The Queen's Game

Chapter 9: Unwanted Attention

(Soleil’s POV)

The second week of school, and I was finally settling in—almost. I was still the new girl with no real sense of direction around here, but at least I had a solid group of friends who’d been showing me the ropes. Maya, Kailani, Jaz, Devin, and Tiana—they had my back, and honestly, without them, I’d be lost in this huge, new place called Oakland High. Still, things were never completely smooth, especially with this one girl, Jazmine, who’d been hovering way too close lately.

Jazmine was different. She transferred here around the same time I did, which I guess made me feel kinda bad for her at first. Being the new kid sucks, so when she started tagging along with us, I didn’t mind—until I did. Because Jazmine wasn’t just tagging along; she was getting clingy, almost possessive. And something about her energy was off, like she was always watching me a little too closely.

“Yo, Soleil,” Devin called out, snapping me out of my thoughts as we walked toward the lockers. “You tryna hit up the courts after school? Got the whole squad ready to school you.”

I rolled my eyes, nudging him. “Boy, please. Last time I beat you, you barely made it off the court.”

He held his chest like he was wounded. “Oh, okay, talking big now. We’ll see.”

Maya laughed, pulling a face at Devin. “Better get ready for that L, bro.”

We were still laughing when Jazmine slid up, almost out of nowhere, making the entire vibe shift. She had this quiet way of coming around, like a shadow. Her dark eyes locked on me, and her lips pressed into a thin smile. “Soleil, you mind if I tag along?” she asked, her voice low and almost too soft.

I shrugged. “It’s up to you.”

Kailani leaned over, lowering her voice in my ear. “That girl’s obsessed with you, Soleil,” she whispered, grinning. “Watch out, she might steal your hoodie or something.”

I stifled a laugh but didn’t respond. Jazmine was already looking at me like she could hear every word we’d just said. I brushed it off, though. I didn’t wanna make her feel uncomfortable, but at the same time, I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was always… there, somehow.

As we headed down the hallway, Jazmine fell in step beside me, too close for comfort. She kept asking questions, little ones that felt harmless at first.

“So, you’re from LA, right?” she asked, tilting her head.

“Yeah. Just moved here a few weeks ago.”

“Your parents brought you out here?” Her tone was innocent, but the question felt loaded, like she was prying for no reason.

“Yeah, my dad’s the new football coach here,” I said, trying to keep my tone light. “And my mom’s a hairstylist. Opened her shop near here.”

“Hmm,” Jazmine said, glancing at me as if she was filing away each piece of info. “That’s cool.”

Maya rolled her eyes behind Jazmine’s back and mouthed creepy to me. I bit back a laugh, nodding toward the exit.

“I gotta get home,” I said, looking at the others. “Gotta help Ma with dinner tonight.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Devin said, throwing his arm around me for a second. “We’ll catch you later.”

As I walked out of the school, I noticed Jazmine trailing behind. She’d kept quiet but didn’t seem ready to leave. I sped up, hoping she’d take the hint.

---

At home, the smell of spices filled the air. My mom, Aurora, was in the kitchen, braiding my sister Ivy’s hair while the other two, Azalea and Dahlia, argued over who got to use the stove next. Ivy caught sight of me and waved enthusiastically, nearly pulling her head out from under Mom’s hands.