𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓 │ 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧

𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

THE SUN BEAMED DOWN ON the park in Crenshaw, casting long shadows on the asphalt as Emberly lounged on a weathered bench, absently twirling the edge of her braid between her fingers. The rhythmic squeak of sneakers on the basketball court filled the air, along with Spencer and Dillion's laughter as they goofed around with the ball. Spending time with Spencer had become one of the few constants in her life since they made their relationship official, and having Dillion join them today didn't bother her at all. In fact, watching the brothers play felt comforting. 

Emberly's lips curved into a smile as Dillion launched the ball toward the hoop, making a perfect shot. She clapped her hands lightly. "Dillion's got some game," she said, tilting her head in Spencer's direction with an amused grin.

"Hey, don't encourage him," Spencer replied, tossing the ball back to his brother.

"You scared I'm gonna beat you in front of your girl?" Dillion teased, spinning the ball on one finger with practiced ease.

Spencer threw the ball to Dillion with a playful smirk. "See what you started?" He turned back to Emberly, shaking his head, but the softness in his eyes betrayed his amusement.

"Just like his brother," Emberly teased, leaning back against the bench. A flicker of warmth bloomed in her chest at Dillion's words. "I do like him calling me your girl, though."

Hearing someone else refer to her as Spencer's girl felt unexpectedly good—like things were finally falling into place. It was a nice change from all those years of being just his best friend.

"You are my girl," Spencer said, leaning down to press a brief, tender kiss to her lips.

Emberly smiled against his mouth, savoring the sweetness of the moment before he pulled back. "It just sounds nice hearing it out loud," she admitted. "Don't get me wrong, I love how we've been keeping things in our little secret romance bubble, but eventually, we're gonna have to..."

"Let the rest of the world know?" Spencer finished, his voice tinged with understanding.

She nodded, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. "You're right. It's time."

They'd been keeping their relationship under wraps for a while now—not because they were hiding it, but because it felt like something sacred, just for the two of them. Still, Emberly knew it wasn't sustainable. People were bound to figure it out sooner or later, and she'd rather it come from them.

"What's our plan?" Spencer asked, his tone light but sincere.

"We don't have to make a big deal out of it," Emberly said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Olivia already knows. I'll tell Evelyn and Layla. You can tell Jordan and Coop. Everybody else will figure it out on their own, I guess."

Spencer nodded, satisfied with her suggestion. Before either of them could say more, Dillion called out from the court.

"We gonna finish this game or not?" he asked, dribbling the ball impatiently.

Spencer and Emberly both laughed.

"Keep running your mouth, and I'm gonna start playing real defense," Spencer retorted, jogging back toward the court.

But before he reached Dillion, Spencer's gaze flicked past Emberly, his body tensing. She followed his line of sight and spotted Coop walking toward the court with a group of unfamiliar individuals. The way they carried themselves—heads low, hands stuffed into pockets—set Emberly on edge. These weren't just strangers; they were gang members, and their presence filled the air with an unspoken tension.

Her stomach twisted uneasily as she glanced at Spencer. His jaw was tight, his expression unreadable, but she could see the flicker of concern in his eyes.