Vinyl Moon by Mahogany L. Browne

Author:Mahogany L. Browne [Browne, Mahogany L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2022-01-11T00:00:00+00:00

Monday: H.E.R. Leadership Advisory

I walk into Ms. G’s room on Monday morning and return the latest borrowed book to her desk.

“What did you think?” she asks excitedly, picking up the book and holding it to the chest of her cardigan sweater. “Did you love it?”

“ ‘I am tired of looking at what we can’t have,’ ” I respond, quoting a moment in The House on Mango Street, and a smile spreads across my entire face.

“Oh, Angel!” she almost screams, her accent bubbling up over the loudspeaker announcements as the students begin filtering into their designated homerooms.

“I really liked it. So much of it felt like my own life, it was crazy.” I sigh.

“Exactly! That’s how I feel about books that make me remember what home feels like. If I can see the sand; or feel the drops from my island’s waterfalls; or taste my grandmother’s stew chicken, ground provisions, or dumplings; or smell the steam rising from the bowl just by reading a story, I know it’s exactly the out-of-body experience I’ve been waiting for!”

I walk over to the circle of chairs and drop my backpack next to my usual seat.

Nikki sulks into the room, silent and obviously bothered. It’s the third week of October and the frost is cold and unwavering. Nikki is wearing a crop-top sweatshirt and leggings with furry UGG-style boots. She looks at me and nods. I nod.

I’ve come to appreciate our little talks.

Right behind her is Kamilah and Reina, both laughing, and when they catch my attention they wave. I wave back. “How’s little Avion?” I ask as they sit down.

Reina explodes. “Oh my god—he’s so smart! He turned over this morning and almost started to cry—then he turned himself right back over! All by himself! Kamilah caught it on video! Show her, Ma!”

Kamilah laughs as she reaches for her phone, quick to show her pride and joy.

“Let me talk for myself, dang!” Kamilah jokes.

“That’s my godbaby, I do what I want!” Reina counters, kissing her teeth.

Teiya, her usual cup of chai in hand, smiles as she enters. “Morning, Teiya,” I offer. Whenever we see one another in the library at lunch, we’ve taken to sitting next to each other on the floor, propped against the library wall. Not talking, just sharing space. At first, I thought she wanted to talk. But then I realized, she’s a thinker, like me. And now it’s one of the bravest things anyone has ever shared with me. Space to just be with no judgment.

Eva walks in. She’s wearing a large black bubble coat and bug glasses, similar to the ones in hip-hop legend Missy Elliott’s video The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly).

“Look at Eva,” Reina gushes. “She catwalk ready, yassssss!”

Everyone is laughing and talking inside the circle. Ju Ju is like a dark cloud, and her energy enters the room before she steps foot across the threshold. Her black-and-white Yankees fitted is low on top of a fresh row of braids and she is wearing Ray-Ban sunglasses.

Inside the room.

She walks to

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