Chapter Forty-One: What’s Left After the Music Stops
Lyric The music had dropped to a low thump, barely hanging on. Most people had left. Red cups on the lawn. A few stragglers by the speakers. The kind of quiet that creeps in after a wild night — when reality starts to hum in your ear again. I was picking up plates, folding up the little tablecloth Janiyah’s mom specifically said not to ruin. Then I heard it. “Y’all cute or whatever, but tell your man to stop texting me about the baby he not claiming.” My eyes shot up. She was standing by the back door. Tight pink dress. Wig glued down real slick. And her eyes? Locked right on Janiyah. Janiyah stood frozen, drink in hand. Smoke looked like he’d seen a damn ghost. “What the f*ck did you just say?” Janiyah’s voice dropped. Real low. Real deadly. “I said,” the girl smiled, “he b
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