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Kelvin settled into Aliyah’s backseat like he was afraid of her. The shock refused to leave his pale face. He put his hand up to hide himself. His heart thumped harder than the sub-woofers.

“You alright?” Aliyah asked.

“I will be. Just give me a second. Big moment for me.”

She snickered. “Have you ever done something like that before?”

“Nope. Just got the idea today.”

“And how long have you been a fan?”

“Six years,” he said with a huff, “Since Too Many Sibs. I saw it in theaters with my dad. I thought you were hilarious.”

“Too Many Sibs? My part in that was small, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah, but you still hit.”

And she still did. He’d watched the movie a couple times over the years. Aliyah played one of the kids in a split family. It was a decent comedy about getting along after a divorce. Kelvin liked how her character connected them. In real life, they were both from split families.

“What’s your favorite?” she asked, “Movie or show, I don’t care.”

“Triple Flip,” he said, nearly interrupting her.

She snorted and rolled her eyes. “Now why’d I know you were gonna say that?”

He giggled behind his hand. He knew how it looked. Between his shoes and his hair, he fit right into the demographic.

Triple Flip was a teen drama about skateboarding. The movie followed two friends trying to go pro. Aliyah died of cancer at the end while her co-star went on to win in her honor.

Kelvin lowered his hand, reminding himself not to freak. Aliyah lounged in her seat like she owned the whole alley. Her hair tumbled to her shoulders in lavish curls. Her dark eyes sparkled like her dress. She smiled when he finally glanced over. Seeing her up close took his breath away.

“So how long did you practice,” he asked, “That was really you skating, yeah?”

She nodded, her smile beaming. “Like all summer. And I barely learned to ollie the damn thing.”

He sputtered his lips. “What? I thought you were mad gnarly on those curbs.”

Aliyah laughed. The compliment caught her off-guard. He spoke like her co-star did.

“Well, thank you, but I doubt that. A stunt double wasn’t in the budget, so… No big deal. I don’t mind doing my own stunts sometimes.”

He bobbed his head in agreement. “That’s why I like you.”

As they talked, Kelvin ran his hand along the seat beside him. The leather felt nice. He couldn’t believe where he was sitting. From movie theaters to Aliyah Gavins’ backseat—

Tiffany knocked on the window, startling him. She glared in like she meant to burn a hole through the glass. He frowned. He knew what he had to do now. It was Rule Number Two: walk away.

“Guess my time’s up.”

Aliyah gestured for her manager to give them another minute. “No, not yet. We still have a little time.”

From behind the hotel, a stout man walked into the alley. A bulky camera hung around his neck. He had a fanny pack on and dressed like a tourist. Nobody on Aliyah’s team noticed him. He, on the other hand, recognized them and jumped into the bushes. His camera peeked out of shrubs shortly after.

While Tiffany paced beside the vehicle, Kelvin slumped in his seat. She peered inside every time she passed the window.

“Don’t worry about her,” Aliyah said, “She just likes running early. How about you rap something else for me? I might want another.”

He perked up. The spit caught in his throat. He pinched his leg to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. He’d had similar dreams before. Fireworks were going off in his head.

Another verse? He could’ve made up a whole song.

“You want another? You got it. I got it covered. It’s smothered in melted butter. Like you—” He inhaled sharply. “As hot as summer. A stunner who’s got a butler. A gunner who shot the bunker. A hustler, and her own double, when it isn’t in the budget…”

From the bushes, the man zoomed in to capture the scene. He took pictures of Tiffany and Aliyah’s bodyguards. Then he snapped a few of the figures in the backseat. Jamal eventually noticed the sunlight glint off his lens. He pointed it out to Markus who then went to investigate. The man spooked right away.

Kelvin continued without realizing. “You love her for how you shudder, when she gets between the shutters. I wonder, could I recover? Trying to ask this star to supper. What’s up?”