After School
1002 Words
Evelyn Pov
After lunch, the rest of the school day dragged. Every class felt longer than usual, and every time my mind wandered, it went straight back to two things:
The party.
And De’Andre.
By the time the final bell rang, the hallways exploded with noise. Lockers slammed, people hugged, everyone was talking about their summers like they hadn’t seen each other in years.
Paris, Brooklyn, and Queen met me at my locker, already hyped.
“Okay, so we’re meeting at your house to get ready, right?” Paris asked.
“Obviously,” I said. “My room has the best lighting.”
Brooklyn laughed. “Girl, your room has the best everything.”
Queen nudged me. “And maybe we’ll see a certain someone before we leave.”
I rolled my eyes, but my heart sped up anyway. “Y’all need to chill.”
We walked outside together, and I spotted Tyrek’s car pulling up. He honked once, like always. My girls waved goodbye and headed toward their buses, leaving me to face my brother.
I opened the passenger door and slid in. Tyrek glanced at me, then smirked.
“What you smiling for?” I asked.
“You look too happy,” he said. “First day wasn’t even that special.”
I shrugged. “It was cool.”
He pulled off, turning onto the main road. “Oh, by the way,” he said casually, “De’Andre might come over later. We gotta finish something for practice.”
My heart dropped straight into my stomach.
“Later? Like… what time later?” I asked, trying to sound normal.
Tyrek side‑eyed me. “Why you asking? You got plans?”
I swallowed. “No. Just wondering.”
He shrugged. “Probably around six.”
Six.
Right when the girls were supposed to come over.
Right when we were getting ready.
Right when I absolutely did NOT need De’Andre in my house.
I stared out the window, trying not to panic. Tyrek had no idea what he was setting up.
When we got home, I ran upstairs to my room and texted the group chat:
ME: emergency.
Paris: what happened
Brooklyn: girl don’t start
Queen: spit it out
ME: de’andre coming to my house at 6
Paris: OH
Brooklyn: MY
Queen: GOD
Paris: so we’re getting ready at your house…
Brooklyn: while de’andre is THERE
Queen: this is destiny
I threw my phone on the bed and covered my face with a pillow.
This was not destiny.
This was chaos.
A few minutes later, my mom called me downstairs to help with something, and as I walked past the living room window, I froze.
A car pulled up.
De’Andre stepped out.
Early.
My heart stopped.
Tyrek wasn’t even home yet.
And now it was just me… and him… in the house.
I froze at the window, my hand still on the curtain.
De’Andre was walking up the driveway like he’d done it a hundred times before — relaxed, confident, hands in his pockets. But this time felt different.
This time, Tyrek wasn’t home.
This time, it was just me.
My heart was beating way too fast for someone who was “not interested.”
The doorbell rang.
I took a breath, smoothed my shirt, and tried to act normal as I walked to the door. When I opened it, De’Andre was standing there, looking even better up close — fresh fade, clean white tee, chain catching the light.
“Hey,” he said, voice low and calm.
“Um… hey,” I replied, trying not to sound like I forgot how to speak.
He glanced past me into the house. “Tyrek here yet?”
“No, he’s… running late,” I said. “He should be home soon.”
De’Andre nodded, then looked at me again — really looked.
Not quick, not accidental.
Intentional.
“You grew up over the summer,” he said with a small smirk.
My stomach flipped. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He shrugged. “Just saying. You look different.”
I crossed my arms, trying to hide the fact that my face was getting warm. “Well, it is the first day of school.”
He chuckled. “Yeah. I noticed.”
Before I could think of something clever to say back, he stepped inside. I closed the door behind him, and suddenly the house felt way too quiet.
He sat on the couch, leaning back like he owned the place. “You can sit, you know. I’m not gonna bite.”
I rolled my eyes but sat across from him. “I didn’t say you would.”
“You didn’t have to,” he said, smirking again.
I hated how smooth he was.
And I hated how much I liked it.
“So,” he said, resting his arm on the back of the couch, “you excited for junior year?”
“Yeah, I guess,” I said. “It’s already starting off… interesting.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Interesting how?”
Before I could answer, the front door opened and Tyrek walked in.
The timing was insane.
Tyrek looked between us — me on one couch, De’Andre on the other — and his whole face changed.
“Yo… what’s going on in here?” he asked slowly.
I sat up straight. “Nothing! He just got here early.”
De’Andre didn’t move, didn’t flinch, didn’t even blink. “Relax, bro. I was just waiting.”
Tyrek narrowed his eyes at him, then at me, then back at him. “Uh‑huh.”
I could practically feel the tension crackling in the air.
And then — as if the universe wanted to make things even more chaotic — my phone buzzed.
Paris: we on the way
Brooklyn: 10 mins
Queen: hope u ready
I swallowed.
Tyrek and De’Andre were here.
My girls were on the way.
The party was tonight.
This was about to get wild.
- Writer
