"Lock In"

Armani was sprawled across her bed, her phone buzzing with an incoming text from Kaymari. She grinned mischievously as she read the message, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Hey, beauty. What's taking so long? I'm waiting for you," Kaymari's text read. Armani's heart skipped a beat as she typed out a response. "Just getting ready, babe. My mom is being super annoying. I'll be down soon." She hesitated for a moment before adding a string of emojis, including a winking face and a heart. As she hit send, Armani's gaze drifted to her reflection in the mirror. Her curly 4a hair was still damp from her shower, and her brown skin glowed with a natural sheen. She was wearing a white tank top and a pair of Nike pros, and her purple dunks were kicked off on the floor. Just then, her door creaked open and Liyah walked in, her light skin looking radiant in the morning light. "Hey, sis. What's going on?" Liyah asked, her voice chipper. Armani's heart sank as she quickly scrambled to come up with an excuse. "Not much, Liyah. Just getting ready for school," she replied, trying to sound nonchalant. Liyah raised an eyebrow as she walked over to Armani's bed. "You're texting someone, aren't you?" she asked, her voice laced with accusation. Armani's face flushed with guilt as she hastily silenced her phone. "No one, Liyah. Just... just aysia. We were just planning out our day," she stammered. Liyah didn't seem convinced, but she let it drop – for now. "Okay, well, hurry up. We don't want to be late for school," she said, turning to leave. As Liyah walked out of the room, Armani let out a sigh of relief. She quickly sent Kaymari another text, her fingers flying across the screen. "Hey, babe. My sis is being super clingy. Can we meet up later?" Kaymari's response was immediate. "Yeah, baby. I was thinking we could sneak out during lunch. Meet me at the usual spot?" Armani's heart skipped a beat as she grinned mischievously. She couldn't wait to see Kaymari, to steal a few moments with him before the chaos of the day began. She texted back, her fingers moving swiftly across the screen. "Can't wait, babe." The scene shifted to Queens College High School, where Armani and her friends, Aysia and Jaedon, were busy preparing for the welcome speech. Armani took a deep breath as she adjusted the mic stand, her eyes scanning the crowd of students and teachers. Tray Saunders, the head boy, gave her a reassuring nod from across the stage. "Welcome, everyone, to Queens College High School!" Aysia exclaimed, her voice ringing out across the hall. Armani smiled as she took her place beside Aysia. "We're excited to be back, and we're committed to making this year count," she said, her voice clear and confident. As they finished their speeches, Tray took the mic, his voice booming out across the hall. "And remember, Queens College is all about family. We're all in this together, so let's make it a great year!" The crowd erupted into applause, and Armani felt a surge of excitement. She was ready to take on the year, as long as Kaymari was by her side. As they filed out of the auditorium, Kaymari caught her eye, his gaze lingering on hers for a moment before he turned away. Armani's heart skipped a beat as she felt a flutter in her chest. She couldn't wait to see him later, to steal a few moments with him in secret. But for now, she had to focus on the day ahead, and the challenges that lay in store. Little did she know, the drama was just beginning, and it would change everything.