aunt was married to a Christie, right?"
Joule swallowed nervously. "A long time ago; but that has nothing to do—"
"With you? I know," Solan finished, nodding. "And relax, I don't care to tell anybody who's apart of your bloodline especially since GCC want the head of anybody that got ties to a Christie; even if it is though marriage. Your background is safe with me. But if I were you I'd be careful. You live in a Young household."
Joule proceeds to walk with Solan. "Miss Sheryl wouldn't do—"
"It's not Miss Sheryl I'm talking about." She told Joule, "It's your foster brother; the leader of GCC and the one she threw a welcome home party for the other day; Justice. He's the one you need to keep outta your business. He might be something sexy to look at but he not a afraid to hurt anybody. After all, one of his brother's GCPD."
The last bell rung and startled Joule.
"I gotta get to class. Don't trip too hard about it. Just don't talk to Justice." Solan advised, patting Joule on the shoulder before going the way to her classroom; opposite of Joule's.
Joule was stuck in the one spot; questions flooding her mind. Did Justice know who she was? Was she purposely sent to live with the Young family; for her protection or because they knew who Joule has blood ties to?
But then Joule thought—What ties would Justice have to her parents?
At the moment she chose to keep the information to herself to do her own personal investigation, the head security guard KG was approaching her.
"Should probably get to class," KG pulled her gaze to him, "Don't want APG to catch you out here."
Joule nodded and push hurriedly to her last period.
-
"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘶𝘩?"
The deep voice startled Joule as she was seated at the computer area of the school's library. Joule held her chest, feeling her fast-beating heart thumping against her hand. The smell was familiar breezing down beside her making her avert her eyes to the same ball player from earlier—Davon Dash Dawson.
Now with the athlete in a closer proximity, Joule was able to take in his features. The bright blonde hair of the athlete was cut in deep, smooth 360 waves with a crisp fade. His dark ebony suede skin was smooth and free of blemishes. He had a button nose under those maple syrup orbs and thin stache over his full, thick lips. His chiseled jawline was free of hair until it gets to his chin and there was a patch of hair. His teeth was straight but a little spacey and being aligned by soft blue braces.
Davon sat backwards on the chair, leaning on the back rest of the seat. He eyed the computer screen showcasing the 2004 Gove City Citizens newspaper article. "Hmm; either you wanna be a Journalist when you grow up. Or you just a weirdo that's infatuated wit old murders."
Joule hurried and removed the newspaper article off the screen, blacking the screen altogether. "I..uhh—"
"I'm fuckin witchu," Davon told her offering up a smile; Joule chuckles nervously. "Kinda would like to know why that case spark any interest for you especially since you from South City. But I think we'll get to the point one day."
Joule took recollection to the athlete hinting to a further friendship.
"Shouldn't you be in Ms. Carson's Culinary Arts class?"
Joule scrunched her brows in uncertainty, "How do you even know that's my last period?"
"Cause I got the same class," Davon revealed.
"You all in my business; but your not in class either."
"Sometimes I like to hide out in the silent library. Gonna snitch on me?"
Joule lifted her hands in defeat. "Not my issue. You see where I am."
"You not what I expected," Davon communicated.
Joule frowned shortly, chuckling softly. "I don't know rather to take that as a compliment or...?"
"It's a compliment." Davon told her to ease her mind, smiling. "I just thought you was gonna be all timid and quiet and shit. But you actually know how to open yo mouth and talk. Well, I guess cause you the South City newbie."
"I've gotten friendly with a couple people."
"Who, the mouths of Starr Gove?" Davon released a low chuckle, "Tweety and Arch asses befriend anybody new to run they mouths bout everybody."
"They give some...valuable information." Joule admits, smiling.
"Mm. And what have the mouths of the city told you bout me?"
"Hmm; that you were a misogynist asshole Jock." Joule lied.
Davon laughed out, "That's a mufucking lie."
"It is," Joule snickered, "they actually told me better things about you. Things I didn't expect; said you were different than the other other jocks. You had a two year relationship wit someone that wasn't a cheerleader like the typical high school star player and cheerleader set up."
"Well, luckily, that's facts."
"A two-year relationship. . That's a long time. Why'd it end?"
Davon held gazes with Joule, dismissing mentally from the conversation about the relationship, as KG approached the two.
"Well, well, look at this," KG received the teenager's attention, "I told you, South City, to get to class and Dash, me and Coach got onto you bout that."
"Just wanted some alone time, KG." Davon told the security guard.
"So what. Do that y'all passing hour. Get up; get to class."
The two teens stood at the command of KG and left out the library. Gratefully for the two they had the seventh period with one another and could walk side by side to the Culinary Arts classroom. .
𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙 𝚝𝚎𝚗, 𝚎𝚗𝚍