GVA Library, The next day...

Gentle reader, Ja'Marco had plenty of questions on his mind long after the Back-to-School Formal and his encounter with Melina the fortune-telling gypsy at the diner. And even as he was currently going through the official first day of classwork while being under the watchful eyes of his brothers and cousins, he had a lot to think about.

What is it about this school that makes the guys be more like they belong in underwear campaign ads?

Does Mom really believe that coming here would have me come out of my shell?

If there is such thing as a "Triton Nexus," how come I never heard of it before and why hasn't Mom or the others inform me about this?

What kind of stake that I'm supposed to claim on my birthday is making my own family hound on me to be like these guys?

What did that fortune-teller mean when she said that I have to know who my friends are and who's the enemy? I mean, I know that Mom's acting like the perfect evil queen while Ro'Niah's my savior, but I don't think I have any enemies to contend with...wait, do I?

"Ja'Marco, darling!"

Said young man felt his skin crawl at the Southern twang that loved to compare him with Gianna and Ciara when it came to social life and making him feel more like he was only gum sticking on one's shoes. Looking up from his classroom notes, he turned to see the statuesque beauty of Dominique Nassau, dressed in one of her signature nineties-era pastel pantsuits with her hair in an elegant bun. "Hello, Mrs. Nassau," Ja'Marco said, keeping his tone even and soft as he was currently in the library. "I didn't know that you are in town."

"Well, I didn't know that you and your family decided to move to this charming little oceanside town that's been one of my places to visit and live one day. But when your mother told me that you would be meeting your birth father and his brood as well as starting school here, I knew that I had to come and see you," Dominique trilled as she took her seat next to the teen. "And it's just as well because I've been given a position here as one of the newest guidance counselors alongside your mother. That way, we can work together and make sure that you stay on the right path, which includes making sure that you stick with the Triton Mystique Initiative."

Ja'Marco inhaled sharply, silently cursing to himself. All approved by Mommy Dearest with yet another ploy to keep me away from my friends, he thought sourly. "Well, I do look forward to seeing you here and often," he said out loud.

"Good. It'll be fitting that you start to take charge of being more of a social butterfly like Gianna and Ciara, even though you're only a boy at an all-boys academy. Now, you're a bit of a late bloomer with you being surrounded by those little roughnecks who are also in town. But since you're now on campus as a boarding student, you'll soon discover that being with the right kind of friends can bring out the best in you. We want you to be your own kind of teenager, believe me, but don't you think that you owe yourself a chance to try and follow the crowd?"

Not if it means being trapped in some spiderweb that's turning prey like me into studs like Francis and his crew alongside all the guys here. "I do admit...that I have some suspicions, but I guess I can learn to give things a chance."

"And that's all we expect, but you have to truly want it for yourself, Ja'Marco," came Melinda's voice as she and Frederich came to join the fray, a few students waving hello before the adults joined Ja'Marco and Dominique at the table. "Last night's faux-pas with the Adamsons proved that they will do anything to scare you out of this town. They want you to regress into your old self and be cynical. You need to think like a winner and learn to let things go."

"Your mother's right," Frederich piped up. "Now that you're among brothers here at Glenview Valley Academy for Boys, the time is near for you to start embracing your Triton and make yourself known to the other guys here. Now, today is when you'll be having afternoon tea with myself and the other male teachers as part of the Triton Mystique Initiative. Your brothers as well as Reichen and his friends will be accompanying you. When you're not involved with the events that are already on your schedule, doing your classwork and homework, or on the teams with Ferguson; I expect to see you bond with the men here."

Ja'Marco never felt this intimidated, all eyes being on him as if daring them to refuse. "I'll be there," he said.

"See that you will, Ja'Marco darling," Dominique crooned in a snake-charmer purr. "This is for the greater good regarding your social well-being and your future. You'll thank us in the long run someday. If you can't trust the people who want you to do better, who can you trust?"

That's easy, God, was what Ja'Marco wanted to say. Instead, he only nodded as the adults left him to his study period before the bell rang. Boy, these people are really at it. If the adults aren't pushing their case on me, it's the guys here who are playing "Let's All Flirt with Ja'Marco" all day long, he thought to himself as he collected his things and left the library.

******************

At lunchtime...

"Uncle Freddie, Miss Nassau, and Aunt Mellie's right about what they said," Alex remarked as he, his twin, and the other Quitmans joined Ja'Marco, Reichen and his friends, and a few other guys at their usual table. "We all want you to start living it up with the rest of us, but only if you want to do it for yourself. Think of what you might have missed if you stayed off-campus with those friends of yours hounding your every move."

"Now that you're here, we can help you remake your image and align yourself to the Triton Nexus and the great mystique that we all stand for," Joseph added, pausing to pop a fry into his mouth. "You're can have a life that you never imagined once you start to shake off those barriers that get you down. Trust in the Nexus, bro. Trust in the plans made for you. But most of all, trust yourself."

Ja'Marco remained silent, fighting the urge to scream.

"No need to be so despondent or frustrated," Lachlan noted, noticing the petulant look on his paramour's face. "We all want you to just...loosen up and maybe dive into the forbidden waters. Maybe I can help you out with an evening massage, a little sensual therapy."

The guys chuckled.

Ja'Marco felt nauseated, yet fought to finish his meal.

"It's all in fun, Jay," Isaiah teased, he and Martin giving Ja'Marco cheeky smirks. "But you do seem a bit uptight. I hope you're not going to let your friends scare you out of this town. You only just begun school for two days now. Lighten up a little bit."

Ja'Marco sighed heavily. "I just feel like...I mean, this is all so-"

His planned rant was cut off by Reichen's lips branding his in a soft kiss that ended too soon. Reichen pulled back as a wave of blank confusion crashed over Ja'Marco. "Figured that you needed that," the blonde-haired jock remarked.

"Easy, Bundchen," Bradenton ordered playfully. "Leave that for the weekend."

The guys cackled before everyone turned to their food.

Twenty minutes later, it was time for everyone to return to classes. "See you at afternoon tea, Jay," Isaiah hollered as Ja'Marco finished bussing his tray. "I'll pick you up after Gym class so we can walk together."

"Okay," Ja'Marco replied as he let Martin and Joseph escort him back to Chemistry class.

"There he is," came a strong and loud voice that was full of a Texan twang.

Ja'Marco whirled around to see a well-dressed older man who was a bit stocky yet carried himself like a model. From his dark-brown skin and his hair styled in a cropped haircut to his friendly yet domineering persona, the older man gave off the impression of a pastor. And Ja'Marco recognized him at once.

"Uncle Jermaine?!"

"In the flesh, boy! And just in time, too!"

Ja'Marco didn't know why, but he suddenly felt like he was actually going to start enjoying his time at GVA. Thank goodness for distant relatives, he thought.

Don't get too comfortable just yet, folks, because Ja'Marco's reunion with Uncle Jermaine is going to be brief thanks to Frederich's arrival before the planned afternoon tea. That's all coming up next, so don't go anywhere!

Dedicating this out to Shifting2wolf and coolingsun.

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