BCB Triangle

Thirteen. The start of the infamous teenage years.

It was the start of something, all right.

It was funnier in the evening.

But that morning, waking up to bloody underwear had Cass thinking she was about to die. 

A few hours, an awkward talk with Carrie and Ms. Atkins, an even more awkward trip to the convenience store, new underwear and pads, and a fried chicken dinner from the Soul Food Spot later, Cass could laugh at getting her first period on her thirteenth birthday.

“Have you met the new girls staying with Ms. Nan?” Carrie asked Cass. Cass’s head was in her lap as they watched Family Matters, Carrie’s chicken dinner on top of her head.

“The younger one is in my social studies class. She’s quiet though, and doesn’t sit by me. What about you?”

“The older one, Ayani. She’s nice enough. Pretty.”

“Afraid Pooh Bear found a new honey?” Cass snickered.

Carrie sucked her teeth. “As if. I’m just noting her beauty.”

“You don’t even like him, Carrie.”

Carrie sighed, closing her styrofoam plate. “You’re right.”

Cass let the silence settle in before speaking up again. “Maybe we can invite them to Wheels-R-Us Saturday? You know Connie isn’t gonna let the Tower Four girls hang with them, since Ayani is so pretty and all.”

Cass shot up before Carrie could flick her on the nose. She erupted into giggles, and Carrie couldn’t hold it in anymore.

“Pooh starts liking her, and it’s no more trips to the movies.”

“Oh please. Maybe for you, but me and Winslow are friends. He’ll still take me to the movies.”

“You have so much to learn about boys–”

Harsh knocks interrupted Carrie, making their heads snap to the front door. Carrie dug into the couch cushion, produced a 9mm revolver, and crept toward the door. But when she looked through the peephole, she cursed under her breath, angrily unlocked all the locks and swung the door open.

“Why are you knocking like the police?!”

There stood Boog, disheveled with a torn collar.

Carrie pulled him into their apartment and closed and locked them in.

“Boogie, what happened?” Cass whispered as he began to pace in front of her.

Ignoring her completely, he stopped in front of Carrie. “Go get Bishop. Drag his ass here, no questions asked.”

Carrie nodded and rushed out of the apartment, leaving them and the gun behind her.

Cass jumped up and began to ease toward him. “Boogie–”

“I fucked up, Cass. I fucked up, bad. I-I gotta go away for a while again. I don’t know for how long.”

“What did you do?” she cried. 

She began to hyperventilate. Boogie couldn’t be leaving. Not again.

What was she gonna do without him?

Hands gripped her shoulders, grounding her. When she looked up, the devastation on Boogie's face mirrored hers.

“Cass. I need you to chill. Please. Okay?”

Cass nodded her head, letting rogue tears fall down her cheeks.

“It don’t matter what I did. I did the shit, and my PO is on the way to my crib as we speak. I need you to hold it down. Keep yo head down, don’t let Pooh get in you or Carrie’s head. And don’t write me back.”

“Wha-what?” Cass’s head was reeling.

“I mean, don’t write me back. Don’t update me on the Birch. Just… I know it’s gonna be hard. But knowing you’re here working to get out this fucking place, that’ll get me through this time. No matter how much you want to, you can’t. I can’t… I can’t get through this shit knowing how much I’m missing… just, promise me, Cass. Put it on the Birch.”

Cass didn’t want to. She knew how this went. This older guy, Ghost, he did something bad when he was thirteen, and they kept him until he turned eighteen.

Boogie had already been to kid jail twice. The first time, he was gone for two months. The second time was for a weekend program, but he hadn’t done anything.

Not like this.

Who knew what he did? To have been that spooked?

“On the Birch, I-I won’t write you, Boogie.”

His face softened, and he brought Cass to him, hugging her tight.

She hugged him back just as fiercely. Sheryl Freeman was her best friend, if anyone asked the girls.

But Kaleb Washington, Cass’s Boogie, was her world.

Her shoulders shook involuntarily. He let her go to wipe her face. “Stop all that crying, Cass. Lady Boog can’t be soft.”

Cass sniffled as her eyes ballooned. “L-lady Boog?”

Boog smiled for the first time that night, a real smile, with dimples. “Fasho. You Lady Boog, right?”

He cupped her face, and kissed her forehead as she nodded.

Then he pressed his lips to hers.

A peck.

Her first kiss. 

On her thirteenth birthday.

With someone who she may not see again for a long time.

The front door opened, and they separated from each other.

“Kaleb!”

Cass backed up more to let the brothers embrace.

“Mr. Jackson–”

“I know, I know. We finna go home now. I just needed to see you before. Stay out the fuckin’ mall, Kaleel. Keep yo fuckin’ head down until I get back, aight? Sarge and X will beat yo ass if need be.”

Kaleel nodded, swatting tears away.

“C’mon.” 

“Come back soon, Boogie,” Carrie muttered.

Boog gave her a quick hug. “I will. Stay away from them niggas, CareBear. Even Pooh.”

Carrie smiled, but after she closed and locked the door after the Washington brothers, she crumbled.

“I miss him already!” Cass cried as they embraced.

“Me, too, Cass.”

---

Cass felt even worse the next day. She barely held in her tears when she exited Tower Two and didn’t see her Boogie waiting for her.

Everyone was solemn as they waited for the last kids to come out so they could walk to school. 

Even Sarge barely acknowledged the Lott sisters.

Sheryl skipped up Cass, sympathy drenching her face. “Did you hear? Boogie got arrested last night.”

Cass licked her lips. “Do you know what for?”

Sheryl nodded her head as the front doors opened again. “Yup. Sergie was on the phone all night with Pooh. Ghost took him on a drive-by and Boogie got caught with the gun. They can’t find it, but he was still seen shooting. They’re supposed to be getting money for a lawyer, but we’re all broke, so I think they’re lying.”

Cass’s heart couldn’t even fully drop into her tummy before she was whirled around to face Kaleel, of all people.

Looking like a lost puppy.

But they were lost puppies, in a way. 

Boogie was gone, not there to lead the pack.

Kaleel pulled Cass away, toward the sidewalk. When they were out of Sheryl’s earshot, he produced a silver bracelet.

“Happy birthday, Cass.”

He grabbed her wrist, dropped the bracelet in her palm, then closed her hand.

“Bishop, Boogie just said–”

“I know. But some things are worth the risk.” He tapped her fingers before ambling off, and she pocketed the bracelet before Sheryl came up to her.

“What was that about?”

Cass glanced at Kaleel, who was by his friends. Everyone began to walk toward the school, and they fell in step with the group.

“I have no idea,” Cass shrugged.

It was official. 

Cass woke up in The Twilight Zone the day before.

That was the only plausible explanation for these recent turn of events.