Black Boys Bloom Thorns First: Volume 2 (A Black Panther Fanfic)

Black Boys Bloom Thorns First: Volume 2, Chapter 4

"This candor I do not condone

It's critical and not alone

The choices here I know I own

So lead on, lead on

Lean in, let me feel your breath on my skin (I know, I know)

Won't be over 'til it's over (touch me, yeah)

Lean in, liquor on your breath I'm tastin' (I know, I know)

Won't be over 'til we're sober (touch me, yeah)..."

Violents – "Equal Powers"

Califia stood back from her classroom window to stare at the decorations she had placed for Halloween. Pumpkins, cute little black cats with red bow ties, friendly looking ghosts carrying bags of candy, and silly dancing skeletons paraded before her eyes. She did a nice job.

Her students were already worked up from the previous week when she told them about all the special activities she had planned for them. Scavenger hunts during recess, mask making for arts and crafts, and a Friday afternoon party combining the sixth-grade class next to hers. She was looking forward to giving the children fun things to participate in. It had been a rough two weeks in the neighborhood.

A teenaged boy had been beaten by the police for refusing to let them stop and frisk him. The sixteen-year-old felt that he was profiled and ran from the cops when they yelled for him to stay put so they could park and accost him. The neighborhood went off and protested in front of the local police station. Nothing was resolved from it. A new cheaply made opioid was flooding the streets and Califia noticed a dramatic absence of some of her students who had parents with addiction problems. On top of that, there were rumors floating around that the family of a young boy that had been in Califia's previous year's class had been taken away in the middle of the night by the Feds. Only it wasn't the Feds according to some accounts, but a secret organization with nefarious ties. Califia didn't know what to believe.

"Looks good," said Leticia, the other sixth-grade teacher next to Califia's room.

"These kids are so hyped for this week, I don't even know if they can focus on classwork," Califia said.

"Here," Leticia said handing her a mug filled with black coffee.

"Thank you," Califia said glancing at her watch. They both had thirty minutes of quiet before the start of their day.

Both women stood side by side sipping their morning brew and staring at the decorations. Leticia moved in closer to Califia. Her voice became a whisper. She spoke in Spanish to Califia.

"I heard that Terrell and his family are in Los Angeles."

"Who told you that?"

"Shhh...I have a friend on the Board of Education who did a little digging. His transcripts were forwarded to L.A."

"Another school?" Califia asked.

Leticia looked around them and moved in closer.

"I don't know if it was a school, but the head honchos were very secretive about it. Very nervous about people looking into it—"