My Boy Hood

How did I find out? Well, it started out how Dad was talking up about this school, and how good their educational board is, and he just happened to bring up a small little detail about their basketball team, as far as how good it was. That should have been my first clue, but so much was going on at the time I didn’t catch on. I was with my dancing crew, and we had a big dance off that week, and I had no time to pay attention to the fact that Dad was moving me to a new school close to home.

“What did you say when your Dad said you’re going to a school?” my best friend, Lala, asked.

I shrugged, “I did what I’d expect any kid to do. I just stayed quiet, in shock, you know?”

Lala’s bright blue eyes shined with anger. She huffed and put a strand of red hair behind her ear. She started tapping her foot, thinking, “Why didn’t you throw a fit? I mean, I would.”

I just shook my head, and sighed, “I can’t, at least, not with him. I swear he’s stubborn as a mule when it comes to situations like this.”

“What about your crew?” Lala asked.

I drew the side of my lip down, “I have to quit.”

“What? No! You’ve been in that crew for over a year! You can’t just back out now!” Lala jumped to her feet, and started to make a show walking around my room.

Her red hair stood out against the light green on my wall. Green wasn’t my personal favorite color, but it came with the house, and Dad wasn’t planning on painting the walls. I silently watched Lala throw herself in my navy blue bean-bag chair. She groaned, and sagged in defeat in her seat, “I don’t know what to say to all this. I honestly don’t.”

My phone buzzed off, and it was a text from the head of my crew. There was going to be a quick meeting. In other words, he had some news. “Lala, I got to go. Meeting with the gang.”

“Are you going to tell them?”

“I have no other choice. Dad said I had too.”

Lala’s face got all disorientated. I went over to her and smiled, “Hey, don’t look so down. You remember that promise we made, right? You will become a singer, and I’ll be your lead dancer, okay?”

“Yeah, but…” she looked up at me.

“So don’t look so sad. Just because I got to quit my crew doesn’t mean I’ll quit dancing.”

Lala sighed, “Fine, I just hope they won’t give you a hard time.”

I didn’t say anything, because I wasn’t really expecting them to give me one. We’ve been friends for over a year, so I thought they’d understand. I thought they’d have connections as far as getting another crew member. You know no problem?

Boy, was I wrong.

“What!” Harold, the leader of the crew exclaimed.
His reaction was followed by the rest of the crew gasping in shock. “But you’re one of the best dancers we have! You can’t just leave us!”

“I have to, my Dad’s making me take a lead in basketball and I can’t go against his wishes.” I said.

The underlings groaned, and some of them even stomped off. “How can you back out on us? We got the dance finale next month!”

“Guys! Guys!” Harold yelled over them, “Don’t make her feel worse than she already does.”

He grabbed my arm and pulled me into the other room in his house. He let me go and I noticed we were in his kitchen. Harold was nineteen, and he lived on his own, which was convenient, because he rest of the crew comes here for parties and planning. He never mentioned anything about his family though, all I knew about him was that he had an older brother who just finished college.

“Listen,” he started, “I completely understand where you’re coming from. Family is important, even though that’s hard to admit, but there’s nothing we can do about it.”

“Why don’t you just save your breath?” I said, in the nicest way possible, “I don’t want to hear that speech.”

Harold stopped, and I was glad he did, I crossed my arms and looked at the ground. I saw Harold’s DC shoes as he stopped in front of me, “Nickole…”

I looked up, “Yeah-“

I was interrupted, of course, but the thing I wasn’t expecting was Harold smashing his face into mine. I sort freaked out and froze, and just as fast as he came onto me, Harold pulled back. His hands were on my upper arm, just holding me. I felt my ears get hot with embarrassment. He let go, coughed, and took a few steps back. “Um…?” was my only response.

“You’re one of my best dancer’s, Nicky.” Harold explained, turning his back to me, “Well, at least you were. We may never see each other again. So let’s just leave it like this.”

I could see his neck red with embarrassment. I couldn’t help but smile, coming to an understanding, “Thanks, Harold.”

I stepped around him, touching his arm as I went to the kitchen sliding door, “Hope you find another dancer as good as I am soon.”

“Impossible.”

I opened the door and walked out. I walked home that day, not really sure of my feelings. I didn’t know how to comprehend Harold’s feelings against my own; my mind was soon occupied afterward, because an even bigger shock stood out to me that night.

Yes, I knew Dad wanted me to play basketball, and yes I knew this school was very well into their team. What I didn’t know was that this school was known for their boys’ team and Dad wanted me in it, and that required a bigger sacrifice than I ever expected. I was to give up acting like a girl, and be a boy.