The Queen's Game

Chapter 22: The Offer

(Soleil's POV)

---

I tossed my phone on the bed, my head spinning from the text I'd just read. An offer of protection from Kehlani. Kehlani Parrish. That name carried a weight in this city, even if I hadn't fully grasped its meaning until now. But, for her to reach out to me? I wasn't sure if I should feel honored or scared.

My room was barely a refuge from the chaos in the rest of the house. Outside, my sisters were bickering about who used up all the conditioner, and my twin brothers were getting into it over who had the better sports highlight reel on their phones.

Mom's voice cut through the noise, "Y'all better shut it down before I come in there!" Her threat was sharp, but I knew her. The whole house knew she'd be back to laughing and joining in five minutes later. Mom was a firecracker. Everyone around the neighborhood came to Aurora Thompson for their hair, stories, and gossip. And now I had this...situation to bring to her-maybe.

But how do you even explain someone like Kehlani to a mom who's never even heard of her?

I heard a knock and braced myself as Ivy, Azalea, and Dahlia barged into my room without waiting for an answer. "What's with that face?" Ivy teased, a smirk spreading across her face.

Azalea chimed in, "You look like you've seen a ghost or something."

I shrugged, putting on my best casual front. "Nothing. Just tired."

Dahlia leaned in, eyeing me suspiciously. "You sure it's nothing?" She crossed her arms, tilting her head with that annoying older-sister-by-three-minutes authority.

I sighed, "Yes, y'all. Can you let me breathe?"

Ivy rolled her eyes but let it go. "Whatever, girl. We're going to the mall later. Try to look alive."

The moment they left, I felt my phone buzz again. This time, it was a message from Maya in the group chat with Kailani, Jaz, Devin, and Tiana.

Maya: "Hey Soleil, u coming to Orion's game tonight?"

Me: "Yeah, I'll be there. Gotta support my brother."

Devin: "Orion's gonna mess around and become a legend if he keeps it up. Watch him turn pro and forget all of us little people."

Kailani: "Better start saving up for our VIP tickets now."

I couldn't help but smile at that. Orion was just 12, but his passion for football was fierce, and even I had to admit he had talent. Maybe the whole "my dad's the coach now" thing was working out for him. But as much as I was supposed to focus on Orion, I couldn't get Kehlani's message out of my mind.

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Later That Evening

The gym was packed, filled with the scent of popcorn and sweat as people poured in for the game. Orion was already on the field, towering over most of the other kids. I watched as he moved, fierce and focused. Dad's coaching style was all over him, and it made me a little proud seeing my family's influence out there on the field.

Mom had come too, sitting in the stands next to me. She was clapping, shouting, and getting a few judgmental looks from parents who clearly weren't ready for her loud support. I glanced over at her, wondering if I should tell her about the message from Kehlani.

Just then, she nudged me. "Hey, what's got you all distracted?" she asked, her eyes fixed on Orion's game.

I took a deep breath. "I got this...message today. From someone kind of...powerful."

Mom raised an eyebrow. "Powerful how? We talking college recruiter or somebody's mom trying to pull you into one of those pyramid schemes?"

I almost laughed. If only it were that simple. "No, more like...someone with connections. She's, uh, known in the city."

Mom squinted at me, trying to put two and two together. "Soleil, don't tell me you're getting mixed up in something shady."

"No, it's not like that," I said quickly. "She just offered me...protection. Like, if I ever need it."

Mom leaned back, processing. "What's her name?"

"Kehlani Parrish."

Mom's face went blank for a second. Then, she just shrugged. "Ain't never heard of her." Typical.

Just then, my brother River ran over to us from his basketball practice on the other side of the gym, his sweaty face beaming. "Yo, Soleil, did you see that three-pointer I made? That was all me!"

I gave him a high-five. "I saw, superstar. You're on fire tonight."

He grinned, full of that pre-teen confidence. "Just wait. One day, you'll be begging to get a picture with me."

I laughed, tousling his hair. "You wish."

---

After the Game

We'd made our way back home, and as soon as I walked in, my friends were blowing up my phone.

Tiana: "Yo, what was up with you tonight? You seemed out of it."

I hesitated for a second before responding.

Me: "Something weird happened today. Got a message from this girl, Kehlani Parrish."

Maya: "Wait, THE Kehlani Parrish? Like, the boss-lady Kehlani? Dang, girl, what did you do?"

Jaz: "She's like a big deal, right? I heard people don't mess with her."

Me: "Yeah, she offered me 'protection,' if I ever need it. I don't even know why."

Devin: "That's crazy. You sure you're not in some deep sh*t already?"

I rolled my eyes, typing back. "Not yet, but who knows?"

They kept throwing around theories, but none of them could come up with a reason why Kehlani would reach out to me specifically.

And then, my phone buzzed with another message. From her. The actual Kehlani.

Kehlani: "You hold yourself well, Soleil. Reminds me of myself when I was your age."

I read it over three times, letting each word sink in. Kehlani Parrish was comparing me to her? I was just...me. My curiosity was getting the best of me, and the more I thought about it, the more I started to see the appeal of her world. She was powerful, respected, and feared. And if she saw something in me...maybe there was more to this than I realized.

---

The Next Day

Back at school, I met up with my friends by the lockers. Maya, Kailani, and Tiana were in the middle of a heated discussion about last night's game, and Devin was hyping up Orion's performance like he was his personal agent.

"Girl, I heard Kehlani reached out to you? That's wild," Jaz said, coming up beside me.

I just nodded, still trying to process it all. "Yeah, but I don't really know what to think. I mean, I didn't ask for it."

Maya gave me a knowing look. "You don't just get an offer from Kehlani for no reason. There's something about you she likes."

"Yeah, but why me?" I muttered, more to myself than anyone else.

Kailani smirked. "Maybe you've got that badass vibe she respects. It's kind of dope if you ask me."

Devin chimed in, "Just be careful, Sol. People don't mess with her for a reason."

---

Later That Evening

As I lay in bed, I kept thinking about Kehlani's message, about the way everyone seemed to respect her. I'd watched how people around her moved, always cautious, but there was this...reverence there. She wasn't just feared-she was respected. And that was different.

There was something magnetic about her, a power I couldn't quite shake from my mind. It was more than her authority. It was the confidence in how she carried herself, the way she could offer protection without ever even meeting me in person. What would it be like to live in her world? To be respected like that?

I didn't have the answers, but I had a feeling this was only the beginning.

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