Shadows of Destiny: Forged by Fate

Prologue: The Beginning of the End PT 2

When Quan returned, he handed both girls full plates loaded with burgers, hotdogs, corn on the cob, baked beans, and ribs. Lisa noticed his hands and arms were full, carrying an unnecessary amount of drinks ranging from Sprite, Lemonade, Pepsi, to Coca-Cola. She quickly assisted him by taking a plate and a can each of Sprite and Lemonade, knowing she liked to mix them.

"Why'd you bring so many cans?" she questioned.

"I wasn't sure which ones y'all would want, so I brought a variety," Quan replied.

The three teenagers gathered close to Quan's all-blue Cadillac with navy blue seats. He didn't mind the two girls sitting on the hood. Their conversation spanned different topics, and Lisa was surprised by how well-versed Quan was in things she and Lynette liked. She was enjoying their conversation, and they had spent more than thirty minutes laughing and chatting back and forth. Surprisingly, Lisa was having a good time.

The sky began to turn a light purplish hue, and the block party showed no signs of slowing down. There was a flurry of activity: biker boys performing stunts in the streets, people arriving with high energy, and others becoming visibly intoxicated or high.

It was chaotic, yet organized. Lisa had initially felt like an outsider but now felt more comfortable seeing everyone enjoying themselves.

Quan kept the conversation flowing effortlessly. His chatter left no room for awkward silences.

"So, be honest, Lisa. Dig deep in your brain and answer this question to the best of your ability," Quan said with a grin.

"I will," Lisa laughed, finding it hard to take him seriously.

"Orange juice or apple juice?" Quan asked with mock seriousness.

Lynette rolled her eyes. "Are you serious? Are you five years old?"

"I'm just getting to know Lisa better," Quan defended himself. "I've never talked to her this much before. Just trying to see where her head's at." He playfully held an imaginary microphone to Lisa's mouth.

Lisa tapped it and cleared her throat. "Orange juice."

Quan grabbed her arm. "Lisa, you're getting cooler by the second! If you ever need a new best friend who's not named Lynette, let me know—"

"H-hey there you are, Nette," Lashon interrupted, stumbling toward them with a half-finished 40-ounce bottle in hand. "Valentina, look who I found!"

Lisa glanced around and spotted Valentina not far behind Lashon.

Valentina approached slowly, each step more irritated than the last. She paused to look over the trio before rolling her eyes. "Nette, we're heading inside."

Lynette jumped up, grabbing Lisa's hand excitedly.

"Oh, you're bringing her?" Valentina asked with a hint of skepticism. "I can't let just anyone in. No other stragglers, please." She glanced at Quan. "No offense."

"None taken," Quan replied with a smile. "You girls take care now. If you need a ride home later, just give me a shout. I'll be over there for the rest of the night, I guess." He pointed toward a group of people.

"Bye, Pointdexter," slurred Lashon. "You fake as hell, Quan. You didn't even give me a hug!"

"My bad," Quan chuckled and ran back to give Lashon a bear hug. "Can't forget about you. Lately, you haven't been talking to me much, so I wasn't sure if I was allowed."

Valentina scoffed, grabbing Lashon's wrist and practically yanking her. "Come on, you're embarrassing yourself out here."

Lashon burst into laughter as Valentina dragged her away. The four girls navigated through the block, and Lisa wasn't sure where they were headed.