Page 76 of Mr. Calloway

He turned to look at me. “I feel like riding today. You down?”

I shook my head. “I’m down, but I want to lead the ride today.”

I was waiting on him to tell me fuck no, but to my surprise, he agreed. “Okay.”

“Nigga, is you cool?”

He smirked. “Neva better.”

While he hopped on his bike, I jogged back over to Zeus’ and got on mine. I put on my helmet and came down the driveway. By the time we all reached the street, Chevy was coming out of his driveway.

“Oh, so you niggas schemin’,” he said in the helmet.

“Never that, ugly nigga,” Diamond replied.

Chevy flipped his visor up. “Ugly never, handsome forever. A’ight, Dio, we’re waiting on you.”

I revved up my bike and moved in front of them. I held my hand in the air, easing all my fingers down but my pointer. I spun it in a circle and pointed before taking off. Leading the OGs felt natural. Not because I knew I was that nigga, but because the best parts of each of them lived in me. The humor of Diamond, the belief of Preach, the menace of Foe, the solidness of Zeus, and the heart of Chevy.

Today wasn’t just about helping Scooter but showing everyone that I was much more than a prince, and I hoped like hell everything played out as it should.

Zaria

PRESS PLAY

We had been at the beach for the last hour waiting for the rest of the guys to show up. I offered to bring June, but Dio swore he had it under control. We all knew that any Zoo event just never went right, and knowing it was Dio conducting this event scared not only me but everyone involved.

However, seeing the turnout, I must say he did his big one. I wasn’t sure how he got all of these people to come out, but he did. There was a stage on the sand with a big Zoo Day sign, local artists performing, a DJ, small business vendors, food trucks, a clothing drive, and so much more.

There were even other biker crews around, so many that I was afraid that beef would brew within the crowd. He had gotten us a spot with a tent and a full setup so we could make the kids more comfortable. With everything I saw unfolding, Dionysus was June in the making. He was stepping into a purpose I didn’t even think he knew the magnitude of. When June told me he made the guys aware he was stepping away, I almost couldn’t believe it because the Zoo was his baby, his first love, but if this is what he wanted, I was going to stand beside him.

Harvey stood from the chair. “They’re close.”

She picked up Peace while I grabbed Savior. We walked through the crowd to get to the spot where the guys were pulling in. Yana held Love’s hand while Sasha held Sy’ann’s. As we grew closer to the area, the sounds of their bikes ripped through the boardwalk. I bounced Savior in my arms as I pointed. “Look, it’s Daddy.”

He smiled and clapped. Harvey led the chant, and we all followed behind her.“We don’t fuck with you! We only fuck with the Zoo!”she shouted.

Then we repeated it.“We don’t fuck with you! We only fuck with the Zoo!”

Then the crowd repeated it. “We don’t fuck with you! We only fuck with the Zoo!”

The first bike zoomed by, and it was Diamond. He popped a wheelie. Then Zeus, who did donuts, creating tire marks on the pavement, filled our lungs with smoke. The crowd started to lose it, and it made me even more excited because the unseen love that the Zoo felt was now visible.

As the crowd got more riled up, Foe came flying by with both hands in the air, nodding his head. Preach sped by, swerving his bike low to the ground before coming up slowly. Then there was Dionysus, who floated by with his bike tilted back, one hand on the handle, while the other was in the air. My adrenaline was going now. They all lined up, but there were only five bikes. I didn’t see June’s. I stepped forward to see if he was coming, but nothing.Where the fuck is he?

That was when I saw his bike come onto the boardwalk, and the smile that graced my face was big and wide. I began to shout. “Hail to the muhfuckin’ king!”

His bike zoomed by as he popped two wheelies into a donut. He picked up speed while coming our way. June came closeto the crowd, swerving his bike and letting his tires screech, building up smoke.

“We don’t fuck with you! We only fuck with the Zoo!”we shouted one last time.

As he hit his kickstand and got off the bike, all the guys, including the younger one, began revving for him. He removed his helmet and glanced around before his eyes landed on me.

They see you, baby. They see you! Hail to the muhfuckin’ king!

There had been many things done to show him how much not only the crew, but also the people appreciated him, but this was different. This was everyone paying homage to the man who took everyone through there. It was he who had been through the most and somehow still come out on top. June would forever be the king of the Zoo to others, but to me, he was simply Mr. Fucking Calloway.

June