───  SUMMER IN HARLEM,
▹season one, episode four. 👻
READ IN; WHITE MODE.

GIOVANNI S. AUSTIN.       THE COOKOUT
❛❛ 𝗦𝗔𝗠𝗘 𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗨𝗗𝗘 ❞ ‧₊˚ ┊      JULY 18, 2024.

OVER THE NEXT few weeks, vanni had settled into yas's crib like it was her own. at first, she was sleeping in yas's room, until yas's moms finally just cleared out the extra room for her. her and yas moved like sisters now, sharing clothes, arguing over dumb shit, staying up late talking till one of them knocked out mid-sentence. they had their own little routines—yas always stealing vanni's edge control, vanni always hogging the shower.

it was easy, natural, like they'd always been like this. even on the days vanni ain't feel like talking, yas never forced her. she just let her be, let her have her space until she was ready to come back around. and that's why, even when yas got on her nerves, vanni couldn't even be mad for real.

yas's mom, taraji, was like a second mom to vanni. she'd make sure she was fed, always fussing over her as if she was her own daughter. it felt nice, but also a little strange at first, having someone care that much. in a way, vanni got used to it. she didn't take it for granted, but it started to feel normal, like family. yas, always the laid-back one, didn't seem to mind. they'd joke around, argue over silly things, but there was always this unspoken understanding between them. they were starting to act like sisters in their own right.

some days, vanni found herself thinking about her mom in atlanta—her voice over the phone, the way she'd remind her to stay out of trouble or check if she was eating right. but it wasn't the same as being there. vanni was getting used to this new life, and it wasn't so bad. the distance didn't feel as heavy as it used to.

yas was still the driving force behind most of their plans. even if vanni didn't feel like it, yas would drag her into whatever they were doing that week. the first few days, vanni would've preferred to stay quiet, but it didn't take long before she was just as eager to get out, to do something, anything that took her mind off the mess she'd left behind. and there were times when vanni still missed the quiet of being alone, but she couldn't deny how easy it felt to be around yas.

but there was one thing vanni had been avoiding since the fight with notti, the idea of running into him again. she knew he'd be around, she'd always played things cool, kept her distance, but the thought of seeing him again made her stomach twist. she had no idea how he'd act, or if he even cared enough to say something about what happened. but it wasn't like she was going to let it bother her. vanni didn't back down from anything, especially not from something that wasn't even her fault.

as yas dragged her to more outings, they eventually found themselves planning a cookout at notti's mom's house. at first, vanni didn't even want to go. she knew that notti would be there. she could already imagine the tension between them, how things would feel awkward and uncomfortable. but yas was persistent, vanni tried to brush it off, pretending like she didn't care, but inside, she knew it was going to be a mess.

"just come with me, it's gonna be chill," yas said, her voice full of excitement. vanni hesitated, standing at the edge of the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest. she wanted to say no, to avoid the situation entirely, but something in yas's eyes made it hard to say anything other than "fine."

"this ain't gonna be no drama, right?" vanni asked, looking at yas for reassurance. yas smirked, already knowing what was on vanni's mind. "nah, trust. it's just a cookout. people eat, they drink, they chill and notti won't try nothin." vanni rolled her eyes, trying not to laugh at yas's confidence. "aight, whatever," she said. "but if he acts up, i'm out." yas just grinned and grabbed her bag, slinging it over her shoulder.

as they pulled up to notti's mom's house later that evening, vanni felt the weight of her decision settle in. the house was big, typical of a cookout spot. kids running around, music blasting, people laughing, and the smell of grilled food in the air. she could see notti in the distance, talking to some of his friends by the grill, looking relaxed and carefree, the complete opposite of how vanni felt. but yas was already dragging her inside, waving to a few familiar faces as they passed by.

"yo, vanni, you good?" yas asked, her voice loud over the music. vanni nodded, trying to act like she wasn't thinking about the storm that was brewing between her and notti. "yeah, i'm good," vanni said, trying to keep her cool. yas didn't seem worried. "don't even sweat it. we just here to vibe, and im gon make sure it stay that way."

vanni gave a half-smile, but deep down, she knew it was going to be a long night. the whole cookout was in full swing by the time vanni stepped into the yard. the air was thick with the smell of sizzling meat on the grill, the chatter of people catching up, and the occasional burst of laughter echoing through the block.

yas pulled vanni into the backyard, and for a moment, vanni felt like a stranger in her own skin, like she didn't belong here. but then she saw how natural yas was moving around the crowd, greeting people with a smile, a hug, or just a few quick words before she was off again, talking to someone else. yas was in her element. vanni was still adjusting, trying
to find her place in this new dynamic.

yas led her to a few of their friends who were sitting at a long picnic table, plates piled high with food. ddot and dd were there, laughing about something that vanni didn't quite catch.

ddot, always the loud one, was talking about how he'd nearly been run over by a car while trying to get a picture of a sunset. dd was just shaking his head, a smirk playing on his lips as he half-listened, half-laughed. vanni sat down next to them, feeling the weight of everyone's stares for a split second before they all went back to their conversations.

vanni tried to join in, but her mind kept drifting back to notti. it wasn't the cookout or the people that made her feel out of place, it was him. he was here, somewhere, and her eyes flicked to the front of the yard, where she saw him standing by the grill, talking to his mom.

crimsley was there, too, looking regal as ever with her tall, elegant posture, laughing at something notti had said. vanni couldn't stop staring, even though she didn't want to. he looked so different when he was with his family, it made her feel a kind of tug she wasn't ready to acknowledge.

she turned away, biting her lip, and ddot noticed her discomfort, nudging her gently. "yo, you good?" he asked, his voice low, just for her. "yeah, just—" she stopped herself, looking around at everyone. "this ain't really my scene," she said, shrugging. "i'm good though."

ddot raised an eyebrow, his playful grin never faltering. "this yo first cookout, huh? it's all good. just wait 'til you taste this barbecue." he pointed at the grill, where a few other people were flipping burgers and hot dogs. "its gon hit."

"mmtch, i aint never said this was my first." vanni managed a small smile, though her stomach twisted in the way it always did when she was out of her comfort zone. she looked down at her plate, pretending to focus on the food in front of her. her mind was too loud, and all she could think about was how they had left things.

"yo, vanni, you gonna eat or what?" dd asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. he was holding out a piece of corn, his grin wide as he gestured to her plate. "right, my bad," vanni muttered, taking the corn and shoving a bite in her mouth to distract herself.

the evening dragged on, and vanni found herself loosening up little by little. people came and went, greeting one another, laughing, joking, and generally having a good time. there was something calming about the chaos, the way everyone just fit into the scene, like the cookout was an extension of their everyday lives.

maybe it was the warm night air, or maybe it was just how comfortable yas made her feel. she found herself talking more, laughing with ddot and dd as they joked about some of their past misadventures, making fun of one another in that playful, brother-sister way that came so naturally.

she had been inside, goofing off with ddot and dd, when she turned to see notti standing at the edge of the patio, looking right at her. her heart skipped, and for a split second, she thought about just leaving, about not facing him at all. but then ddot, ever the troublemaker, pushed her forward, urging her to go talk to him.

"yo, vanni, what's good? go say what's up."vanni froze. "nah, i'm good." but ddot wasn't having it. "nah, c'mon, you tryna act like you ain't got no words for him? y'all both wildin' at this point." so, despite every instinct telling her to run, vanni found herself walking outside. when notti saw her approach, his expression was unreadable, like he didn't even care she was there.

but then his mom, crimsley, appeared out of nowhere, like some divine force, and before vanni knew it, the conversation had taken a completely different turn. "is she your girlfriend?" crimsley asked, her voice warm with the kind of playful curiosity that only moms could get away with. she looked at vanni like she was already part of the family, like this cookout was her way of welcoming her in.

vanni's heart skipped a beat, and she froze, looking at notti for his reaction. he shot back an immediate, quick "no," so fast it almost made vanni want to laugh, even though she didn't. "no mami, ion even like her," notti said, looking annoyed.

"pero es tan bonita, mírala," crimsley said, her eyes lighting up as she looked at vanni with a warm smile, like she was already seeing her as part of the family. vanni, not missing a beat, smiled back and said, "muchas gracias, tú también eres bonita." she said it in spanish, like her mother would have.

crimsley's eyes widened in surprise. "¡qué bonita! you speak spanish?!" she exclaimed, clearly impressed. vanni nodded, feeling a little more comfortable. the ice had been broken.

notti, for his part, just stood there, his expression unreadable. he didn't seem to know how to react, and the whole thing felt surreal, like he had never expected vanni to speak spanish, let alone hold a conversation with his mom. and vanni was left standing there, half-surprised, half-amused, as notti walked off, muttering something under his breath. and just like that, vanni had unknowingly woven herself into the fabric of notti's life.

ᥫ᭡ LEI SPEAKS    /   authors notes.
a little sum sum for yall cause i know some ppl been waiting for ittt. ayyeee i deserve to get my ass ate. anywaysss. byeeee, mwaahhh

love yaaa, 🫧.

🎀🎀🎀.