The Queen's Game

Chapter 21: IDK

(Soleil's POV)

I felt it before I saw her, honestly—this prickle along the back of my neck that I couldn't shake, as if someone was watching. I’d turn my head, glancing around, but all I'd see were my friends joking or random people walking by, heads down and lost in their own thoughts. But the feeling lingered, an unshakable weight.

Maybe it was just in my head. Maybe I was paranoid.

But then came that night.

It started with what was supposed to be a chill hangout, just me, Maya, Kailani, Jaz, Devin, and Tiana. We were out by the mall, laughing and not paying much attention to anything else. Just as we headed back to our cars, this group of guys showed up—older, rough-looking, like they’d come straight out of a fight. They surrounded us, voices too smooth, and eyes sharper than they had any right to be.

“Y’all need a ride somewhere?” one of them sneered, and another laughed, a little too close for comfort.

Tiana muttered under her breath, “Damn, I knew we should’ve parked closer.”

Devin stepped forward, putting himself between us and them. “Nah, we’re good, man. Appreciate it.”

But they didn’t back off. The vibe got tense, the kind that makes your stomach twist. I thought about saying something, but before I could, there was this sudden shift around us—a group of people moving in like shadows. They didn’t need to say anything; just their presence was enough. I recognized a few of them from school rumors—Kehlani's crew. Tough, untouchable, and more than a little terrifying.

I caught a glimpse of her in the background. Kehlani. She was standing by her car, watching everything play out with this calm, calculating expression. And for a split second, I could’ve sworn she looked right at me. But just as fast, she was looking away, giving a short nod to her people.

The guys who had been bothering us took one look at Kehlani’s crew, muttered some half-hearted apologies, and backed off. Just like that, we were safe again.

But instead of feeling purely relieved, there was something else—a strange, magnetic pull toward her that I couldn’t explain. I watched her for a moment longer, my gratitude tinged with… something. Something that made my heart pound just a little harder.

---

Later that week, I saw her again. This time, it was at a big party—some kind of charity event that Maya dragged me to. “You need to get out, Soleil,” she said, tugging at my arm. “Trust me, it’ll be fun.”

“Fun, sure, if you call schmoozing with a bunch of people fun,” I’d muttered, but I went anyway, more out of boredom than anything else. The second I walked in, though, I felt that pull again, like a current drawing me toward someone I couldn’t see but knew was there.

And sure enough, there she was. Kehlani. She was standing by the bar, all cool and composed, surrounded by people who seemed just as drawn to her as I was. But the difference was that they all looked like they belonged there. I felt like an outsider, someone who had wandered too close to something she wasn’t supposed to touch.

Maya nudged me. “Look who’s here. Isn’t that the girl from… y’know, the crew?”

“Yeah, that’s her,” I replied, trying to sound casual, but my voice was barely a whisper. I couldn’t help but feel intimidated, but at the same time… curious. Like there was something about her I needed to figure out.

At some point, she must have noticed me staring because she turned, locking eyes with me from across the room. Her expression was unreadable, but there was a hint of something—approval, maybe? Amusement? I wasn’t sure, but it made my heart skip a beat.

She started walking over, and I felt frozen in place, unable to look away. When she reached me, she gave me a small nod, a slight smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

“Nice to see you again,” she said, her voice calm and low, like she was used to people listening when she spoke.

I nodded, trying to play it cool. “Yeah, uh… thanks for, you know, the other night.”

She raised an eyebrow. “My people were just looking out. You’re welcome, though.”

I didn’t know what to say, so I just nodded again, feeling more out of my depth with every passing second.

She seemed to sense my discomfort and smiled, a hint of mischief in her eyes. “You know, Soleil, you’d make a powerful ally one day.”

I blinked, caught off guard. “Me?”

She tilted her head, still smiling. “Yeah. I see something in you. Could be useful in the right situations.”

Her words left me feeling conflicted. Part of me was flattered, maybe even a little excited at the idea of being seen as someone with potential. But another part of me felt like I was stepping into something dangerous, something I didn’t fully understand.

---

The next day, I was back home, sitting at the kitchen counter while my mom, Aurora, bustled around, cutting hair in the next room. She didn’t know who Kehlani was, or what kind of reputation she had. And honestly, maybe that was for the best.

My dad, Jaden, walked in, looking exhausted but happy as always. He gave me a tired smile. “Hey, Sol, think you’ll make it out to one of the games this season? Could use some family support on the field.”

“Yeah, I’ll be there, Dad. Just… busy with school, you know?”

My triplet sisters—Dahlia, Ivy, and Azalea—were in the living room, laughing over some inside joke. They were fifteen, always a whirlwind of energy and drama, but they were fun to be around when they weren’t being annoying.

Orion and River, my twin brothers, were in the backyard, tossing a football back and forth. Orion was all about football, like Dad, while River was more into basketball. Both were twelve and already more competitive than most grown men.

I zoned out for a while, thinking about the party, about Kehlani, and the strange attraction I felt. I knew it wasn’t something I could talk to my family about. They wouldn’t understand—especially not my mom, who’d probably say something like, “You better not be getting mixed up with those kinds of people, Soleil.”

Later, when I met up with my friends, they were all still buzzing about what had happened that night with Kehlani’s crew. Jaz was practically glowing. “I’m telling you, we’re, like, on her radar now.”

Devin rolled his eyes. “Yeah, or we’re just lucky they happened to be there.”

Maya shrugged. “I don’t know, Sol. I think it’s more than luck. She looked right at you, remember?”

I shook my head, trying to brush it off. “It’s not a big deal.”

But as much as I tried to convince myself, I couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, it was a big deal. That maybe this was the beginning of something I wasn’t ready for, but couldn’t turn away from either.

And so, I found myself back in my room that night, staring up at the ceiling, wondering what I was getting myself into. Wondering if I was ready for whatever came next, and if I even had a choice.

Because something told me that once you’re on Kehlani’s radar, there’s no going back.

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