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Dominique scrolled through her phone, looking for something to post. Her social media wasn’t doing so well that summer. She filmed a makeup tutorial a couple days ago, but she hadn’t edited it yet. She also had a ton of pictures of her hair and nails, but she always posted content like that. Her fans deserved something better. And no, not involving her sister.

With a sigh, she turned her camera on and smiled for a selfie. The filter thinned her face and made her dark eyes sparkle. Her piercings gleamed in the light. She had a stud in her nose and one in her eyebrow. She angled the shot to show off her long braids. Each glimmered with a string of vibrant beads at the end. They clicked and clattered every time she moved her head. She liked the noise.

What’cha think of the new bling, she wrote, posting the picture, Just switched them out this morning. Nothing against the red, white, and blue, but y’all know me. I prefer to shine!

In the living room, a large bay window saw into the front yard. Dominique lounged on the sofa while she kept an eye outside. Her sister’s boyfriend just arrived, and about a dozen kids gathered in the driveway. Aliyah stood at the top of the stairs, leaning against the rail.

The commotion inside drowned out what they were saying. The kitchen clamored with people preparing for dinner. Jamal worked the grill and barked orders through the windows. The screen door crashed shut whenever somebody walked in or out. The kids broke it earlier that week.

“Deshawn!” Aliyah screamed.

Dominique sat up, peering out the window. She used her phone to zoom in. It seemed something happened to the new guy. What was his name again? Kelvin?

Her sister must’ve really liked him. She couldn’t believe how much they cleaned for him. Aliyah promised her a shoutout if she helped dust. The house had a lot of exposed wood, so dusting was no joke. She took a damp washcloth to the banisters, the ceiling fans, and the art on the walls. Her dad liked to decorate with wooden masks that he carved and painted himself. She even swept around the plants, which included trimming the vines.

She quickly put her phone away once the front door opened. Aliyah and her boyfriend walked in without noticing her on the sofa. The two headed down the hallway with their arms wrapped around each other. Markus lumbered in behind them, carrying the bags.

Dominique shuffled across the room to listen in. She hid behind a potted plant with her back against the wall. The leaves brushed against her as she peeked around the corner.

Everybody stopped at the laundry room. Markus went in first and dropped off the bags. Aliyah and her boyfriend stayed outside. The guy fidgeted like he was nervous.

“You’re gonna come back, right? Like, I don’t want to get lost in this house, too.”

“Yeah. I’ll come back. Maybe like, five minutes? Tiffany says she needs to talk, but that shouldn’t take long.”

Dominique ducked behind the wall to stay out of sight. If she wanted to talk to the guy, she had to wait for everybody to leave. Kelvin went inside. Markus slipped out the back. Aliyah then returned the way she came. Luckily, she passed the plant without noticing anybody behind it.

“Here we go,” she said to herself.

She popped a mint in her mouth before turning upstairs. Along the side of the hall, a rustic staircase connected the two floors of the house. She bumped into Tiffany at the top. Like always, they jumped right into business.

“We got something,” Tiffany said, “From Rip City. It’s a skate shop back home.”

They continued down the hall, footsteps creaking overhead. Dominique didn’t step out of hiding until she heard their door shut. She nearly took the plant with her. One of her braids got caught in the branches.

At the door, she knocked so hard it startled him.

“Hold up,” he said, fumbling with something, “That wasn’t five minutes, was it?”

A small piece of metal rattled. It sounded like a belt buckle. He either unzipped his bag or zipped up his jeans next. She thought she might’ve caught him with his pants down. She hoped not, but when he opened the door, he was tightening his belt.

Awkward.

“Dom!” he shouted, “What’s up?”

She crossed her arms. She wasn’t expecting him to remember her name.

“So, she’s got you in the laundry room, huh?”

“Yeah, but it’s nothing. I’m just stoked to be here, you know? I’d sleep outside if I had to.” He smirked like it was funny. It wasn’t. “And thanks, by the way. Aliyah told me how much you helped with everything.”

She nodded, popping her hip.

She and Aliyah set up the room yesterday. They moved the storage bins to the back and hung a curtain in the corner. She blew up the air mattress herself.

“So, I looked you up,” she said, “I couldn’t really find anything, other than the skate video.”

“Yeah, no, I’m not really on social media.”

“I’m just confused. Like, didn’t you say you were a fan? I mean, a couple weeks back, she had me calling you a family friend or whatever. I figured I was covering for you, but then that video goes viral, and suddenly she’s diving in head first? People say she’s spiraling. Some are throwing shade at you. Li ain’t ever do anything like this. Do you got some dirt on her or something?”

He chuckled.

“No, for real. What’d you do?”

He leaned against the door. “Not much, really. I guess I was just in the right place at the right time.”

She shoved him. “Shut up. That ain’t an answer. Come on, Kel, you can tell me. How’d you do it? How’d you get my sister’s attention—”

“He rapped for me,” Aliyah interrupted, coming down the hall, “At one of my signings. He was the last in line, and while I was signing his hat, he just started spitting. Blew me away.”

As she joined them, she shot her sister a nasty look. She winked at her boyfriend afterward.

“You ready to eat?”

“Absolutely.”

They wrapped their arms around each other before leaving. They went right around Dominique. She followed them into the kitchen, but they ignored her. A leaf fell out of her hair.

“Wait, you can rap? What’d you say?”

Aliyah waved without looking back. “Laters, Dom.”

Kelvin waved, too. “Nice to finally meet you!”

The back door slammed in her face. She grimaced, staring out the window. Her breath fogged up the glass.

That was not the end of that.