A Chance at Tomorrow
Lia saw Jermaine when she walked through the front doors.
She hadn't been looking for him.
At least, that's what she told herself.
He stood near the main hallway with Rome, one hand hooked around the strap of his backpack while Rome talked about something that had him half-laughing. Jermaine looked comfortable.
Too comfortable.
Then he looked up.
Their eyes met.
Lia stopped for half a second.
So did he.
There wasn't a smile between them. No wave. No awkward attempt at a greeting.
Just a look.
A quiet acknowledgment that said enough.
I see you.
Lia's fingers tightened around the strap of her bag.
Jermaine's expression shifted, almost imperceptibly, like he was considering whether to say something.
She looked away first.
"Lia."
Jada's voice brought her back.
"What?"
"You good?"
"Yeah."
Jada followed her eyes toward the hallway.
Lia didn't give her the chance to ask.
"Come on."
They continued toward class.
She didn't look back.
She didn't need to.
She knew he was still there.
By the time second period started, Lia had mostly convinced herself to stop thinking about it.
Mostly.
She sat near the window, watching drops of rain race down the glass while her teacher went through material she'd already understood.
Her notebook was open.
Her pen was moving.
She wasn't writing anything important.
Every so often, her mind wandered back to that hallway.
The way Jermaine had looked at her.
Not angry.
Not cold.
Just there.
Like he had wanted to say something.
That bothered her more than if he'd ignored her completely.
Her phone vibrated against her thigh.
She slipped it out beneath the desk.
Abuela: Don't forget we're meeting in the Bronx after school. I want to look at a few things for graduation.
Lia smiled.
Lia: I remember. I'll meet you there.
She put the phone away.
Graduation.
That was what she needed to focus on.
Everything was happening too fast.
The ceremony was less than two weeks away. Soon enough, Du Bois Prep would be behind her, and everyone would scatter into whatever came next.
Maybe that was the point.
Maybe moving forward was easier when there was somewhere to go.
When the bell finally rang, Lia gathered her things.
She wasn't staying for lunch.
She signed out near the transition into third period, stepped through the front doors, and pulled her jacket tighter around herself.
Rain greeted her immediately.
Not heavy.
Just steady enough to make the city shine.
Cars rolled past with wet tires whispering against the pavement. People hurried beneath umbrellas, shoulders tucked against the cool air.
Lia stood beneath the awning and checked her phone.
Another message.
Abuela: I'm already here.
She smiled.
Lia: On my way.
She slipped the phone into her bag and headed toward the train.
The Bronx was busy despite the weather.
By the time Lia reached the department store, her abuela was already inside, standing near the entrance with two shopping bags hanging from one arm.
"There she is!"
Lia smiled.
"Hi, Abuela."
Her grandmother pulled her into a hug.
"You ate?"
"Yes."
"You sure?"
"Yes."
Her abuela pulled back and studied her face.
"You look tired."
"I've been at school since early."
"That wasn't my question."
Lia laughed.
"I'm fine."
"Mhm."
Her abuela knew better than to argue with her granddaughter when she gave that answer. Instead, she turned toward the store.
"Come. I need your opinion."
"On what?"
"Everything."
Lia looked at the bags.
"You already bought stuff."
"Some things."
"How much is some?"
"Don't worry about that."
Lia laughed again.
Her abuela led her deeper into the store, talking about the graduation celebration, what they still needed, which relatives had confirmed, and what her mother wanted to handle once she got off her shift at the hospital.
Lia listened, offering opinions whenever they were needed.
For a while, it was easy.
Just her and her abuela.
Graduation.
Family.
The future.
Then her grandmother held up a dress.
"What you think?"
Lia looked it over.
"It's nice."
"Nice?"
"Okay. It's really nice."
"That's better."
Lia smiled.
Her abuela returned the dress to the rack and continued down the aisle.
Lia followed.
But somewhere between the dresses and the conversations about graduation, her thoughts slipped backward.
Back to the school hallway.
Back to Jermaine.
That look.
She hated that something so small could still take up so much space in her head.
Lia shook it off and caught up with her grandmother.
"What else do we need?"
Her abuela smiled.
"Now you're talking."
And just like that, Lia let herself get distracted.
For the afternoon, at least, she had somewhere else to be.
By seven, Lia's room looked like a small disaster.
Two pairs of shoes sat in the middle of the floor. Makeup was spread across the dresser. Jada's first outfit had been abandoned on the chair, and her second one was currently being judged in front of the mirror.
"You sure this doesn't look too plain?"
Lia looked up from fixing her earring.
"You asked me that ten minutes ago."
"Because you keep giving me the same answer."
"Because it's the same outfit."
Jada turned sideways.
"So?"
"You look good."
"That's all I needed."
Lia smiled.
She had finished getting ready a few minutes earlier. Her pinkish-nude dress fit comfortably beneath the embroidered jean jacket, the FEARLESS stitching visible whenever she turned. Her hair was done simply, earrings catching the light whenever she moved.
Jada grabbed her purse.
"What time is it?"
"Seven-twenty."
"Okay. We good."
Lia checked her phone.
A message from Deion.
Deion: Leaving now.
She smiled.
"Deion's on his way."
"Finally."
"He said eight."
"And it's seven-thirty."
"So?"
"So boys don't understand time."
Lia laughed.
A few minutes later, headlights washed across the front windows.
Jada looked through the curtain.
"That's them."
Lia grabbed her purse.
"Come on."
They headed downstairs.
Outside, the rain had finally stopped.
The city looked freshly washed. Pavement reflected the streetlights, and the cool evening air carried that clean, wet smell that lingered after a long spring storm.
A car pulled up to the curb.
Deion stepped out first.
He looked toward the house and smiled.
"Y'all ready?"
Jada opened the passenger door.
"Obviously."
Chris laughed from behind the wheel.
"You've been ready?"
"No. But that's not important."
Lia shook her head and climbed into the back.
Deion got in beside her.
"Hey."
"Hey."
There was an ease between them.
They'd been doing this long enough that neither had to force conversation.
Deion leaned back.
"You look nice."
"Thank you."
"I like the jacket."
Lia turned slightly.
"You read it?"
"Yeah."
"What's it say?"
He smiled.
"Fearless."
Jada turned around from the front.
"See? He pays attention."
Deion laughed.
"I can read."
Chris pulled away from the curb.
"Where we going?"
"Mama Elena's," Deion said.
Jada looked at him.
"The one in Harlem?"
"Yeah."
"I heard that's good."
"It is."
Lia glanced at Deion.
"You've been?"
"A few times."
"With your family?"
"Sometimes."
He didn't elaborate.
There was no need.
Deion knew Harlem differently than most people their age did. His father was a Street Prophets general, which meant certain doors opened without him asking and certain places were understood without explanation.
The lounge they were heading to later was one of those places.
Deion didn't advertise that.
He didn't need to.
Mama Elena's was warm, crowded, and loud in the way a Friday night restaurant was supposed to be.
The smell of garlic, roasted meat, fresh bread, and something sweet coming from the kitchen followed them from the entrance.
They found a booth near the back.
Conversation came easily.
Jada and Chris spent half the meal arguing over who had the worse taste in music. Deion kept stealing food from Lia's plate after claiming he wasn't hungry. Lia threatened him twice and let him do it both times.
For a while, everything felt simple.
Normal.
After dinner, Chris looked toward Deion.
"So where we going?"
Deion leaned back.
"I know somewhere."
Jada raised an eyebrow.
"Somewhere where?"
"You'll see."
"That sounds suspicious."
"It's not."
Lia looked at him.
"You sure?"
Deion smiled.
"Trust me."
The lounge was tucked away from the louder parts of the neighborhood.
From the outside, it didn't look like much.
Inside was different.
Music rolled through the room, bass settling into the walls. Older men occupied one side of the space while younger people filled the tables closer to the floor. Different generations crossed paths without much distinction.
Some people came to drink.
Some came to play cards.
Some came because they knew somebody.
Some came because this was one of the few places where they didn't have to explain themselves.
Deion knew the room.
Not in the way someone knew a party spot.
In the way someone knew a place that had been there before they were old enough to understand why.
He nodded at a few people as they walked through.
An older man near the bar lifted his chin.
Deion returned the gesture.
Jada noticed.
"You know everybody?"
Deion shrugged.
"Not everybody."
Chris laughed.
"Man, stop acting humble."
Deion ignored him.
Lia looked around.
"You come here a lot?"
"Sometimes."
That was all he gave her.
They found a table toward the back.
The four settled in, music filling the space between conversations.
Lia watched Deion for a second.
There was something different about him here.
Not louder.
Not tougher.
If anything, quieter.
Like he understood the room without needing to prove he belonged in it.
Across the lounge, an older Street Prophet laughed with a group of younger men. A few heads turned when Deion walked in, then turned back.
Nothing dramatic.
Nothing announced.
Just recognition.
Lia leaned closer to Jada.
"Okay."
Jada looked at her.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Jada smiled.
"You see it too?"
"See what?"
"Exactly."
Lia laughed.
"Girl, leave me alone."
The music changed.
Chris stood.
"Come on."
Jada grabbed his hand.
"Where?"
"To dance."
"You didn't even ask me."
"I'm asking now."
"That wasn't a question."
Chris smiled.
Jada followed him toward the floor.
Lia watched them go.
Deion leaned closer.
"You wanna dance?"
Lia looked at him.
Then smiled.
"Yeah."
He stood and offered his hand.
She took it.
For the first time all day, Lia stopped thinking about where she'd been, where she was going, or who she'd seen that morning.
She let the music carry her instead.
And for tonight, that was enough.
The lounge was still alive when they finally stepped outside.
Music followed them through the doorway, mixing with laughter and conversations spilling onto the sidewalk. The rain had stopped, leaving the streets dark beneath the streetlights.
Deion unlocked the car.
Lia slid into the passenger seat while Jada and Chris climbed into the back.
The doors barely closed before Jada turned toward Chris.
"So you really thought that was a good idea?"
Chris grinned.
"You were dancing with me."
"And?"
"And I figured I was doing something right."
Jada laughed before pulling him into a kiss.
Lia glanced back.
"Y'all couldn't wait five minutes?"
Deion chuckled as he pulled away from the curb.
"They've been doing that since we left."
"Mind your business," Jada said, laughing.
Chris kissed her again.
A few blocks passed before Deion shook his head.
"Y'all should be thanking me."
Chris looked up.
"For what?"
"You almost got us kicked out."
Jada sat up.
"Wait, what happened?"
Chris frowned.
"They were tripping over my sneakers."
"Your sneakers were scuffed," Deion said.
"Barely."
"You were arguing with security."
"Because they were wrong."
Jada stared at him.
"You almost got kicked out over your shoes?"
Chris shrugged.
"They cost money."
Lia laughed.
"You're ridiculous."
Deion shook his head.
"Luckily, I know the owner."
Chris leaned back.
"See? That's why I wasn't worried."
"That's exactly why you should've been worried."
Jada laughed again.
The conversation moved on as they continued through Harlem.
Chris was the first to get dropped off.
Jada opened the back door, then looked at Lia.
"I'm staying with Chris."
Lia's eyebrows lifted.
"Tonight?"
"Yeah."
"Your mother?"
"She thinks I'm with you."
Lia stared at her.
"You used me as the alibi?"
Jada smiled.
"Technically, I was with you."
"Jada."
"I'll call you."
She leaned over and hugged Lia.
"Text me when you get home."
"I will."
Jada stepped out and caught up with Chris.
Lia watched them disappear down the sidewalk before Deion pulled away.
Now it was quiet.
Just the two of them.
Deion glanced toward her.
"You had fun tonight?"
"Yeah."
"Good."
Lia smiled.
"I did."
"You doing anything tomorrow?"
"I don't think so."
"We should do something."
"Like what?"
"I'll figure it out."
Lia laughed.
"That's a terrible plan."
"You'll still go."
"Maybe."
"I'll take maybe."
They continued through the neighborhood, eventually reaching Lia's block.
Deion slowed beside the curb.
Lia unbuckled her seat belt.
"Thanks for tonight."
"Anytime."
She leaned across the console and kissed his cheek.
"Goodnight."
Deion smiled.
"Goodnight."
He leaned toward her and kissed her forehead before kissing her properly.
Lia kissed him back.
It wasn't awkward.
If anything, it was too natural.
There was more heat in the kiss than romance, and Deion leaned into it with an intensity that caught her off guard. His hand briefly settled against her side.
Lia responded before thinking about it.
Then she pulled back.
Deion stopped.
"You good?"
"Yeah."
She reached for the door.
"Goodnight, Deion."
"Goodnight."
Lia stepped onto the sidewalk.
She glanced back once.
Deion was still watching her.
She gave him a small wave.
Then walked inside.
The apartment was quiet.
Lia showered, changed, and sat in front of her mirror.
Her hair needed something simple, so she started working it into two strands.
She separated a section.
Twisted.
Stopped.
Started again.
Her mind kept wandering.
The lounge.
The dancing.
Deion.
The kiss.
Then Maine.
Lia sighed.
"Why?"
She stared at herself.
She didn't want to think about him.
Not tonight.
But the harder she tried not to, the more everything came back.
That look they exchanged at school.
The months of silence.
Everything they never said.
She still didn't know what hurt more.
What happened between them…
or the fact that neither of them had ever really talked about it.
Lia's grip tightened around her brush.
She tossed it onto the bed.
It bounced off the mattress and struck the wall beside her dresser.
Thunk.
She frowned.
The sound had come from lower down.
Lia looked toward the dresser.
Then toward the clock.
11:45.
She crouched and found the loose panel.
Her fingers slipped underneath.
The panel came free.
Inside was a small collection of things she'd kept over the years.
A few pieces of jewelry.
Old movie tickets from a day out with her father.
A folded Valentine's Day note.
A sentimental gift he'd left behind.
And beneath them…
A pendant.
The letter A rested against her palm.
Lia recognized it immediately.
Jermaine.
Her birthday.
She stared at it for a long second before placing it back.
Then she noticed something she'd never seen before.
A small mechanism tucked into the side of the compartment.
She pressed it.
Click.
A second panel shifted upward.
Lia froze.
She pulled it open.
Behind it sat a black leather journal.
Beside it was a small USB drive.
She reached inside.
The journal came first.
Her father's handwriting was on the cover.
Lia stared at it.
Then slowly picked up the USB.
For the first time that night, she wasn't thinking about Deion.
Or Maine.
She was thinking about her father.
And wondering why he'd hide this in her room.