Chapter two

Micah Armani Valentine
Atlanta, Georgia
August 28, 2024 (Wednesday)

Central High School
2:00 PM

Walking into the library during study hall, I immediately felt more at ease. This was my spot—quiet, out of the way, and perfect for sketching or watching videos of people breaking down cars on my laptop.

Weird? Maybe. But I loved building things. Cars, bikes, whatever. That’s where my mind went to unwind.

“Aye, Ms. Camden, you seen my—”

“Here, Micah,” she said, sliding my pastel markers across the desk before I could even finish my sentence.

I smiled. “Appreciate that, Ms. Cam.”

She just nodded, and I headed to my usual spot at the back of the library by the window. Pulling out my notebook, I opened to my latest sketch for health class—a detailed diagram of the human organs. Drawing was how I studied best. Reading notes bored me to death, but turning them into art? That was different.

I was deep into outlining the stomach when I heard some commotion. Loud whispers, a couple of laughs—yeah, it could only be two people.

Looking up, I spotted Cameron and Keith coming around the bookshelf, big-ass grins on their faces.

“What do these fools want now?” I muttered under my breath, letting out a sigh.

Don’t get me wrong—I love them like they’re my brothers, but they also bother me like brothers.

“Wassup, bro?” Keith said, dapping me up.

“Yooo, twin!” Cameron grinned, pulling out the chair beside me and plopping down.

“What?” I said, raising an eyebrow. I already knew they were about to say some nonsense.

Keith wasted no time. “So, I’m throwing a party at my house for my birthday—it’s gonna be a pool party.”

I nodded, waiting for the catch.

“And…” Keith dragged it out, smirking. “My pops said he’s cool with getting us some liquor. Plus, there’s this girl—”

“Hell no.” I shook my head and laughed before he could finish.

“What? You didn’t even let him finish, dawg!” Cameron laughed, nudging my arm.

“Alright, fine. What?” I said, leaning back in my chair with my arms crossed.

Keith’s smirk widened. “There’s this girl who’s interested in you. She’s coming to the party, and she wants to talk to you. And—” he emphasized—”she got a big butt.”

I shook my head, laughing. “Last time y’all set me up with a girl, she had a whole baby. Hell no.”

Cameron threw his hands up, laughing. “Man, not too much on my cousin! I didn’t even know she kept the baby, twin!”

“Yeah, well, this time, she ain’t got no kids,” Keith said, trying to defend himself. “She’s cool. Goes to the rival school, though. And—” he added with a smirk—”she got a cousin for you, Cameron.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Ahh, Kamiya gonna kill your ass for that one.”

“Mane, we not even together,” Cameron said, rolling his eyes. “She’s so damn mean, dawg.”

Keith and I exchanged a look before bursting out laughing.

“C’mon, bro,” I said, shaking my head. “You like that shit, though. Admit it.”

Cameron tried to hold a straight face but ended up smiling. “Man, whatever.”

Keith leaned back, grinning. “I don’t know why you don’t just apply more pressure. She’s just playing hard to get.”

I shrugged. “True. She’s testing you, twin. You just gotta pass.”

Cameron pointed at me. “Says the man who hasn’t dated anyone since Gabby’s crazy ass.”

Keith’s eyes lit up. “Ouuu, shit! He got you there!”

“Shut up,” I said, shaking my head as they laughed. “I can get a girl. I just don’t want one right now, especially after the bullshit Gabby pulled.”

Keith smirked. “Oh, we know you can get a girl. I see how they be acting in the hallways.”

Cameron joined in, mocking them. “Heyyy, Micah!”

“Chill out, man,” I said, laughing. “But nah, they don’t interest me like that. No personality, no goals… nothing real, you feel me?”

Keith nodded, but his smirk didn’t budge. “Alright, Mr. ‘Too-Good-for-These-Girls.’ Just wait till the party. I’m telling you—this one’s different.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I said, waving him off. “We’ll see.”

They stayed for a little longer, joking around and hyping up this so-called girl, but my focus was already drifting back to my sketch. As much as I loved my boys, I didn’t have the energy for all that matchmaking stuff.

I glanced back at my diagram, picking up my marker. Whatever was waiting for me at that party… I’d deal with it when the time came. For now, I had a liver to shade.

Valentine Residence
5:00 PM

Pulling up in the driveway, I noticed my sisters’ cars parked out front and smiled to myself, knowing they were home.

Grabbing my bookbag from the passenger seat, I locked my car and made my way to the front door. The house was quiet, as usual, except for the faint sound of the TV in the living room. Jasmine, my stepmom, was in the kitchen helping Aiden, my 7-year-old brother, with his homework.

“Wassup, lil bro,” I said, ruffling his curly hair as I sat down on the stool next to him.

“Ahh, Bubba, can you give me some money for Roblox? Or no?” he asked with his signature grin.

Before I could answer, Jasmine cut in, hands on her hips. “Sweetie, I just gave you money yesterday for that game. Did you already spend it?”

“Maybe… sorry, Jasmine,” Aiden said sheepishly, looking back at his homework.

“Hey, Jas, you seen my dad? Or is he still out working?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

She nodded. “Still working, love. And Aiden,” she said, turning back to him, “you can call me Mom, you know that.”

Aiden glanced at me for backup, and I raised an eyebrow. He didn’t need to say much after that.

“Um… I’m gonna go finish my work in my room,” he said quickly, grabbing his bookbag off the counter and disappearing down the hall.

Jasmine let out a sigh. “I’m trying, Micah. I’ve been here since he was three, but it’s embarrassing that he still doesn’t call me ‘Mom.'”

I paused for a moment. “You might just have to accept that, Jasmine. You’re not our mom—no disrespect. I think Aiden just doesn’t want to feel like he’s disrespecting her, you know? It’s gonna take baby steps.”

She nodded, but I could tell it wasn’t what she wanted to hear.

“Let me know when dinner’s ready. I’m about to go bother the twins,” I said, standing up and heading upstairs.

Our house was a good size. Between my dad being a fire chief and Jasmine owning a hair salon, we lived comfortably.

Reaching the top floor, I headed toward the back of the house, where my twin sisters, Maya and Sophia, were. Their door was cracked open, and I leaned on the frame, watching them do their hair in the mirror.

“Not that much hairspray can fix them bald spots, huh?” I said, smirking.

“Oh my god, Baby!” they said in sync, dropping everything and running toward me.

Before I could react, they tackled me in hugs. Maya even started kissing my face, which was beyond annoying.

“Okay, okay! I get it. Y’all missed me!” I said, laughing as I finally stood up off the floor and collapsed onto Sophia’s bed.

“Of course, we missed you, Baby!” Sophia said, smiling.

“For real! You’re our baby brother forever,” Maya added, plopping down next to me.

“Actually, Aiden’s the baby now, not me. So y’all gotta stop calling me that. It’s getting old,” I said, rubbing my temples.

“Well, Mom loved calling you ‘Baby,’ so I’m gonna keep it,” Maya said, her tone softening.

Hearing that, I leaned back against the headboard, letting my eyes trail to the ceiling. “Speaking of Mom,” I started, closing the door with my foot, “Jasmine’s mad because Aiden doesn’t call her ‘Mom’ yet. She feels like he should since he was only three when Mom died.”

Maya rolled her eyes. “She wanna replace Mommy so bad. It’s crazy.”

“For real. And especially since Aiden looks so much like Mom. Except he doesn’t got her eyes, like you, Baby,” Sophia added.

“I swear, you so lucky, Baby. If I had Mom’s hazel eyes, I’d be out here doing voodoo on these men!” Maya said dramatically, flipping her hair.

That made me laugh hard, and even Sophia couldn’t hold back. “Man, I miss Mom, though,” I said after a moment, my voice quieter. “I know Aiden does too. That’s why he doesn’t call Jasmine ‘Mom.'”

“What does Dad think about it?” Maya asked, sitting cross-legged on the floor.

“He says if Aiden wants to, he’ll do it. But he’s not forcing it. He feels bad for Jasmine, though, since she can’t have kids of her own. I guess Aiden feels like her last shot at having a real bond like that,” I said, my voice trailing off as I stared at my reflection in their mirror.

Maya and Sophia nodded, the room falling quiet for a moment.

“Anyway,” I said, breaking the silence, “what y’all doing? Y’all been spraying hairspray like crazy in here.”

“Fixing our edges. You know it’s war out there in these streets,” Maya said, laughing.

Sophia giggled. “But seriously, did you get any more offers for basketball?”

“Yeah, I got UConn and USC this week,” I said, leaning back again.

“Ouu! How many is that now? Like seven?” Maya said, grinning.

“Yep. Still waiting on my Duke visit, though,” I said, smirking.

“Mom’s favorite team!” we all said in sync, laughing again.

“Man, I swear, every time I hit the court, I can feel her watching, you know?” I said after a moment.

Sophia smiled softly. “She’s proud of you, Baby. You know that.”

“Yeah, for real,” Maya added. “Now, since you’re here, can you go grab us some snacks from the kitchen? You owe us for the hugs!”

I groaned, standing up with a laugh. “Y’all got legs. Go get your own snacks.”

“Baby! You can’t say no to your sisters!” Maya whined.

“I just did,” I said, walking toward the door. “See y’all at dinner.”

I walked toward the back of the hallway and into my room, opening the door slowly. My room was tucked near the laundry room, and I didn’t mind it. It gave me some extra privacy—far enough away that I couldn’t hear much when people came over.

As I stepped inside, I took a moment to look around. My room was a decent size, with sleek hardwood floors that gleamed in the soft light. In the middle of the floor was a custom rug, one I’d designed when I was younger. Mom had it made for me as a surprise, back when she said my creativity deserved a spotlight. It was one of the last gifts she gave me before she got sick.

The rest of the space reflected who I was: a little organized chaos. My dresser and shoe wall displayed my prized designer sneaker collection, each pair carefully lined up like trophies. My desk sat against the opposite wall, cluttered with books, sketch pads, and scattered tools. Above it hung shelves filled with art supplies and random knick-knacks.

On one side of the room was my walk-in closet, neatly arranged, and on the other side was my bathroom. Having my own bathroom was a blessing; sharing with my sisters would’ve been a nightmare.

Still, sometimes I missed our old house—the one where everything was tighter, but it always felt like home. This new house was bigger and shinier, but it didn’t carry the same memories.

Near my bed, there was a photo that never failed to catch my eye. It was from an AAU basketball tournament when I was 13. In the picture, Mom had her arm around me, her dark, wavy hair falling perfectly over her shoulder, her hazel eyes bright with pride. Keith was tucked under her other arm, and Cameron stood to the side, laughing at something dumb one of us had said.

I smiled, running my fingers over the frame. Mom loved Keith and Cameron like they were her own. She used to say they were my brothers in a different life.

Letting out a sigh, I whispered, “Oh, Mami… I miss you so much.”

I kicked off my shoes and sat on the edge of my bed, letting the wave of memories wash over me.

“I miss Mommy too,” came a small voice from the doorway.

I turned around to see Aiden standing there, his big brown eyes—the same shade as Dad’s—looking up at me. Everything else about him was Mom’s spitting image: the soft curl of his hair, the curve of his smile, even the way he tilted his head when he was thinking.

“You remember Mom, Aiden?” I asked softly, motioning for him to come in.

He nodded, stepping closer. “A little bit. She was really pretty. She had long hair, and… and you and her have the same eyeballs.”

I smiled, his innocent words tugging at something deep inside me. Aiden was only three when Mom passed, so his memories of her were fuzzy, like fragments of a dream. He remembered her warmth, her smile, but he never really got to know the full depth of who she was. He was so young when she died from cancer, and it broke me to think of how much he missed out on with her.

“I think you’re right,” I said, my voice quiet. “She had those eyes, didn’t she? And that smile…” I paused, staring at him for a moment. “You know, you remind me so much of her, Aiden. You’re just like her in every way.”

Aiden smiled at the compliment, his small face lighting up. “I like that. I wanna be just like her when I grow up,” he said, his voice full of determination.

It made my heart swell with pride, but it also hurt. Aiden was only three when she passed, and yet he had somehow absorbed all the love she had to offer. But I couldn’t help but wonder if, in his little heart, he missed out on the deeper connection with her. He was so young when she was sick, when I was the one holding her hand as she took her last breath.

I closed my eyes for a moment, the memory hitting me harder than I expected. That day, I was the only one with her when she passed. I was the one who held her hand as she whispered, “Go play ball, baby. Go play ball…” Her voice was weak, but her love was stronger than anything I’d ever known. It was the last thing she told me, and it’s the thing that keeps me going every single day.

I shook my head, pushing the thoughts away. “She’d be proud of you, Aiden. You’ve got her heart, for sure.”

Aiden nodded, his expression softening as he looked up at me. “Do you miss her a lot, Bubba?”

“Every day,” I admitted, my voice thick. “But I know she’s still with us, in little ways. In you, in me, in all of us.”

He smiled again, more brightly this time, and wrapped his arms around me for a hug. I held him tightly, feeling the weight of everything—a combination of grief, love, and hope. I could feel the memories of Mom in that moment, in the way Aiden’s small arms clung to me, just like how Mom used to hold me when I was scared or confused.

We stayed like that for a while, just holding each other in a silent kind of understanding. Aiden may not have the full memory of our mom, but he was her legacy. I would make sure of that.

Finally, I pulled back, wiping my eyes quickly. “Alright, kiddo, let’s go see if Jasmine has dinner ready. You hungry?”

Aiden nodded enthusiastically. “I’m starving!”

As we walked out of my room together, I glanced back at the picture of Mom. It was a quiet reminder of everything she’d given me and everything I still carried with me. The love. The pain. The lessons. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever stop missing her, but I knew one thing for sure—she wasn’t gone. Not really.

The dinner table was set, and as usual, I sat next to Aiden. Across from us were the twins, and at each end of the table sat my dad and Jasmine. It was a familiar setup, one that had become part of the routine over the past few years.

“Wassup, pops? How was work?” I asked, placing a napkin in my lap as I got comfortable.

“Good, son. No houses on fire today,” my dad chuckled, but his smile faded slightly as he wiped his mouth with his napkin. “Did you work today, or no?”

“Nah, Uncle Luke said I could come by tomorrow, but he didn’t need my help today,” I replied, just as Jasmine placed a plate of spaghetti in front of me.

“Thank you,” I said, giving her a smile.

“No problem, sweetheart,” Jasmine replied, settling down at the table. She looked around at all of us with a hopeful expression. “Listen, guys, I was thinking we should go on a family trip this year for Thanksgiving instead of going to your grandparents’ house.”

Me and the twins exchanged a quick look. This didn’t sound like something we were on board with. We’d always spent Thanksgiving with our grandparents, especially since they moved to Florida.

“Um, but that’s the only time we get to spend with them, especially since they live in Florida now,” Sophia said, looking at Jasmine with a raised eyebrow.

“I understand that, sweetheart,” Jasmine said softly, her eyes shifting to my dad. “But I think a cute trip to Aspen would be nice. We can snowboard and create our own tradition. What do you think, honey?” Her voice was filled with hope, but my dad just froze. I watched as a piece of spaghetti fell from his fork.

“Wait, didn’t Mom try to take us there before, but she was too cheap to get a nice cabin or something?” Maya asked, looking at me.

“Yeah, she did,” I said, trying to hold back a laugh. “Something about a coupon or something.”

“Oh my God, I remember,” Maya said, her eyes lighting up. “She had us on three different layovers just to save money on the flight.”

We all burst into laughter at the memory.

“She said, ‘Well, you guys can tell everyone you’ve been to California,'” Maya added, mimicking our mom’s voice, causing all of us to crack up again.

“And New York,” me and Sophia said in unison, still laughing.

Aiden, who had been quietly eating, suddenly spoke up. “Was I there, Bubba?”

I looked at him, smiling softly. “Uh, no. I think Mom was pregnant with you at that time.”

“Hmm, but I wanna go wherever Mommy went,” Aiden said, his big brown eyes sparkling with innocence.

I ruffled his hair, trying to hold back the lump in my throat. “Cool. So, I’m guessing y’all like Aspen?”

Jasmine smiled, relieved. “Yeah, I got us a good deal on a cabin. Maybe even my parents might drive up, too.”

Maya eyed me, her expression shifting. We didn’t really like Jasmine’s family. They were slightly racist, especially because our mother was Puerto Rican. We had all been through some awkward, uncomfortable situations with them, and it left a sour taste in our mouths.

“Papá, no quiero ver a su familia. Siempre son malos,” Maya muttered under her breath, speaking in Spanish so Jasmine wouldn’t understand.

Jasmine looked confused, glancing from Maya to me. We always spoke in Spanish when we didn’t want Jasmine to understand, and it was one of those moments where I found it hilarious. Maya shot me a look, clearly not holding back her frustration.

“Yo tampoco,” I replied quietly, “pero me aseguraré de que no se excedan.”

Aiden, who was still trying to figure out what we were talking about, chimed in, “¿Nos harán comer esa comida asquerosa y sin sabor?”

We all started busting out laughing, including my dad, who shook his head and smiled.

“I’ll make sure to order some takeout later,” I said, grinning at Aiden, who nodded eagerly.

“Please, in English?” Jasmine asked, clearly feeling left out.

“My bad, baby. But yes, we’ll go to Aspen for Thanksgiving,” I said, switching back to English, trying to ease the tension a little.

“Ooh, can I bring Keith and Cameron?” I asked, turning to my dad with a hopeful grin.

“If he’s bringing them, I wanna bring my boyfriend,” Sophia crossed her arms, looking smug.

“Don’t care,” my dad said, giving us both a nonchalant shrug. “Just make sure you’re all packed.”

“Well, I guess I better book a bigger cabin,” Jasmine said with a laugh, glancing at me.

I pulled out my phone as it vibrated, quickly checking my messages. I couldn’t help but smile as I read through the group chat with Keith and Cameron.

Keith: Ayeee, same! The date party at my house, September 21. We litty.

Me: Alright, we in there.

Cameron: You better because if I hear some lame ass excuse, I’m gonna be pissed.

Keith: Ong.

Me: I missed one party, dawg 😂 but I ain’t gonna miss your bday fasho.

Keith: Yea yea, but aye, you working this weekend?

Me: Not Saturday.

Cameron: Y’all coming to my game Friday, right?

Me: Duh, nigga.

Keith: Know we there, plus I gotta see my baby cheer 😏

Cameron: I’m surprised she’s not pregnant by now.

Me: Nah, deadass 😂

Keith: Shut up, we just love making love 😝

I laughed, shaking my head at the messages, before slipping my phone back into my pocket.

“That’s my cue,” I said, grinning at Maya and Sophia. “We’re gonna be living our best lives this Thanksgiving. I’m already planning for this trip.”

Everyone else joined in, and we ate the rest of the meal with a lighter mood, even if the conversation about Aspen still lingered in the air. It was one of those moments that felt just right, where everything and everyone fit together, even with the cracks in between.