Hold Me Down

by Calvin Slater

  “Very funny,” Linus said. “This coming from a dude who looks like a paint plant threw up on his clothes.”

  Dexter was looking pretty colorful in his bright yellow blazer covered with different colored circles, and deep red pants. And of course frames without lenses.

  Bigstick said, “I’m with Dex on this one, fam. What? You jump on the wrong bus or something? Took your ratchet butt at least three hours to get here.”

  “You fools gonna learn to get up outta my business,” Linus retorted, smiling. “Not that I have to explain myself to you chumps. I finally found a mechanic who wouldn’t try and bend me over to rebuild my engine. Lee’s Automotive Repair. Mr. Lee came through this morning and scooped up the ride on his flatbed.”

  Dex said, “That’s what’s up. So how long until we’re back on the road, big homie?”

  Linus laughed. “We? Since when did you start speaking French, Dex? If we gonna help me pay Mr. Lee five hun’ed snaps for the rebuild, then I wouldn’t care if we rode that joker till the tires fall off. But if we ain’t going in we pockets, then we becomes me. And I’ll be back on the road real soon, sucka.”

  Xavier wasn’t saying much. Too busy paying attention to his surroundings. To him the bogeyman underneath his bed was real and on the loose in broad daylight. Xavier figured it was better to be on guard than caught slippin’.

  He watched as the dude Kato Holloway—and his signature Cartier frames and sparkly diamond studs—walked into the cafeteria and sat at a table of cruddy characters. Lately Xavier had been observing that Kato was starting to mix in and become real chummy with the superstar lowlifes of the game. Those criminal figures who had moved back into Coleman and set up shop immediately after Xavier had been stripped of his command as Zulu’s top lieutenant. There was something about this dude that wasn’t vibing right with Xavier. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, though.

  While the other two talked to each other, kicking it about Clyde and Ray’s recoveries, Linus leaned over to Xavier and broke his train of thought.

  “Yo, X, you in there?” Linus said, almost whispering.

  “Yeah, homeboy,” Xavier said. “Just have a lot on my mind. I’m glad that Mr. Lee character is gonna tighten up your ride for you.”

  “Me too. But that’s not what I’m talking about. Talk to me, dog. I think I know you good enough by now to realize when something is eating you up inside.” Linus let his gaze settle on the floor for a second. Then he looked back up. “Is it those GMC SUV clowns, or the situation with that chicken, Heather, who I put outta here some weeks back—is that it? You know all you have to do is give me the word and I got some hard pipe-hitting chicks that wouldn’t mind plucking ol’ girl’s feathers.”

  Xavier put a fist to his chest. “I appreciate the love, homeboy. Ain’t no question. If I need that kind of muscle I got you on speed dial. But everything’s all good in the hood, you feel me?”

  Samantha entered the cafeteria amongst the backdrop of movement and noisy chatter. She was a delightful girl and everybody loved her. One could tell by the warm reception given to her by the students she passed on her way over to Xavier’s table.

  Dex was the first to greet her. “And if it ain’t the lovely Ms. Fox.”

  “Hi, Dexter,” Samantha said, smiling. She addressed the table. “Hi, everybody. Listen, on February twenty-seventh my girlfriends and I are getting together a gang of students and we’re going to check out the new romantic comedy Ratchet Chicks at the MJR Marketplace Digital Cinema 20 out in Sterling Heights. We want to know if you guys are interested in joining us.”

  Bigstick said, “Count me out. Me and the rest of the football team will be taking Ray Taylor to Dave and Buster’s that night, have a little celebration for him.”

  Linus Flip said, “If it means getting next to yo’ fine partna Tracy McIntyre, I’ll buy the popcorn—oh, and tell her I’ll even let her get butter on it.”

  Samantha laughed. “Okay now, Mr. Big Spender. I’ll give her the message.”

  Xavier asked, “February twenty-seven? Is that on a Friday?”

  Bigstick pulled out his Android phone and scrolled through screens until he arrived at the calendar app. “Yup, X, it’s a Friday, all right.”

  Dexter said, “Ratchet Chicks. I heard the critics were shooting that film down.”

  Samantha said, “Wouldn’t surprise me. They’re always hating on black films. But it’s supposed to be funny.”

  “Is Kevin Hart going to be in it?” Linus asked, trying to be funny.

  Samantha smiled. “Boy, don’t run my nerves. You know Kevin Hart is not in this movie. But can I pencil you guys in?”

  “Hell, I ain’t got nothing popping off that Friday,” Linus said. “I’m wit’ it.”

  Dex added, “Me and my ride-or-die chick, Marissa, will be there.”

  “Homeboy,” Xavier said, pointing at Dexter’s jacket, “please remember to turn down the volume on the colorful jacket you plan on wearing that night.”

  Everybody at the table cracked up laughing. Linus almost fell out of his chair. Tears were streaming from Bigstick’s eyes.

  Samantha was quick to defend her boy. “I’m not going to allow any roasting of Dexter on our little trip. Is that clear?”

  Dexter said, “Samantha, I appreciate the love, baby girl, but I don’t need your help. I got this. Mr. Gangsta over there”—he pointed at Xavier—“knows he don’t want any of this—skin so black that when he was standing next to a blackboard, the teacher wrote on his face by accident.”

  The table erupted into laughter again.

  Xavier said to Samantha, still laughing, “Pencil me in, Sam. You’re paying for big daddy?”

  Samantha stooped and kissed Xavier on the forehead. “Don’t I always pay for big daddy?”

  “I’m not sure, X,” Linus said. “But is she trying to call you a deadbeat?”

  Samantha was quick with the snap. “Don’t go there, Mr. Engine Trouble. I heard that every time your car leaves the driveway, tow trucks follow you like vultures circling over a dead animal.”

  This time laughter along with oohs and aahs rang out at the table.

  Dexter stood from his chair and dapped Samantha, smirking.

  Linus couldn’t do anything but shake his head. “Damn, Sam, why you go hard on a brotha’s ride so cold like that?”

  Bigstick said, “Samantha, fam, I didn’t know you had it like that.” He looked at Xavier. “She can hold her own, huh, X.”

  Xavier hunched his shoulders. “What can I say? I taught her well.”

  Samantha playfully slapped Xavier on the head.

  Fifth-hour English saw Xavier struggling to pay attention in class.

  Ms. Scott was going on and on about how to write a successful research paper. She had lost Xavier somewhere around the research process and plagiarism. He was bothered by his own issues. All sorts of wild thoughts were swimming around behind his eyebrows. He had yet to have alone time with Samantha to tell her about Heather’s threat. It was funny. There were goons on his head, trying to make him a memory, but here he was sweating Heather. Homegirl had tried to use her vehicle as a weapon to bring about his demise. So she had to be considered a legitimate threat. Xavier was not too worried about himself. It was Samantha he was most concerned about.

  “Mr. Hunter,” Ms. Scott said. “Is my explaining the criteria needed to complete your research paper boring you?”

  Xavier sat up at his desk. “Umm, no.”

  “Then can you point out some of the facts in the research process?”

  Xavier looked around the class. Everybody was waiting for an answer.

  He said, “I gonna keep it one-hun’ed with you, Ms. Scott. Right about now, if you asked me my name I couldn’t tell you.”

  “You people will have three months to compose a stellar research paper,” Ms. Scott explained to the class. “This paper will comprise 50 percent of your grade on your last report card.” She looked at Xavier. “Young man, is there somethin
g you need to talk to me about?”

  There were quite a few things he needed to get off of his chest. The truth of the matter was that if he didn’t vent soon, the pressure from his issues would cause him to go nuclear on the next person who looked at him the wrong way. He had his pride, but he didn’t want pride to get Samantha hurt. An adult had to know about Heather’s crazy threats.

  “Mr. Hunter, I’ll see you outside in the hall.”

  The hallways were empty. Xavier stood with his back against a set of lockers. The boy was mentally spent and there was no way he could continue without talking to somebody about his problems.

  “Okay, Mr. Hunter,” Ms. Scott said, stepping out and closing the door behind her. “Out with it.”

  Inside of three minutes Xavier managed to explain everything about his situation with Heather. The teacher winced at the part when Heather tried to turn him into a hood ornament. Ms. Scott feared for Samantha and Xavier’s safety.

  After Xavier was finished, Ms. Scott said, “We’ll go see Doug once class is over.”

  She kept her promise and they were now discussing a solution in Doug’s office. Doug stood with his arms across his chest and his back to the door. The place was small and had only two chairs—Doug’s desk chair, which he’d given up for Ms. Scott, and the one Xavier sat in.

  “So let me get this straight,” Doug said to no one in particular. “You mean to tell me that cute little Heather Larkin almost ran you down in a vehicle? She also threatened Samantha Fox, right?”

  Xavier said with an attitude, “Why is that hard to believe ?”

  Doug simply shook his head. “Mr. Hunter, you manage to get into more trouble than anybody at this school. You have a 4.0 GPA, but your decision-making ability stinks.” Doug looked at Ms. Scott. “Ms. Scott, I want to thank you for bringing this to my attention. Lord knows we don’t need any more violent incidents going on at this school. Do you mind if me and Xavier talk a bit?”

  Ms. Scott excused herself and walked out.

  “Xavier, why didn’t you call the police and report this?” Doug asked.

  “Because I thought it was just gonna be me and her. Didn’t know she was gonna involve Sam.”

  “That’s not the point. If what you tell me is the truth, you could’ve been killed.”

  Xavier hung his head.

  “Has she been around school?”

  “I haven’t seen her in school since we had that little dustup in the cafeteria a few weeks ago.”

  “Did anyone witness it?”

  “Linus Flip.”

  Doug wrote something down on a small piece of paper, mumbling to himself. “Okay. I’m going to try to get in touch with Heather’s parents. See if she’s there, so we can bring her into the office and get her side of the story.”

  “Doug, there isn’t another side—the girl is straight up whacko, period, point-blank.”

  “Okay. While I’m checking on her, try not to get yourself into any more trouble. By the way, we haven’t been able to come up with any information about the tall and husky guy who chased you.”

  “Is that it? Can I go now?” Xavier said, almost cutting Doug off.

  Doug looked Xavier straight in the eye. “I can’t believe you. You get into all this trouble and you got the nerve to give me attitude. It’s kids like you who make my job difficult. Do me a favor, Mr. Hunter. Try not to get into more trouble.”

  “Oh yeah. She took me to one of her hangouts, some abandoned home.”

  “Where is this house?”

  Xavier gave up the location and directions to it.

  Sixth and seventh periods had been one big blur to Xavier. He’d been too anxious to dress in gym class and hadn’t heard a single word spoken by his art appreciation teacher, Nathan McGillicuddy. Xavier had been too busy counting down the minutes until he met Dog Boy, the creep who had been physically bullying Alfonso. The terrible part about it was that the lame didn’t even attend the school. Xavier could just about tolerate all scumbags except for bullies. They were nothing but pathetic punks who’d been picked on themselves. Somewhere along the line—after a growth spurt, hitting the gym and packing on muscle, they set out to prove their toughness by exploiting the weak. But this wasn’t gonna fly with Xavier. Simply put, the jerk had stepped to the wrong little brother.

  Xavier was lugging his books back to the locker when he heard his name called. He turned around and was surprised to see that it was Kato Holloway, Mr. Expensive Cartier Glasses, the dude from Xavier’s seventh-hour class.

  Xavier didn’t know what to expect, so he shifted his books to his left hand, freeing up his right. Just in case some wild junk jumped off and he had to swing on a fool.

  Kato walked up, holding out his hand. “My name’s Kato Holloway and I hear tell that you’re the man up in the school. That you’re a good person to know.”

  Xavier was hesitant to shake Kato’s hand. He had been sitting in the classroom with the dude since Kato had arrived the first week of December, but homeboy hadn’t spoken to him one time.

  Xavier was suspicious that the boy might have some motives. He shook Kato’s hand and said, “Don’t be misled by a bunch of gossip around here. I’m just Xavier Hunter.”

  “I can dig it. Aye, man, what you cats do for kicks around here?”

  “Try to survive the madness here at Coleman, my brotha. Sometimes just making it through the day is enough adventure and drama for me.”

  “I heard that,” Kato said, smiling. “I see you have your own little crew up in the lunchroom. You seem like a cool guy to kick it with. Maybe we can chop it up together at lunch one of these days.”

  “Yeah, maybe, one day,” Xavier said without a smile. He wasn’t friendly nor was he for any foolishness. “Nice to meet you, Kato.”

  Kato said, “Same here.” And then he stepped off.

  Xavier didn’t know what that was about. Nobody he’d talked to knew anything about Kato or where he’d come from. It was like dude had appeared out of thin air one day. For all Xavier knew, Kato could’ve been secretly employed by Slick Eddie or Romello to keep tabs on him. It didn’t matter though. The boy had better step lightly. These days Xavier was a loose cannon and it wouldn’t take too much to set him off. And it didn’t matter who was in front of him.

  But Kato was the least of Xavier’s worries right now. He put his books up in the locker and headed out of the school to the bus stop. Dog Boy needed to be taught a lesson. It was time to give that lame bully a taste of his own medicine.

  Xavier got off the bus three blocks from Alfonso’s school. There was a hardware store on the corner, one block east of the bus stop. Before he executed the handling of his business with that dog-walking troll, Xavier stopped off in the store and made a purchase. Something he would need to protect himself from the pit bull while teaching the owner a thing or two about picking on somebody his own size.

  He walked out of the store and made the three-block trek to the school. It was thirty degrees out, but the jacket he was wearing was light, wasn’t restricting, like the material had been made for combat.

  When he finally arrived at the school grounds there were ten minutes to go before the students would come spilling out of the building like ants from cracks in the ground. A crowd stood around the main entrance in the cold, anxiously waiting for the bell to ring so they could pick up loved ones. This wasn’t going to be one of Xavier’s proudest moments. Never did he want Alfonso to be saddled with a reputation for having a crazy older brother. Instead he wanted Alfonso to be known for his work ethic and academic achievements. But in order for Alfonso to have the opportunity, the boy couldn’t be stressed out by some rat, looking to make a name for himself. There was nothing Xavier could do. No other solutions. This thing had to be done.

  A careful scan of the crowd in front of the school revealed nothing. Dog Boy had not shown yet. Xavier stood across the street, so as not to be on school property when he put the beat down on the bully. Therefore, when word got back to school se
curity, there would be nothing that they could do to Alfonso. It would be strictly a matter for the police.

  As he waited, Xavier started thinking about Kato and what his reason was for approaching him. In the dangerous world Xavier now lived in, he couldn’t afford to overlook anything. Every detail had to be weighed and carefully examined to assure Xavier’s survival.

  The traffic was starting to get thick, with folks pulling up in cars and lining the streets to wait on kids. Xavier had both hands in his pockets when he heard a dog barking in the distance. Dog Boy was walking up the same side of the street Xavier was standing on. Like Alfonso had reported, the dog was lunging and viciously barking at everything with a heartbeat. Not to bring attention to himself, Xavier reached up with both hands and pulled the jacket’s hood over his head. His heartbeat picked up, the testosterone-fueled anticipation to make an example out of the bully coursing through his veins.

  With his right hand, Xavier readied the small canister in his right pocket. The clerk behind the counter at the hardware store had sworn to Xavier that the product was the real deal. It had better be. Everything was riding on it. The moment the kids started running out of the school doors, Xavier looked to his right. The punk and the mutt were about to cross the street. Xavier couldn’t have that, so he immediately started walking toward them with his head down. The dog must’ve picked up the scent of Xavier’s intent and started aggressively barking, lunging for him.

  Dog Boy laughed wickedly and leaned back with both hands on the chain leash to restrain the dog, like he was proud to have a killer pooch. He warned Xavier, “My dude, you better stop where you are. Not my fault what the dog does to you if you keep getting closer.”

  Xavier realized that the bully’s heart wasn’t fully invested in the warning. The smug smirk on his grill suggested he’d enjoy seeing his dog tear into human flesh.

  But the laughter died in his throat and horror etched into the clown’s dark-skinned mug, as Xavier raised his head, whipped off the hood, and pulled out the small canister.