The Queen's Game

Chapter 3: First Day at Oakland High

Soleil's POV

The sound of an alarm blared through my room, and I groggily reached out from under my warm covers to turn it off. My fingers brushed over the cold phone screen, and I squinted at the time—6:30 AM. I sighed, wishing I could just stay in bed for another hour, but I had no choice. Today was my first day at Oakland High, and I wasn’t about to mess that up.

The house was already buzzing with the usual chaos, typical of our big Black family. My twin brothers, Orion and River, were already up, shouting at each other about something—probably basketball or football, since it was always something between them. I could hear the thump of Orion’s feet as he ran down the hall to go get his football gear, followed by River’s footsteps, which were a little lighter as he made his way to the bathroom.

I dragged myself out of bed and started getting dressed, slipping into a pair of distressed jeans and a graphic tee that had “Oakland” written in bold letters across the chest. I pulled my natural curls into a high puff, the same way I always did back home in LA. I stared at my reflection for a second, wondering if this city would ever feel like home. Oakland was different. The vibe here was slower than LA, and everything felt more... grounded. Less flashy. I missed the rush of the city I grew up in—the people, the lights, the endless noise. Oakland, so far, felt like a big change, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready for it.

I walked into the kitchen, where my mom, Aurora, was busy at the stove, her long braids wrapped up in a scarf as she cooked breakfast. The smell of sizzling bacon filled the air, and the sight of her calm, focused demeanor brought me a little comfort.

"Good morning, baby girl," she said, turning to smile at me. She wore a bright red apron with "Queen of the Chair" written across it—the same one she always wore when she was about to slay a hairstyle. She was a hairstylist, and even though we’d just moved, she’d already gotten a couple of appointments lined up in the neighborhood. "You ready for your first day?"

I gave her a weak smile, trying to hide the butterflies in my stomach. "I guess so. I don’t know… I just feel out of place. I don’t know anyone here."

She nodded sympathetically, flipping the bacon. "It’s all right, baby. It’s just the first day. You’ll find your people. Just remember, Oakland's a little slower than LA, but that’s not a bad thing. It’s got its own rhythm."

I could hear my dad, Jaden, coaching my brothers through their morning drills in the living room. My dad was the new football coach at Oakland High, and he’d been hyping up my brothers for weeks about how they were going to be the stars of the team this year. He was passionate about the game, and even though I didn’t share his love for football, I respected how dedicated he was.

Orion and River burst into the kitchen, both already in their football and basketball gear, ready to head out. Orion ruffled my hair playfully as he grabbed a slice of toast, his usual smirk on his face.

"You good, Soleil?" he asked, his voice teasing. "You’re gonna be fine, don’t worry."

"Yeah, yeah, I’ll survive," I said, giving him a smile before glancing over at River, who was always the quieter one of the two. River was already checking his phone for the latest basketball stats, not really paying attention to anyone. But he caught my eye and gave me a quick, supportive nod, as if silently saying, You got this.

"Thanks, River," I whispered, before turning my attention back to my mom.

"Don’t forget your lunch," she said, handing me a brown paper bag with a sandwich and an apple inside. "And remember, you got a lot of people rooting for you here."

"Yeah," I mumbled, hugging her before grabbing my things and heading out to the car.

---

I climbed into the car with my triplet sisters, Ivy, Azalea, and Dahlia, who were all 15, but they were so close to my age that we were practically best friends. They were already chatting away in the backseat, arguing about who was going to sit next to me. Ivy always had the most to say, her voice never dropping below a loud, energetic pitch.

"You nervous, Soleil?" Ivy asked, poking her head between the front seats.

"A little bit," I replied, glancing at her in the rearview mirror. "I just don’t know anyone there."

Azalea, sitting next to Ivy, raised an eyebrow. "Girl, you’re a Thompson. You’ll be fine. Plus, you know we got your back."

"True," Dahlia added, her voice calm but filled with confidence. "You just have to find your crowd, and Oakland is full of different ones."

The ride to school was full of chatter, but it didn’t help calm the nerves gnawing at my stomach. I was entering a whole new world, and everything about it felt like stepping into uncharted territory.

---

When we pulled up to Oakland High, the school didn’t look like the one I imagined. The outside had that gritty feel to it—graffiti on the walls, cracked sidewalks, but also something real. Like this was a place that had been lived in. The diversity here was obvious too—everyone had their own style, their own flavor. And yet, I still felt like an outsider.

I said goodbye to my sisters and took a deep breath before walking through the front gates, heading straight for the main office to get my schedule.

That’s when I met Tiana.

---

I was standing near the bulletin board, trying to figure out where my first class was, when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to find a girl about my age, dressed in a fitted hoodie and ripped jeans, with a thick ponytail and bright eyes that seemed to know everything about the world.

"You lost?" she asked with a grin, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You look like you don’t know where you’re going."

I laughed nervously. "Uh, yeah, I guess you could say that."

"Name’s Tiana," she said, offering her hand. "Let me guess. You’re new here. Oakland’s a lot different from LA, huh?"

"Yeah," I said, shaking her hand. "I’m Soleil. I just moved here."

Tiana raised an eyebrow. "Oakland’s got a different pace. It ain’t LA, that’s for sure. But you’ll get used to it. You wanna know how to survive here? Stick with the right people, and know when to stay out of the way."

I laughed a little, not sure how to take that. "What do you mean by ‘stay out of the way’?"

She leaned in, lowering her voice. "You gotta watch out for some of these people. It’s a streetwise city. Some folks here got real power, and they don’t play nice. You keep your eyes open, and you’ll be fine. Just make sure you know who’s who."

I nodded, suddenly feeling a little more on edge. "Sounds intense."

"You’ll get used to it," Tiana said, standing up straighter. "Let me know if you ever need help. Oakland can be a jungle, but it’s got a rhythm. And you just gotta find yours."

---

As I walked to my first class with Tiana, I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was right. Oakland was a city with a rhythm, but it was one that I didn’t fully understand yet. Tiana seemed to know everything about it—how to move, who to trust, and how to stay safe. And as much as I didn’t want to admit it, I was going to need someone like her to help me figure this out.

This was going to be a different kind of school year.

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