AMERICAN GIRL ⤑ T'CHALLA (BLACK PANTHER)

1

T'Challa

"You should have let me get her one good time." Okoye jabbed her spear at the air and scowled.

We had boarded the ship and were now leaving Oakland and heading back to Wakanda. As we drifted toward home, I still could not get that woman out of my mind. The way she stood right next to me and spoke of what she believed in. The way she stood right next to me spoke of the children. It made me think...

"I don't know, General," I said, stroking my beard. "I kind of liked her."

Okoye turned her head toward me in disbelief. "Like her? And so soon? I swear you are a child with your silly crushes."

I laughed. Though I may have had a past with "silly crushes" as she liked to call them, that was not exactly my current agenda.

"That is not what I mean, Okoye," I said to her. "I was thinking more so in terms of the youth outreach program. Do you not think she would make a terrific director?"

"No," Okoye said firmly, "but I do think this high altitude is getting to your head."

"Aye," I waved her off and continued my thinking. I had my reasons for considering this girl. She had shown more passion for the youth in one interaction than I had seen in a series of interviews all day, and she was unafraid. Two qualities that could pilot our program in the perfect direction.

Okoye interrupted my thinking once again, this time with a question.

"Your highness, I see you are still daydreaming about this girl," she started. "Say for some reason you do settle on appointing her, how would you even find her, eh? She did not even properly introduce herself."

Okoye was right. The woman did not say her name, but while she was talking, I did manage to get a glimpse at the badge attached near her round collar.

"Her name is Akira," I recalled. "She works at a place called Ivory and we will visit her there tomorrow."

Okoye shook her head, "And how do you know she will be there, your highness?"

I turned to her and smiled. Her voice was stern, but her eyes deceived her, for I could see the softness that lied underneath whenever she spoke to me.

"I will take my chances."