Chapter 7

A few days passed, and Lena had settled into her routine. School, content, and linking up with Ray and her people here and there. She was feeling the city more now, getting used to the spots, the way everybody moved, the energy.

But one thing was real clear.

Von was always around.

Not in a way that was too much, but in a way that made it real hard not to notice him.

Every time she pulled up somewhere with Ray, Von was there. Same laid-back energy, same quiet demeanor. He never did too much, never made a scene, but somehow, Lena always felt his presence first before she even saw him.

And Cinco?

That nigga stayed flirting.

Every time he saw her, it was something. A slick comment, a smooth compliment, a playful jab. Lena wasn't trippin'—she liked his vibe. But she was peeping something else too.

Von ain't never say shit about it. Never reacted. Never interfered.

But the air changed every time.

Like now.

Lena was posted at one of the neighborhood spots with Ray, Nae, and the rest of the crew, sitting on the hood of her Scat. Cinco was posted up next to her, rolling up, talking about some wild story from the other night.

"You lyin'," Lena laughed, shaking her head.

Cinco smirked, lighter flicking as he lit the blunt. "Man, I'on do nun but tell the truth."

"Mmhmm."

Cinco exhaled slow, his eyes sliding to hers. "So wassup then?"

Lena raised a brow. "Wassup with what?"

"You act like you don't feel this lil' vibe we got goin'."

Lena just smiled, not giving him too much. "You funny."

Cinco grinned, leaning in slightly. "I'm deadass."

Before Lena could respond, she caught movement from the corner of her eye.

Von.

Walking up with a bottle in his hand, grill flashing, eyes on everything without directly looking at shit.

He dapped up one of the homies, took a sip from the bottle, and then—finally—his eyes flicked to Lena.

Just for a second.

Then to Cinco.

Then back to Lena.

Lena just smiled, real sweet, before taking the blunt from Cinco's hand and hitting it real slow.

Von's jaw tightened.

And just like that, Lena knew she had him right where she wanted.

Lena took her time with the blunt, inhaling slow, letting the smoke curl past her lips before passing it back to Cinco. She knew Von was watching.

Maybe not in a way that was obvious to everybody else, but she felt it.

He was still posted up, still sipping from the bottle, still looking unbothered. But Lena saw it—the slight tension in his jaw, the way he dragged his tongue across his front teeth real slow, like he was keeping himself from saying something.

She bit back a smirk.

Cinco? That nigga was still on go. He had no problem being in her space, throwing his arm back over the hood of her car, brushing against her as he passed the blunt back.

"So you just gon' ignore my question?" he asked.

Lena exhaled, tilting her head. "What question?"

"You feel this vibe or what?"

She just smiled. "You swear I'm gon' give you the answer you want."

Cinco smirked, leaning in slightly. "If you keep lookin' at me like that, you might as well go 'head and say it."

Lena laughed, shaking her head. She was enjoying herself. Cinco was cool, funny, easy to be around.

But Von?

He was the reason the air was thick.

And the fact that he still ain't said shit made it even worse.

Ray slid over, eyes flicking between Lena and Von. She peeped.

"You good?" she asked Von, slick but casual.

Von took another sip before finally speaking, voice deep and even. "I'm straight."

Lena glanced at him. He wasn't looking at her, but he might as well have been.

She smirked, finally breaking. "You quiet as hell tonight."

Von's eyes cut to hers so fast it almost caught her off guard. Almost.

"I'm always quiet," he said.

Lena shrugged. "True."

But this was different.

Cinco chuckled low, shaking his head. "Yeah, my boy be real lowkey, huh?" He nudged Lena. "That mean he thinkin' 'bout somethin'."

Von finally looked at Cinco then. Just for a second.

But that look said everything.

Cinco grinned. "You straight, twin?"

Von didn't react. Just took another sip, eyes back on Lena.

Lena licked her lips, heart racing just a little. She liked this game, but she knew she was playing with fire.

Lena was still locked in on Von, her smirk playing on her lips. She liked that he wasn't saying much, but saying everything at the same time.

Cinco was still running his mouth, keeping the vibe playful, but Von wasn't laughing.

Before anybody could say anything else, the sound of heels clicking on the pavement cut through the conversation.

Lena turned her head just in time to see a bad-ass, brown-skinned girl with a mean walk stepping up. She had long jet-black curls, nails sharp and glossy, and that whole face gave "I got a problem" energy.

And she was coming straight for Von.

Lena didn't have to ask. She knew what this was.

Ray sighed under her breath. "Man, here we go..."

The girl stopped right in front of Von, crossing her arms. Too close. Too familiar.

"So you just out here actin' like I don't exist?" she asked, voice laced with attitude.

Von exhaled slow, still looking unbothered. Still not moving. "What you want, Keelah?"

Keelah. The ex.

Lena took a sip from her cup, playing it cool. But she was watching.

Keelah sucked her teeth. "You got me fucked up, Von." Her eyes flicked around before locking onto Lena. Too bold.

Lena just raised an eyebrow.

"I see what's goin' on now," Keelah scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You got a new lil' bitch, so now you can't answer my calls?"

Von took another sip, not responding.

Keelah's energy was hot, her body language wild aggressive. She was looking at Lena like she had something to prove, and Lena?

She wasn't finna fold.

"Ion know why you talkin' to me," Lena said smoothly, tilting her head. "I don't even know you."

Keelah smirked, stepping a little closer. "You know of me now, though."

Cinco whistled low. "Ahh shit."

Von finally stood up, slow and controlled, his height making Keelah have to step back.

"You doin' too much," he said, voice calm but firm. "Go home."

Keelah let out a bitter laugh, flipping her hair. "Oh, I'm doin' too much? That's funny, 'cause last time I checked, you was just at my house."

The whole group got quiet.

Lena's expression ain't change, but that shit hit different.

Von's jaw flexed. His tongue ran over his grill slow before he looked Keelah dead in her eyes. "You lying."

Keelah smirked, licking her lips. "Am I?"

Von didn't react. Didn't argue. Didn't explain. Nothing.

And that?

That's what made Lena's stomach drop just a little.