Page 1 of Kings Against the World

PROLOGUE - ZOE

March 2005

“You can beanything you want to be. Never forget that.”

The half interested crowd of fourteen- and fifteen-year-olds disperses the second the Career Day presenter is done talking. I’m one of them, wandering off beside Gia and Aubrey. We had plans to ditch once Career Day kicked off so we could have double the time for lunch.

The school quad fills out with other freshmen and sophomores stopping by booths rep’ed by different schools and career fields. A line quickly forms at the booth for UC Berkley. A large group of guys gravitate toward some trade school for electricians and welders.

Aubrey drifts off in the direction of the display some registered nurses from Pomona General have set up.

I sigh when I catch Gia eyeing the cosmetology booth. “Not you too.”

“One quick brochure,” she says, shrugging. “Can’t hurt, right?”

“Except we made plans. Cut before Ms. Romero notices, remember? Best time is now when everybody’s moving around.”

“But maybe the presenter was right. The futureisright around the corner, Zoe. I don’t want to end up working at McD’s forever like my brother Trey.”

“We’re fifteen. We have plenty of time.”

“It’ll just be a minute. Come with me.” Gia elbows me in the side before she’s off, cutting a direct path across the quad to cosmetology.

I let out an even longer, more irritated sigh and add a shake of my head to go with it.

Five minutes ago, nobody could wait for the Career Day presenter to shut up. Now the same students are busy mingling at all the booths.

Kissing ass ’cuz they probably think it’ll earn them some admission points or help getting a job.

Suddenly, I’m the only one who seems uninterested in anything Career Day related.

I fold my arms and trail behind Gia. She makes it to the cosmetology booth and it only takes a second before she’s laughing and chitchatting with the girls. They’re loading up some folder for her with lots of brochures, flyers, business cards, and other helpful info.

All junk she’ll probably stuff in her locker and then forget about by next week.

I’m the one with the best grades out of our small friend group, and I’ve got a C average.

Anything school-related tends to make Gia and Aubrey itch. It makes me frustrated considering I know if I actually tried, I’d do a lot better.

But I’d have to have a normal home life first. I’d have to have parents who wanted to provide a stable life and send me offto college. Mom and Dad wouldactuallyhave to get their shit together… which is never happening.

They didn’t get their act together when they had me, their first born. They didn’t even bother when they had Zaniyah, my younger sister. It’s probably never going to happen.

One bitter thought about their fuck ups turns into two, then three, then too many to count.

I’m so lost in thought I don’t even notice I’ve stopped following Gia. I’ve wandered off to some other corner of the Career Day booths, where the military and Pomona PD take up real estate.

Definitely not becoming a cop anytime soon. I’d rather eat glass than join those corrupt pigs who do nothing but terrorize the community.

And the military is a hell no too—if I can barely take orders at school, I’m not down to have some drill sergeant screaming in my face.

“Lost?”

I don’t even hear the question at first. I’m so busy scoffing at the booths surrounding me that I don’t notice somebody from a different booth has asked me a question. My head turns in that direction to find a Black woman in a tailored navy-blue suit, white blouse, and box braids. She arches a brow at me, the corner of her mouth curled as if she’s tempted to smirk.

My gaze drops to the banner in front of the booth she’s standing behind.

Federal Bureau of Investigation

---