The Queen's Game

Chapter 19: Eyes Like Fire

(Soleil's POV)

The day of the party started just like any other, but there was this low buzz in the air, this kind of electricity I couldn’t shake. My school had been whispering for days about tonight’s event, where “the Kehlani” might actually show up. Rumors about her floated around every corner and between every locker; her name was a storm in my mind, and even if I tried, I couldn’t stop the questions racing through me.

But it wasn’t long before my mom, Aurora, yelled from the kitchen, “Soleil! Get in here!”

I grabbed my phone, already seeing missed texts from Tiana and Maya. They’d been blowing up the group chat, warning me to keep my distance. But like a moth drawn to a flame, I couldn’t stop wondering what it would be like to see her.

When I hit the kitchen, I saw my triplet sisters Ivy, Azalea, and Dahlia huddled over a magazine at the table, their heads squished together as they argued over some celebrity gossip. My twin brothers, Orion and River, were wrestling each other on the floor. Mom gave them the “eye” to knock it off, but they didn’t stop until she waved a wooden spoon in their direction.

“Mom, I told you—can you please not use a spoon like that around me?” I said, rolling my eyes. She just shrugged and laughed, muttering something about how her own mom had done way worse.

“What’s this party I keep hearing about?” she asked, eyes narrowing in my direction. I should’ve known she’d bring it up.

I shrugged, trying to play it off. “Nothing major. Just a school thing.”

Dad, who was eating his cereal and checking football stats on his phone, grunted. “You know your mother and I aren’t fans of all this partying mess, right?”

“Dad, it's just… for school. Like, spirit or something,” I said, shrugging again. I wasn’t even sure what the event was celebrating. But then, when you heard Kehlani might show up somewhere, you didn’t ask “why,” you just went.

“You better stay out of trouble,” he muttered. “Especially since I’m gonna be coaching at that school soon, and I don’t need your antics giving me a bad rep.”

I rolled my eyes again, and my mom shot me a look. “Enough with the eye-rolling, missy. I know your daddy might let you off easy, but you know I’m not playin’.”

Orion piped up, still lying on the floor. “Hey, if you’re going to a party, can I come too?”

River snorted, “She’s not gonna let you ruin her ‘big high school party.’ Besides, you got a game tomorrow.”

Orion scowled, but he knew he couldn’t argue. Football was life for him, just like basketball was for River. I swear, my family could be chaos, but that didn’t mean I didn’t love them—though maybe at a safe distance.

Just as I was about to escape back to my room, my mom called me back one more time. “Soleil, baby, who’s this Kehlani I keep hearing about? And don’t lie to me. I can see the way your face lights up when you hear her name.”

I tried to keep my face neutral, but Mom saw right through it. “I don’t know… She’s just, like, this… uh, kinda big deal around here. People say she’s super powerful or something.”

Mom raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like trouble to me.”

“Right?” Tiana had been telling me the same thing. Still, a part of me was drawn to Kehlani’s dangerous edge, her power, like gravity pulling me toward something I knew I should stay far, far away from.

---

At the party that night, my friends huddled close to me as we squeezed our way into the crowd. Lights were flashing everywhere, and the bass thumped so hard I could feel it in my bones. Maya, Kailani, Devin, Jaz, and Tiana had been whispering warnings all night.

“Don’t even think about getting close to her if she shows up,” Tiana warned me, her face serious.

I snorted. “Tiana, you’re acting like she’s a serial killer or something.”

“Look, I don’t know her personally,” she admitted, “but I’ve heard stories. And you know she doesn’t trust people. So, just… don’t do anything stupid.”

Jaz elbowed me. “Yeah, Soleil, don’t go chasing after the devil in heels.”

I laughed it off, but my eyes kept scanning the room, hoping and half-dreading that I’d see her. That’s when it happened.

Kehlani’s entrance was subtle at first—just a flash of black and a wave of whispers as she moved through the crowd. She was striking, even in the dim lights, with an air that pulled people’s attention without her even trying. And then, suddenly, she looked my way.

Our eyes locked across the room, and the intensity of her stare was like nothing I’d ever felt. It was like fire and ice all at once, piercing me in a way that made me feel both exposed and excited. My breath caught, and I could feel my cheeks flush. She didn’t smile; she just held my gaze for what felt like forever but was probably only a few seconds.

Then, just as quickly as it started, she looked away, her expression unreadable, and turned to talk to someone else.

“Yo, what the hell just happened?” Devin hissed, leaning in close. I hadn’t realized I’d been holding my breath.

“I… I don’t know,” I whispered back, still feeling dazed.

Tiana grabbed my arm, her voice low and serious. “Soleil, I’m telling you, stay away from her. Kehlani’s dangerous. She doesn’t do small talk or friendly smiles. If she looked at you, it’s for a reason. Just don’t let it go to your head.”

But how could I not? My mind was spinning, and all I could think about was the way she’d looked at me, like she could see something no one else could.

---

Back home, lying in bed, I couldn’t shake the feeling of her gaze. My thoughts drifted back to earlier in the week, when rumors about her had first surfaced at school. Kehlani had been linked to a scandal—something about threats, people being afraid to cross her. The details were murky, but the stories all painted her as ruthless, the kind of person who didn’t let anyone stand in her way.

And yet, I found myself wondering what it would be like to be close to someone with that much power. To have her look at me like that again, like I was someone who mattered, someone worth her time.

Maybe Tiana and my family were right, and I was being stupid. But part of me wanted to see her again, to feel that thrill.

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