The Queen's Game

Chapter 1: Moving to Oakland

Soleil's POV

The car hummed quietly on the highway, the tires gliding over the pavement like a slow, steady beat. My fingers drummed along the side of the seat, the rhythm of my nerves keeping time with the road beneath us. We were heading to Oakland, California, but the closer we got, the more the city felt like a foreign land. I was born and raised in Portland, Oregon—Oakland was unfamiliar, untouchable, something else entirely. My family, though, was buzzing with excitement.

"I swear, I'm just ready to see our new house," my dad, Jaden Thompson, said from the driver's seat, his deep voice filled with a mix of eagerness and excitement. He had that look in his eyes—the kind he always got before the start of football season, that coach-fire in him. He had just signed on to coach at the high school I’d be attending, Oakland High. It was a big move for him, but it didn’t feel as big to me. At least, not yet.

"Jaden, you're always about the house," my mom, Aurora Thompson, teased from the passenger seat. She was adjusting her bright red scarf in the mirror, her fingers dancing through her hair. Mom was a hairstylist, always working her magic with some of the city’s best. "You sure you’re not just excited to get your hands on some new football talent?"

Dad chuckled, glancing at her. "I’m excited to get started, but I’m ready to settle into this new chapter with you all."

"Whatever," I muttered, staring out the window. Honestly, I was excited about the house too, but a little part of me was filled with dread. Oakland was a different world. It wasn’t LA, and while I could handle it, I knew things were going to be tough. Especially because I had no idea what to expect from my new school.

The back seat was full of noise as always—my triplet sisters, Ivy, Azalea, and Dahlia, had been practically bouncing off the walls the entire ride. They were fifteen, the perfect age to get involved in everything, whether it was drama, dance classes, or whatever friends and boys threw at them. Honestly, I was just glad they’d stop arguing over whose side of the back seat was whose.

"I call dibs on the front room when we get there!" Ivy declared from the back. Her voice was always the loudest.

"No way!" Azaleà shot back. "I get it. I’m the oldest, so I deserve it."

"We’re all the same age," Dahlia reminded them, looking bored as she stared at her phone. "You’re all just as much of a mess as I am."

In the midst of all this, my twin brothers, Orion and River, were quiet for once. They were twelve, and their personalities balanced each other. Orion was all about football, a miniature version of Dad, while River was always a ball of energy, jumping into basketball games and making everyone laugh. They weren’t used to long drives, especially not when they had to be stuck in the same cramped car for hours.

"Mom," River said suddenly, breaking the silence. "Do you know who Kehlani is?"

Mom looked up from the rearview mirror at him. "Kehlani?" She sounded like she was thinking it through. "You mean the singer?"

"No, that’s Kehlani with an ‘i,’" River corrected, scrunching up his face. "This is Kehlani with an ‘a.’ I’ve heard people at school talking about her."

Mom frowned. "I’m not sure who you’re talking about, but you know how people are. Probably some local talent trying to make a name for herself."

I shifted in my seat, trying to ignore the sudden curiosity that sparked within me. Kehlani?

"Who’s Kehlani?" I asked, glancing at my dad, even though he had his hands firmly gripping the wheel. He was too busy thinking about the move to care about someone named Kehlani.

"Kehlani Parrish," Orion added, his voice firm. "She's one of the most dangerous women in Oakland."

I laughed, but it was more out of discomfort than amusement. "Dangerous? What does that mean? Is she like a gang leader or something?"

"Yeah," River chimed in, “That’s what I heard. But I don’t think she’s just a gang leader. She’s like... a legend around here.”

I raised an eyebrow. "So she’s some kind of myth?"

Azalea snorted. "She’s not a myth, Soleil. She’s real. You’re just gonna see her when we get there. People around Oakland are obsessed with her, I guess."

I crossed my arms over my chest, my interest piqued. A gang leader? That was definitely news to me. But then again, I had no idea what Oakland was really like. Sure, I’d heard rumors, seen headlines about the city’s crime rate, but I never thought I’d be part of it. I wasn’t exactly street-smart.

"You don’t have to worry about Kehlani, baby," Mom said, glancing at me. She must’ve seen the look on my face because her voice softened. "We’re not here to get involved in that. You’re gonna have your own life, your own friends. Stay focused on school. That’s what matters."

But I wasn’t so sure. The more I thought about it, the more Kehlani Parrish sounded like someone I wouldn’t be able to avoid.

“Let’s just get there and figure it out,” I said, trying to push the thoughts aside. My mind was already racing with new questions I didn’t have answers to. What kind of person would Kehlani be? And why did she intrigue me so much, even from a distance?

“Ivy, stop leaning on me!” Dahlia snapped from the back seat, and soon enough, the car was filled with the usual chaos. I could feel my stomach tightening with nerves, but I didn’t want to admit it. This move to Oakland? It was going to change everything.

I couldn’t help but wonder if Kehlani Parrish would change my life, too.

990 words