Yindi and the New Kid
#3 of The Meanings of These Teenage Feelings
Yindi meets Efrim and his kooky family.
"I gotta run and make sure Mykah's staying out of trouble." Scotte leaves as soon as we arrive at the dormitory and I enter alone through the back entrance.
If all the drabness of the world were condensed into one spot, it would be confined within the boy's dormitory of HTBA. Inside, I am greeted by a wave of dull, dingy yellow, like the pages of the notepad I've been writing in, but way more depressing. Cold fluorescent lights reflect harshly over the well worn tile, giving the hallway a definite urine-ish glow, and the faint twang of ammonia doesn't help, either.
This is what my life has become. Dull yellow. Such an awkward color. One awkward moment after another, ever since I got here.
On my way to the lobby, I pass by a black and white portrait of Hiram Thurston himself, taken around the time of the Academy's founding. Dour and badgery, cheek ruffs that could shatter diamond, he's a picture perfect pastor whose look says lips who touch liquor will never touch mine. I'm totally going to steal this photo when I leave and I'm totally going to make a hole through his mouth and--
"Yin_dee!"_I'm approached by six feet, 180 pounds, and five percent body fat of wagging coyote. Sister Cedric prances towards me like a ballet dancer escaping from an oppressive regime. "I'm so happy you could come." Did I have a choice? "Now, let's get you acquainted with everyone."
'Everyone' turns out to be three lions, two males and one female, sitting in chairs designed to make your butt itch, no doubt taking in all the splendor. Welcome to heaven, people, but remember, no girls allowed after 8 pm; the sign on the reception desk says so. As if on cue, all three of them stand up when I enter the lobby. "Mister and Mister Tezeta, Florence, I'd like to introduce one of our current students here. Please meet Yindi Vinterboern," Cedric says, herding me in front of the first lion.
I find myself under a scrutinizing glare--like what you see old timer?-- by a pair of gold eyes, rimmed black around the iris, slitted and wrinkly. His charcoal-gray mane needs a dye-job. I shake paws with Old Lion. His grip's bony and sharp and I force a smile--not too much teeth, act natural--and make my introduction. "Hello, I'm Yindi. How are you today?" I have a sudden urge to blurt out "Praise Jah! He is alive!". Old Lion reminds me of a photograph I've seen of some mid-century king, though I can't think of his name.
"Assefa Tezeta. I am fine, thank you," grumbles Old Lion in a slight accent.
Lady Lion is next in line. Maybe I should tell her that eyeliner makes her look like the Whore of Babylon. "Florence." I think I've seen you before during church service," she coos.
Tiereny would love you. I grasp her paw delicately. "Have you now? Well, pleased to make your acquaintance."
"Likewise. I have a feeling you'll take good care of my nephew. Isn't that right, Assefa?." Old Lion snorts.
Last, but not least, I come before the new guy. I'll reserve judgment for later. Now's not the time to decide if he's a total babe or a complete ass-face. Not in front of this dude's father. For the time being, he's Invisible Lion. "Yindi Vinterboern. Pleased to meet you." I make sure my grip is firm yet comfortable when we shake.
"Efrim Tezeta. Pleased to meet you," he parrots back.
Once our introductions are through, Cedric cuts back in again. "Yindi has been in this program for three months and I believe he is a prime example of someone who is reaching his full potential. When he came here back in May, the stories I heard from his mother, I almost don't believe them. Since day one, he's been one of the hardest working students and--" Cedric goes on and on about Yindi this and Yindi that. He's telling my own story as if I'm not fucking here. Being referred to in the third person like this is irritating as shit and I wish Cedric would shut is damn mouth and let me speak for myself.
"Sorry, I tend to ramble on and on. Yindi, why don't you share your experience here in the Straight and Narrow?"
Get ready people, the pious young pine marten is ready for his debut in front of a new audience. "I definitely feel like a whole new person since arriving at the academy. In the past year, I lost someone very close to me." I always feel it's easier to lie when you cushion it with the truth. "During this difficult time in my life I had strayed far off the path the Lord has set for me. But here, I found a community that accepts me for my past mistakes and helps me become a better person. Here, I found a true community in Christ," I can taste the ammonia as I chew the scenery.
"Amen!" Cedric's grin is practically tearing his face in half.
Old Lion looks almost as impassive as before. Almost. "You." Slight bewilderment shines in gold eyes rimmed black around the iris. "You are to be his new roommate, yes?" His voice is hoarse, but not particularly deep. I can't quite place his accent. Middle Eastern, maybe.
"Yessir."
"So, please to explain. I am very confused by all this rigamarole. I send my son to help him, yes, and this..." he gestures at Cedric, trying to find the right word to call the coyote. "Gentleman is telling me my son is to be joining, nay, living with a whole cadre of boys who is also needing help. So tell me, if he is to be helped, then how can this happen?"
"Uh," not really sure how to respond to this, because anyone with half a brain can figure out that 'help' doesn't actually happen. A full brain will realize that help isn't actually needed.
Female Lion cuts in, incredulous. "I've been with this congregation for almost twenty years and I've seen the miracles that are at work here, not only with this program, but with the academy as well. And need I remind you, he's already enrolled, and we both paid the deposit. The non-refundable deposit, I might add."
Old Lion ignores her, rubbing his forehead. "What I am trying to figure out is this whole process and how it works, but I am extremely confused because it seems to me that one very important half of the equation is missing." He stares at me expectantly.
"Which half is that?" I say. I can guess, but Old Lion's being vague.
An impatient sigh--yeah, fuck you too. "You mention it is the sense of community which is providing you the support and guidance you need. Yes, good, I am understanding. But this community you speak of, I see it and is only a false simulacrum. Incomplete. Yes, I admit I did not know what I was to be expecting, but I was not expecting to see an empty campus whose entire resident population seems to consist entirely of young males. So I am asking again, where is the other half? Where are these Sapphos and Dianas? Tell me how no funny business is happening without this," he gestures with a paw, like trying to catch a word out of the air. "Counterbalancing."
"Assef, this is hardly appropriate!" shrills Lady Lion.
Old Lion holds up his paw with a_"tch"_ sound. "Let the boy speak."
Cedric wants me to win over this? The geezer's a nightmare. He already smells something rotten in the state of denial. But Cedric's counting on me, which means out of all the program's residents, I'm the one the coyote turned to as the_shining example of these "miracles" at work. If I can't convince Old Lion to abandon his son amidst all us poor wretches, I can at least match crazy for crazy. "I'm still a little confused, sir, but it seems to me like you're suggesting"-- I lean in closer for a horrified whisper. _"Premarital Sex! One of the things I've learned here is that a sin is still a sin, and all sin is equal under the eyes of the Lord." Old Lion grunts, but at least he keeps his mouth shut. Cedric, now off to the side and behind this leonine trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Harlot), offers me a handsome, encouraging smile (like a fucking tease). The coyote wants me to go on.
Challenge accepted. "I apologize if I was being too forward, but the Straight and Narrow Program is first and foremost"--a complete sausage fest. Don't have a heart attack--"a safe space where we can all be honest with each other. You see, we all come into the the program on common ground, ready to begin work on our new selves as brothers in Christ. Now, I do understand your concerns. I had some doubts when I first came here, no doubt for the same reasons, whether or not this was the appropriate environment for me to get better in. The way I've come to understand it--let me ask you, is your son staying with us just for the remainder of summer or is he continuing on into the school year?"
"That remains to be decided," growls Old Lion.
"I myself have only been enrolled since the end of May, so I've only experienced the program as it operates during the summer. But as I've come to understand it, and how Cedric and some of the other students have explained it, the real miracles of the Straight and Narrow happen once school starts up again and all the students and teachers return. All the work we do during the summer serves the purpose of re-introducing and re-intergrating us into normal, Christian Society."My words are a Divine Hammer. _BANG._Old Lion blinks.
"I will have a word with my son."
As Old Lion, Lady Lion, and Invisible Lion turn away from us to, Cedric pulls me aside, into the hallway, and envelopes me in a massive hug. I feel all kinds of muscles shift under his shirt and I tingle despite myself. "Absolutely amazing," he breaths into my ear. "I had the hardest time convincing Mr. Tezeta that we know what we're doing here. A good sign actually. It shows he's truly concerned." He pulls back, puts paws on his hips, and eyes me up and down. "So I decided to show him a good example of the miracles that can happen!"
"I'm happy to help." I'm happy that my deception has Cedric completely fooled. This was a test and I passed with flying colors (but not dull yellow.)
"I have to run and make sure everyone's gathering up in the cafeteria. Can I trust you to stick around and give our newest arrival the tour? That is, if he decides to stay."
"Yes, of course." Passed with colors beyond the visible spectrum. I have Cedric right under my thumb.
"Great!" He pulls me in for another hug. I don't hug back this time. "If he stays, this will be the perfect opportunity for you to get to know your new partner!"
"Hooray."
"I'll leave you to it. See you in a bit." Cedric heads out toward the back entrance while I hang back and wait. The last thing I want is another interrogation by Old Lion. Dude's a nutcase, obviously, if he's sending his son to this pit of sexual frustration and then has second thoughts because there's not a girl to be found. And Invisible Lion stands around like a doormat while other people decide his future for him.
Is he a True Believer who wants to put some serious effort into fixing his 'problem'? Or is he just like Roebear, Myself, and Jibreel on his better days, faking it for the family until he finds a way out. Now there's some important questions. If we're going to spend almost every waking hour together--in close-contact--it'd be great to know how much I can relax around him without running the risk of revealing my true nature. Granted, I love playing the sanctimonious ham, but performing constantly would certainly put me over the edge. At least I get to be myself around the fox.
I return to the lobby and to my surprise, Invisible Lion is alone. He's turned away, staring out towards the door, tail hanging limp and motionless. A single suitcase sits by his side, waiting. I wonder what's going through his mind? I know when I first arrived, the only thing I wanted was to burn this place to the ground. I count to sixty before I approach Invisible Lion--no, he has name, which is...
...Young Lion.
It's just the two of us. Alone at last. Mano e mano. I pad behind him, silent, careful, and clear my throat. The tuft at the end of his tail twitches and he turns around. It's just the two of us. Alone at last. Mano e mano. Finally, welcome to Yindi's Meat Market. Let's see what Young Lion's made of, see how hard I'll have to keep my self in check (from getting hard).
We're wearing the exact same shirt, a white, collared button-up. Like, same brand and everything, I'm pretty sure. (I really miss wearing tees.) I'm so glad Cedric didn't say something too fucking precious like "Oh, look at you two, a prefect match!". He's taller than me by several inches, but that's to be expected. His build says "I could probably manage a 10k without collapsing in a wheezy, blubbering heap." Probably my age as well, judging by the mane, a richer black than Old Lion's, but not as full, and his fur is a shade redder, falling somewhere between sand and rust. He's got Old Lion's eyes, those bright, gold eyes rimmed black around the iris, and he's got those regal cheekbones, though his nose is smaller; I can see it now, his shirt unbuttoned, a breeze rippling through his mane, his pout saying "I call this look blue lightning."
Ugh. He's cute. Guess there's nothing else to do but suck it up and hope he doesn't have a winning personality.
Quick, say something before he realizes I'm checking him out. "I'm sorry, but I totally forgot your name. In one ear, out the other."
"_E_frim." The first syllable cracks. Puberty or nerves, I can't tell. He could be younger than I thought--I have trouble gauging age with cats.
"Ready for the grand tour?"
"Yes."
As we walk side by side down the empty hallway, I start to rack my brain for all the uninteresting little facts about life in the dorm. "None of the rooms down here are occupied right now. We're all upstairs." We pass by a large, open room. "That's the lounge. We have lot's of free time in the evening and on weekends, so this is where some of us like to hang out." And be bored out of their skulls. Bible Trivia, anyone? Past the lounge, down the hall, we pass by a small room, a nook. "That's the laundry room. There's one washer and one a dryer. It's free, but it's self serve. FYI, the dryer's on the fritz, so it helps to run it for two cycles." And don't let Roebear pester you into doing his laundry, just tell him to choke on it. "Other than that, we don't spend a lot of time here. Most of our time is spent in classrooms or outside."
Upstairs is boring beige tile instead of disgusting yellow It's a little better, but not by much. When we reach the landing, I point out two doors on either side of the hall. "Bathroom's on the left, shower's on the right." We walk further down until we are somewhere in the middle. Here's where all of us in the Straight and Narrow live. Four rooms in total: two on the left, two on the right. "That door's Cedric's and that one's Scotte's." Lucky bastards get their own room. "You've met Scotte already, right?"
"Briefly."
"And this is our room." I open the door. "Doors don't lock, but if you have anything of value that you might be worried about, you can ask Cedric for a lockbox. We usually leave the door open anyway at night. These rooms get pretty stuffy." Especially late at night when I'm awoken to a closed door, the squeak of bed springs, and an assaulting mix of scents.
"Hmmm."
Stepping in, the room is almost indistinguishable from a jail cell. Barren of decoration, bunkbeds and wardrobes on either side of the wall, a breeze flutters through the small, open window. At least there are no bars to complete the effect. "Our bunk is on the right. I've already claimed the top, if you don't mind." And if you do, then tough shit.
"No." Efrim sure likes his one-word replies.
"Well, I'm afraid that's the end of the tour. Exciting, I know. Any questions?"
He gazes up to the ceiling, nostrils flaring. his mouths open slightly. "Is it just us two or are there others?" He must smell the popcorn. Better get used to it. I just hope that twiddle-dee and twiddle-dumb-fuck can keep their trousers on.
"Four to each room. The room next to us is fully occupied already, so before you came, there was just three of us. On the bottom bunk's Mykah, he's a fox, and on top is Jibreel, a binturong."
"Binturong?"
"Yeah, like a bearcat." He looks confused. Must be from a small town. I tap my snout to answer the question his nose was asking, "Hence the popcorn smell."
"I see."
"You'll meet everyone else in a few. Speaking of which, we should get going. I don't want to raise any suspicions." Oops, meant to keep that last part to myself. The lion's shock is written upon his face, as if he's been stung with some sort of poison and now a slow paralysis is creeping up and down through his body; like, what did you expect? "Sorry... I mean, we are all here for the same reason, right?"
He blinks several time, coming out of the shock. "Yes," he sighs. "I thought I could keep it a secret."
"Secret is a dirty word in the Straight and Narrow. You're here for a reason, so say it loud and say it proud." Fuckin' A, Yindi, think you can take it down a notch? Me and my big mouth and my big foot in mouth.
Gold-rimmed-black stare straight into me. "My name is Efrim Tezeta and my parents discovered that I am a Catholic."
...
... Waitaminnit...
...
... The fuck?