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

GIOVANNI S. AUSTIN. THE BEACH PARTY.
❛❛ 𝗪𝗛𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗨𝗖𝗞 𝗜𝗦 𝗬𝗢𝗨 ❞ ‧₊˚ ┊ JULY 11, 2024.

yas's bedroom was alive with the energy of the day, the faint hum of music playing from a speaker on the dresser as the cousins moved about.

sunlight poured in through the window, lighting up the explosion of clothes scattered across the bed and floor—denim shorts, tank tops, sneakers, and swimsuits tossed like the aftermath of a shopping spree.

vanni stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the strap of her pink bikini. it was simple but striking, the bright color popping against her glowing skin.

paired with her distressed denim shorts, it was a look that screamed effortless but intentional. she leaned closer to the mirror, brushing a stray curl out of her face, her lips glossed and shining.

"yo, yas," she called out, glancing over her shoulder toward the bathroom. "how long you gonna be in there?"

"chill, i'm almost done," yas's voice echoed back, muffled by the sound of running water.

vanni rolled her eyes, turning back to the mirror. "you been sayin' that for the last ten minutes. you actin' like we ain't got a party to get to."

the bathroom door finally swung open, and yas stepped out, her black bikini hugged by a sheer cover-up tied loosely around her waist.

her high ponytail was slicked to perfection, her baby hairs swirled into flawless edges that looked like they'd taken hours.

"please," yas said, smirking as she posed in the doorway. "you know i'm always worth the wait." vanni let out a laugh, crossing her arms as she leaned against the dresser. "you extra as fuck, you know that?"

"and what about it?" yas shot back, grabbing a bottle of body shimmer from her nightstand and running it over her arms. the faint sparkle caught the light, making her already radiant skin glow even more.

"aight, miss hollywood," vanni teased, stepping aside to let yas check herself out in the mirror. "but we gotta leave by four if we tryna pull up at five."

yas snorted, grabbing her perfume and giving herself a generous spritz. "first of all, it's a beach party. we ain't gotta be on nobody's timeline, the fuck?"

"yeah, but i still wanna make an entrance," vanni said, sliding her phone into her bag. "ain't no fun if we just blend in with everybody else."

yas turned to her, raising an eyebrow. "blend in? bitch, have you seen us? we don't blend, period."

vanni laughed, shaking her head. "aight, you got that." she grabbed a pair of white slides from the floor, slipping them on before picking up her beach bag.

yas threw a few last-minute items into her own bag—lip gloss, sunscreen, and a bottle of water—before turning back to vanni. "you ready?"

"been ready," vanni replied, adjusting her earrings one last time. "aight then, let's go," yas said, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

the two of them headed downstairs, the faint smell of something sweet lingering in the air as they passed through the kitchen.

yas's mom was standing at the counter, sipping on a glass of iced tea. she looked up as they entered, her face lighting up with a warm smile.

"well, don't y'all look ready to turn some heads," she said, setting her glass down. yas smirked, giving her mom a quick kiss on the cheek. "you know how we do."

"hey, auntie. we'll be back later." vanni grinned, waving. "y'all behave," yas's mom said, her tone playful but firm. "always," yas said with a grin, already halfway to the door.

"don't stay out too late!" her mom called after them as they stepped outside.

the warm summer air hit them as they walked down the steps and toward the car parked in the driveway. vanni adjusted the strap of her bag, glancing up at the bright blue sky.

"perfect day for a party," she said, sliding into the passenger seat. yas started the car, the AC kicking on immediately as she hooked her phone up to the stereo. "perfect day for us to get littyy," she said, grinning as she turned up the music.

the bass-heavy beat filled the car as they pulled out of the driveway, heading toward the beach with the kind of excitement only summer could bring. their energy was infectious, their laughter and banter carrying them through the drive as they hyped each other up for the night ahead.

ᥫ᭡
TIMESKIP, THE BEACH PARTY.

the drive to the beach was filled with bass-heavy music. by the time they pulled into the makeshift parking lot near the sand, the sun had begun to dip lower in the sky, casting a golden glow over everything.

the faint sound of music and laughter carried through the air, mixing with the salty breeze off the water. "you hear that?" yas grinned, turning the volume of her car stereo down as she parked.

"sound like a vibe already," vanni said, tugging at the strap of her beach bag as she opened the door.

the two stepped out, immediately feeling the energy of the party. cars lined the edges of the sandy lot, some with trunks popped open and speakers blasting their own mixes.

people were scattered across the beach, setting up chairs, coolers, and blankets. a few groups were already dancing near the bonfire that flickered in the distance.

yas pulled her bag over her shoulder, sliding her sunglasses down onto her face. "come on, i gotta find my people."

vanni adjusted her denim shorts, brushing sand off her white slides as she followed yas onto the beach. the vibe was everything she'd imagined—crowded, loud, and full of life.

groups of people were laughing, dancing, and taking pictures, while others lounged on towels and passed around drinks. "yo, there they go," yas said, pointing toward a group near the edge of the crowd.

vanni followed her cousin's gaze and spotted a mix of guys and girls lounging on a big blanket with a cooler in the center. one of the boys was laughing loud enough for his voice to carry over the music, while a girl in a bright orange bikini was fixing her hair in the reflection of her phone.

"who they?" vanni asked, leaning closer to yas as they made their way over. "my people," yas said simply, flashing a quick grin. "just follow me."

as they approached, one of the boys—tall, with curly hair and a mischievous smirk—spotted yas first. he nudged the guy next to him, a lean dude with a sharp jawline and twists, and pointed in their direction.

"yooo, yas!" the curly-haired boy called out, standing up and throwing his arms wide. "what's good?"

"what's good, dd," yas said, stepping into his outstretched arms for a quick hug. "damn, you ain't tell nobody you was comin'," the boy with the twists said, his tone teasing but warm.

"don't gotta tell y'all everything," yas replied smoothly, tossing a playful glare his way. "but let me introduce y'all real quick." she turned and gestured toward vanni. "this my cousin, vanni. she stayin' with me for the summer."

"what's up?" vanni gave a small wave, her pink bikini glinting in the sunlight. "oh, word?" dd said, his eyebrows lifting. "you from outta town?"

"somethin' like that," vanni replied, her voice cool but confident. "aight, so these my people," yas said, pointing them out one by one. "that's dd," she nodded toward the boy with the curly hair. "that's ddot," her chin jutted toward the one with the twists in his hair.

ddot gave vanni a quick up-and-down, then smirked. "what's good, vanni?" before vanni could respond, yas continued. "that's jay," she pointed to a taller boy with dreads. "okay now, over here."

yas stood beside vanni, her arm draped lazily over her cousin's shoulder as she nodded toward a girl lounging on a striped blanket.

the girl was wearing an orange bikini that popped against her deep brown skin, her long braids pulled to one side as she adjusted her oversized sunglasses. her vibe was unbothered, like she didn't have a care in the world.

"that's nia," yas said, her voice casual but warm. nia glanced up, her lips curling into a small smile as she gave vanni a quick once-over. "what's up, girl?" she said smoothly, her tone light but confident.

"what's good?" vanni replied, her own voice soft but steady, matching nia's calm energy. yas let out a small laugh, nudging vanni forward slightly. "nia chill, but don't let her fool you. she got jokes for days."

"real shit," nia said with a smirk, leaning back on her elbows and giving vanni another quick glance. "but you look cool, though. yas always bringin' good people around."

"then we got amari over there," yas continued, motioning toward a boy posted near a bright red cooler. "yo," amari said, his voice deep but easygoing as he nodded in vanni's direction.

yas motioned toward a girl lounging near the cooler, her braided hair tucked under a beanie.

she was wearing a matching crop top and shorts, her legs stretched out as she leaned back on her hands, sipping from a can of soda. her vibe was effortlessly chill, like nothing could rattle her.

"and that's kasai," yas said with a nod. kasai looked up from her drink, her eyes warm as she gave vanni a small smile. "nice to meet you," she said, her voice smooth and steady.

vanni returned the smile, nodding in acknowledgment. "you too." yas leaned in a little closer to vanni. "she quiet, but she keep everybody in check."

"word," dd said, grinning from where he stood. "kasai don't miss a thing. she like the mom of the group sometimes, for real."

"i ain't ya mom," kasai shot back with a smirk, rolling her eyes before taking another sip. the group laughed, the banter easy and familiar, drawing vanni in just a little more.

vanni smiled back at them, her hands slipping into the pockets of her shorts as she glanced at yas. "aight, cool peoples so far."

yas leaned in a little closer to vanni, her voice dropping just enough to sound like a secret. "yo, and there's one more person you ain't met yet," she said, a mischievous smirk creeping onto her face.

vanni tilted her head, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "yeah? who?" yas paused for a moment, the anticipation building before she finally said, "notti."

vanni's brow furrowed slightly. "notti? what kinda name is that? sounds like trouble." dd, lounging nearby with a drink in hand, chuckled softly. "that's 'cause he is trouble," he said, shaking his head with a grin. "nigga be doin' the most."

yas let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "nah, notti just different, he a little wild i guess." ddot leaned back on his elbows, a cocky smirk forming on his face. "nigga don't know how to chill. always loud and shit."

kasai, sitting quietly near the cooler, sipped her drink and added, "he the kind of person that walk into a room, and it's like you can feel his energy before he even speaks type shit."

vanni glanced at them, her curiosity deeper now. "so where he at now?" yas leaned back on her hands, her expression amused. "probably late, like always."

dd grabbed another drink from the cooler, popping the top with a snap. "how he gon be late to his own party?"

vanni folded her arms, her gaze steady. "aight," she said, her voice calm but interested. "guess i'll see what all the hype's about when he finally shows up."

yas shook her head, a grin playing on her lips. "don't say i ain't warn you. he cool, but he a lot to handle sometimes."

"sounds like a headache," vanni teased lightly, though a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "depends how you deal with him," kasai said casually, her tone as smooth as ever. "but once you get past that, he's cool to have around."

vanni chuckled again, leaning further back into the sand. "y'all makin' him sound like some kinda legend. he's just a regular nigga who can't sit still."

yas waved a hand dismissively. "you'll see." vanni nodded slowly, keeping the name tucked away in her mind. "aight, bet. we'll see."

yas leaned back, watching vanni with a smirk playing on her lips. "so what's next? you hungry?"

vanni's stomach rumbled softly, and she couldn't help but chuckle as a wave of hunger washed over her. "yeah, lowkey. i could eat."

dd, who had been sitting lazily nearby, took a sip from his drink before nodding toward the food court. "there's a food court right there," he said, lazily pointing with his free hand. "you see it?"

vanni followed his hand and spotted the small row of stalls not far from where they were sitting. the scent of sizzling meat and fresh seafood made her mouth water. "oh, bet. food court it is."

yas pushed herself up from the blanket, brushing off the sand that stuck to her shorts. the sun was starting to set, casting a warm glow over the beach, but the air was still thick with energy. "c'mon, let's go before you pass out from hunger," she said, her voice teasing.

vanni laughed and stood up, adjusting her bikini top as they walked toward the food court. "you know i gotta stay fed," she said with a playful grin.

"no doubt," yas replied, her tone light and carefree. "can't have you faintin' on me." as they approached the food court, the vibrant atmosphere unfolded before them.

the hum of conversations mixed with laughter and the clinking of glasses. the smell of grilled meats, fresh seafood, and spices filled the air, making vanni's stomach growl again.

"damn, they got everything here," vanni said in awe, glancing around at the variety of stalls lined up. from tacos and BBQ to fried fish and fruit smoothies, it was a feast for the senses.

"told you," yas said with a sly grin, eyeing a few familiar faces who waved her way from different stalls. "what you tryna get first?"

vanni pointed toward a stand selling tacos and quesadillas. "i need something spicy. let's hit that one." yas followed her lead, laughing softly. "you always gotta go for the bold choices."

they weaved through the crowd, the warm summer breeze brushing past them as they made their way toward the taco stand.

yas leaned against the edge of the taco stand, her patience starting to wear thin as the line stretched further than she had expected.

the sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the beach, and the atmosphere buzzed with music and laughter. people were constantly moving, and the energy was contagious, but the wait was beginning to feel a little too long.

"man, this line is crazy," yas muttered, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. vanni glanced around, adjusting her bikini top as she stood beside yas. "yeah, it's like, slow as fuck," she agreed with a sigh.

"at least the food better be worth it," yas said with a small laugh, but even her usual cool demeanor was starting to crack a bit.

as they waited, vanni suddenly excused herself, holding her stomach lightly. "yo, i gotta pee real quick. i'll be right back," she said, already stepping out of line.

yas gave her a nod, watching her disappear into the crowd toward the beachside bathrooms. the line inched forward, but it still felt like it wasn't moving fast enough.

a few minutes later, vanni returned, threading her way back through the crowd with a soft smile on her face. as she approached yas, she noticed that more people had joined the line, making it even longer.

"damn, nigga. where yas at," vanni said under her breath, eyeing the back of the line with a frown. "yo," yas said, patting the space beside her. "im right here, vanni."

yas leaned against the edge of the taco stand, her patience wearing thin as the line crawled forward slowly.

vanni stood beside her, shifting her weight from foot to foot, visibly annoyed. "this line is taking forever," she muttered under her breath, her voice soft but edged with irritation

.

"told