The Queen's Game

Chapter 10: Tiana Explains Kehlani's Reign

(Soleil's POV)

I had barely gotten used to the steady hum of Oakland when I started hearing stories—stories that echoed in the streets, whispered in classrooms, and often murmured when people thought I wasn’t listening. It wasn’t until Tiana mentioned Kehlani’s name that it all started to click—everything I had heard, everything I felt but didn’t understand.

It was a Tuesday afternoon, and I was sitting at the kitchen table with my mom, Aurora, and my triplet sisters—Azalea, Ivy, and Dahlia. My brothers, Orion and River, were somewhere down the hall arguing about whose sport was harder. Orion was obsessed with football, and River was all about basketball. They always found ways to turn the house into a battle zone.

As usual, Mom had some of her clients in the living room, giving off that salon energy, and Dad, Jaden, was in the other room setting up for his first football coaching job at the school I’d be attending. It was all so new. I could tell they were happy to be here, but I wasn’t sure how to feel. Moving from L.A. to Oakland had been a culture shock, and honestly, I felt like an outsider. But there was a part of me that liked the challenge—being the new girl, having to earn respect.

I was scrolling through my phone when Tiana hit me up.

Tiana: “Yo, meet me at the park after school. I got some shit to tell you about this city, ‘bout Kehlani, and why you gotta stop playing around. This is serious.”

I stared at the message, my mind racing. I’d heard the name Kehlani before, but it didn’t really register. People talked about her like she was a ghost, like you could feel her presence without ever meeting her. Tiana had warned me before, but this message felt like a warning shot.

I shoved my phone in my pocket and stood up. My sisters were in the living room, arguing over something trivial, as usual. They were all fifteen, which meant they were in that weird stage of thinking they knew everything but still needing our parents’ approval for literally everything.

"Ma, you heard of a Kehlani Parrish?" I asked, trying to sound casual as I leaned against the doorframe, watching Mom work on a client’s hair.

Aurora didn’t even look up, pulling a section of hair straight. “Kehlani Parrish? Nah, sounds like one of them new artists. What’s up with her?”

I shook my head. “Nah, it’s not like that. Just some woman in the city everyone’s talking about. I dunno. I guess I’ll find out.”

Mom stopped what she was doing, glancing up at me. Her expression was sharp, a little tired, but always full of warmth. “Look, Soleil, I don’t know who she is, but be careful, alright? Oakland’s a different breed. It’s easy to get caught up in some shit. You know what I mean?”

“I know, Ma,” I said, feeling the weight of her words sink in. “I got it.”

That was the thing about Mom. She was a hairstylist, always running her own business, and she didn’t know who the people were that ran this city—but she knew damn well how the streets could eat you alive if you weren’t careful. Dad wasn’t any different. He was a football coach, and though he wasn’t from Oakland, he knew the game. Not just football, but the game of survival in a place like this. Both of them always told us to stick together, stay focused, and remember where we came from.

I went back to my room and grabbed my hoodie. As I was about to leave, I heard the faint sound of Orion and River arguing down the hall.

"Man, you’re trash at basketball, River!" Orion yelled.

"Shut up, Orion, you don’t know what you’re talking about!" River shot back.

“You sound just like him, bruh,” I muttered under my breath, shaking my head. I walked into their room, stood between them, and pointed at River. “I swear, y’all gotta stop fighting like this. We got bigger things to worry about than who’s got the best jump shot.”

They both looked at me and rolled their eyes, but I could tell they were still hyped up about whatever was going on.

“Whatever, Soleil. You don’t know shit about sports,” Orion grumbled.

“I’m not the one fighting over it, am I?” I shot back, making my way back down the hall and out the front door.

The park wasn’t far from the house, and I arrived just as Tiana was waiting by the basketball courts. I wasn’t surprised—she always had this effortless cool about her. She looked up as I approached, nodding in acknowledgment.

“Yo, Soleil,” she greeted me. “Come here, I gotta tell you some real shit.”

We sat on the bleachers, and I could feel her energy shift. Tiana wasn’t the type to sugarcoat anything, so I knew she wasn’t going to hold back.

“You know about Kehlani, right?” she asked, leaning in close. Her voice dropped to a low whisper, but I could still hear the edge in it. “She’s the queen of this city, fam. Ain’t nobody got more pull than her. You walk into her territory, and you gotta show respect, or you get checked. Simple as that.”

I blinked, a little taken aback. “Wait, what? She’s like that? You mean... the streets?”

Tiana nodded. “Hell yeah. You see, Oakland ain’t like the glitz and glamour of L.A. We don’t run off of flashy lights here. Nah, everything here is about loyalty, respect, and power. Kehlani’s got all that. She runs the streets, the businesses, the clubs, even some of the schools. You think people just act scared for no reason? Hell no. She’s earned it. She’s ruthless.”

“Ruthless?” I repeated, my mind racing. “What do you mean? She’s just... a gang leader?”

Tiana smirked. “More like a damn empire builder. Don’t let the soft face fool you. Kehlani knows how to control people. She owns entire neighborhoods, not just a corner. Ain’t nobody crossing her and living to talk about it, you feel me?”

I sat back, absorbing what Tiana was saying. “So why is she letting people talk like this? I mean, if she’s that powerful, why doesn’t she just shut people down?”

“That’s the thing,” Tiana said, her eyes gleaming with admiration and caution. “She don’t need to. People respect her because she’s smart. She doesn’t let her power be about fear, it’s about loyalty. If you’re with her, you’re with her for life. That’s why you’ll never see her doing too much. She don’t need to. People already know the deal.”

I looked at Tiana, feeling a chill run down my spine. I was intrigued, but there was something in my gut telling me to stay away. I couldn’t explain it, but the more I heard, the more I wanted to know.

“Damn,” I said, exhaling a deep breath. “That’s... wild.”

Tiana glanced over at me, a slight smile playing at her lips. “It’s Oakland, fam. You get used to it. But trust, if you ever meet Kehlani... just show respect. Don’t do what some of these clowns do and get bold. You don’t want to be on her bad side.”

“Yeah, I got it,” I replied, though a part of me was still itching to know more.

As the conversation turned to lighter topics, I couldn’t stop thinking about what Tiana had said. I had to admit, I was curious. Kehlani was a name that made everyone stop and listen, and no matter how much I tried to push it aside, I knew the draw was already there.

When I got home that evening, my family was winding down for the night. The house was full of that familiar chatter and noise that felt like home. Mom was in the kitchen, prepping for another day at the salon, and Dad was talking about his new coaching gig, sounding hopeful but exhausted.

“I’m just sayin’, Soleil, you gotta stay focused. This town, it’s got its dark side,” Dad said as I walked into the living room. “I know you’re trying to fit in, but don’t let anyone pull you into their mess.”

“Don’t worry, Dad,” I said, giving him a reassuring smile. “I got it.”

But inside, I knew things were going to get complicated. There was no turning back now. And as much as I wanted to ignore the pull Kehlani’s name had on me, I knew deep down, I was already in it.

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