Page 33 of Dionysus
Zeus! No! I’m alive. Zeus don’t do this shit man!The sounds of him dragging his feet toward me made me scared. I could feel his locs swing across my face. He kissed my forehead, and I cried more. Zeus was about to send me to a forever dark place. “Dionysus, I love you. Tell Pops I said hello.”
Zeus, I wish you could hear me. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry, and I love you more. I love you so much, Zeus, that if taking me from this world would give you peace, so be it.
I was crying for all my fuck ups, I cried for my pain, I cried for his pain, and I cried for a girl that I would never be able to kiss again. I didn’t even thank her for saving my life that night. I cried for Z because she was like a mother to me. I cried for Chevy for making way for my brother to do what he could. I cried for Preach, Diamond, and Foe for always having my back. I wanted out, but my fate was ending.
“He has tears coming out of his eyes!” I heard Zeus yell. “Doctor!” he screamed.
I tried to blink, move a finger, something. I blinked again and again. Something was happening. The darkness began to disappear as my eyes fluttered. It was blurry, but I didn’t give a shit. I kept blinking until my eyes opened to Zeus looking down at me.Thank you, God!
Zeus bent down and hugged me. He hugged me so tightly that, although he was putting pressure on my wounds, I didn’t want to complain. God had forgiven a little nigga like me, and I didn’t want to take any of it for granted. So, if a few seconds meant I could get these hugs from my brother, I would take it every time.
Signed a little nigga name Dionysus.
It had been a few days, and I had chosen not to answer Keith. I was still in a place where I didn’t know what to do. I was eagerly waiting for Chevy to either return home or call me. I could have gone to Zaria about it, but I would have much rather talked to him.
I was downstairs chilling when the doorbell rang. I figured it was one of Zaria’s sisters because they usually came around this time to check on her. I took a quick peek out the window when I saw someone I had never seen at the door. I slowly opened and was greeted with a wide smile.
“Hello, I’m looking for Clark.”
My face frowned. “Wrong house,” I said, trying to close the door, but his foot slipped between the door frame before I could close it.
“I think I have the right house. You must be Samara Simmino. I’m Clark Mercier. Dean of TSU.”
“Wait, but you’re asking for Clark. I don’t get it.”
“Of course you don’t. You know him as June. However, his name is Clark Mercier. He’s my grandson. Now is he here?”
I didn’t like how this guy talked, but whether the Dean of a University or the Wicked nigga of the Cove I wasn’t letting him in. “He’s not here. Call him or something.”
His eyes narrowed on me. “For a young lady requesting to go to a distinguished HBCU, you don’t act like it.”
“Yeah, well, you rejected me, so who cares. Now get your foot out of the door before I scream stranger fucking danger!” I snapped.
He then leaned forward and raised his brows. “I own this city, there is no one to call,” he said, standing straight up. “Make sure you tell him I came looking for him.” With that, he tapped his way down the walkway, disappearing behind a bush. I closed the door, upset. Had I only been rejected because of Chevy? Why didn’t he or Zaria tell me that his grandfather was the Dean of the school? I was so confused.
This was supposed to be a new start for me, but it seemed like being with them hindered me from having a life. I couldn’t talk to Keith because he was the enemy of Chevy, and I got rejected from TSU because of Chevy. I was in Chevy’s business when the fire happened. Everything revolved around Chevy, and it was so upsetting.
I had decided I wouldn’t wait for Chevy’s approval to go out with Keith. He had done enough. It seemed like his problems were bigger than me. I pulled my phone out and texted Keith a simpleyes, you can take me out.
I followed behind Zaria in my car. She said she wanted to take me somewhere, but had other things she wanted to do. When I realized we were heading toward the Cove, I became nervous. This side of the city was forbidden; lately, I had been chilling with Keith and his friends. I was hoping none of them were out and spotted me. I began to feel like Zaria and Chevy were my parents because, although I didn’t have to hide anything from them, I was.
After a thirty-minute drive and Zaria driving like a bat out of hell, we had finally pulled up in front of the gallery I had seen weeks back. Paint Your Heart Blue. Curiosity ran through me as I exited the car, waiting for Zaria. She came around her car, smiling like always. “I want you to meet someone. Stay right here.”
Zaria was in the building for a few minutes before she came out and told me to come over. I stepped inside and couldn’t believe my eyes. The artwork was beautiful. “Welcome!”
“This is your place?” I asked.
I remembered seeing her at Zaria’s girls’ night. She was gorgeous. I admired her cocoa beauty at the party and recognized her face from Bishop's pictures around his house.
She glanced around at her work, then turned back to me. “Yes, I love art, it’s how I express myself.”
“Oh, I know because I love it too. It’s my safe place. I’m Samara.”
“I’m—”
“I know, Indigo,” I cut her off.
I walked around and took in her abstract paintings while Zaria finished talking to her. She had an eye for art, but her color sequence was the same. She was scared to use colors, probably because her life was extended to this small town and repetition with no expansion is sometimes displayed in your work. She was still talented, either way. My phone vibrated, and I pulled it out.It was from an unknown number. I was too afraid it was my mother, so I slid it back into my pocket. The number had called me three times, so I ended up putting it on silent. If my mother wanted to talk to me, it would be when I’m ready.
