The Dark Days of Aaliyah

By Lisa Johnson

What if your perfect boyfriend is luring you to your death? As the daughter of an NBA superstar and world-famous model, Aaliyah Reed lives a life of privilege, until her father suffers a career-ending injury and her mother's cheating scandal destroys the family. Aaliyah's father squanders his fortune on drugs and alcohol, leaving Aaliyah to

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rhodes & Vivour Publishing
• Release date: Oct 13, 2022
• ISBN: 9781088039984

Book preview

Chapter One

Famous. I repeat the words under my breath. I am finally Famous. All the scheming and conniving finally paid off. I imagined what it would feel like, but nothing prepares you for fame. Suddenly everyone wants a piece of you, but they don’t want the real you. They want the image I painstakingly created. It is a sick relationship, I need their adoration, and they need my validation. Most of the time I wonder when the other shoe will fall off. Crazy fans are the worst. They will do anything for attention, just like the girl across the street, waving and smiling at me. I don’t know her, but she yells out my name repeatedly, insisting I acknowledge her presence. Just because she saw my dad on TV last night doesn’t mean we are BFFs. I force a smile and wave, anything for the fans I guess. I walk across the street and almost got run over by a car.

Watch where you are going, I yell as the BMW speeds pass me. I need a white-hot chocolate mocha, to deal with this. I sprint pass Starbucks; the lines are hella long. I glance at my Cartier watch; it is already midday. I missed all my morning classes; I will be late for the afternoon classes if I wait in line. I woke up late, so I sneaked out of the house and called Uber. I had the Uber drop me off a couple of blocks away from school. Any car that isn’t a Lexus or a Mercedes Benz is considered low class and I am not low class. I walk down a block and climb up the hill. I gasp for air as soon as I got to the top of the hill. I stare at the school sign. Stanford-Gurley Academy in bold gold letters. I saunter into the school and pass two identical Lexus cars. I can’t wait to pass the driver’s test; dad has to buy me a Tesla or I will just die. The scent in the air reminds me of freshly cut grass, rain, and a hint of smog. The sight of the sprawling campus always amazes me. The building is made of dark brown brick, with black iron windowsills and black iron staircases. The windows have white arches and black iron hooks on each side. I stand in between two large, towering trees, deliberating on the fastest way to hightail it to class. Quad or sprawling football field? Quad it is. A couple of girls carrying violin cases brush pass me. They are dressed preppy; they look like the girls on the old TV show Gossip Girls on Netflix. It is not just them; everyone looks the same in this school. They all shop at the same stores, play tennis at the same country clubs, and eat at the same restaurants. I must constantly shop at the most expensive stores just to stay ahead of the game, it can be exhausting at times. I maneuver through the crowd and walk through the manicured lawn with a little pep in my step. The large, towering grey bell sits elegantly in the middle of the quad. The bell rings, the sound is almost deafening, I look at the clock. I am late, I sprint to class almost tripping over one of the many landscape workers hunched over on each side of the pathway planting an array of colorful flowers. As I enter the big brown and white building, a sea of students run out of the classrooms. I scan the hallway for my friends. I stand on my tiptoes, but I can’t find them. Hordes of students darting in different directions block my view. There is something different about today; the energy in the air is electric. Mondays are normally gloomy and depressing. Students dragging their feet to their classes wishing the weekend wasn’t over, but today everyone is in a ridiculously good mood. I took a deep breath and pinched myself, yes, I am awake, and this is real. San Francisco is going to the finals after a ten-year drought all because of my dad’s buzzer beater shot. My dad is an NBA basketball player; he plays for the San Francisco Vipers. I run my fingers through my bone straight auburn hair, courtesy Blue dry bar salon. They are crazy expensive but so worth it. My photograph is everywhere. Homecoming queen. I laugh aloud. Life is good. I look up and see two boys running towards me.

Great save last night.

‘Your dad’s free throw was the bomb, great game.

Vipers for life! One of the guys hollers while throwing up hand signs.

Ladi Reed for MVP, another guy yells.

I give both guys high fives while sashaying down the hallway.

Aaliyah Reed, you know you had nothing to do with that buzzer beater shot your dad threw last night’

I look behind me; lol and behold my frenemy Amy is folding her arms with the look of envy in her eyes. Her nose is up in the air like a proud peacock. I give Amy the one over. She is pretty in the 1950 Rosie the Riveter sort of way, hardly what I would call a Patrician beauty. She is no Bettie Page either. Amy’s dyed black hair is in a top knot and her bangs look like it is about to swallow her piercing blue eyes. What was her hairstylist thinking? Amy is always throwing shade at me. She was one vote shy of being the queen bee of the clicks; she hates me for taking her spot. Not my fault, I was able to sway their decision with courtside basketball tickets.

I smack my gum. "Hey, don’t hate. I gave my dad moral support.

Amy chuckles while interlinking her arm in mine.

Hope we don’t have to wrestle you for courtside tickets, for next week’s game? Shellie winks as she walks beside us.

Finals tickets are hella expensive and hard to come by I reply, rubbing the tickets in my jacket pocket.

I love hearing them grovel.

Please! Your dad is the best point guard ever. Bridgett proclaims.

Come on Aaliyah, we are your besties, Amy pleads.

Alright, I will give you the tickets,

Awesome Amy hollers while they all hug me.

I untangle from their embrace Alright already, knock it off. You are making a scene.

We walk into the cafeteria; I notice the line is ridiculously long. I’m not waiting in line with those losers.

Amy, can you bring me lunch; I hate waiting in line.

Okay Amy runs to the back of the line and picks up two trays.

I sit down in the middle of the cafeteria; Bridget sits next to me.

Bridget, you can’t sit here. Where will I put my Chloe bag?

Sorry, Bridget mutters. Her face turns beet red, and she nervously presses her hand over her lips as if to stop herself from sobbing. Bridget can be such a baby sometimes. I sigh loudly as I lay my bag on the chair.

What is taking Amy so long? You will think she went to Spain or something.

Amy walks up to the table; she rolls her eyes at me and sneers.

I am right here! You can be so impatient at times,

I ignore Amy’s little tantrum. I pick at my lunch, flicking my French fries.

Finally, I push the tray away from me. This food is disgusting.

I know, it is nasty Amy says, looking at me for approval. I swear she is such a sycophant. It is so annoying, but everyone does that so I can’t be mad at her.

Will you be in school for the math quiz tomorrow? Bridget asks as she gulps her soda.

"No, I can’t. I am flying to Los Angeles to see my Dad’s first game in the finals, and I will probably miss the whole week. Mr. Mendez will give me a makeup test.

Mr. Mendez never gives makeup math quizzes. He is hella strict, Bridget states.

Excuse me, my dad is a point guard in the NBA. He will give me a makeup test and an A if I ask him to, I reply, shaking my head. She knows she is out of pocket for saying that, it will be a cold day in hell before I give her any basketball tickets.

Shellie lays her hand on top of mine. I will take notes in class for you, so you won’t be far behind when you get back.

I turn on my fake smile. Good looking out, Shellie

I return to playing candy crush, suddenly I feel the naked look of envy in their eyes; they wish they had my life. Too bad they don’t. I can see Jason walking towards us, his negative energy precedes him. His aura is a little bit too dark for my taste, I would rather not hang out with him but he ran with the Cliques before I got to this school so I kind of inherited him.

Hey what’s up home slice. Jason grins.

The bare sight of him makes me cringe. Nothing much.

I try not to stare at him. What is he wearing? His clothes look old, dirty, and cheap. His wig is trash. Wait a minute, why is he wearing a wig? His large cheap gold hoop earrings look so ghetto, he looks like a walking train wreck. He looks like one of the ratchet black girls from the Sunnydale housing projects. I just don’t get it, Jason is a blue blood, son of oil tycoon Marcos Martinez, why is he acting like this? Every semester he is someone else, spring last year he was a 80’s Chola from Echo Park, LA. Dark lip liner, baggy Dickies pants, oversized flannels shirts buttoned up to the top, gold chains and a skyscraper bang. The fall of last year he was a blond, white girl from the valley, with the fake accent and the clueless nineties clothes, he even made everyone call him Cher. I think he is running away from someone or something. I don’t know, nor do I care. I want his confused butt to disappear forever.

I have five thousand followers

Amy hugs Jason That’s so cool.

Bridget and Shellie hover over Jason as he shows them his Instagram account. Jason screams at the camera My Instagram is popping; I am from Watts hoe kill yourself He laughs deliriously. Jason flashes devil horns and sticks out his tongue. I am like an Icon, like Jesus. Jesus rose in three days. I bullied three girls to death. I am like Jesus. Jason brags and flashes devil horns again.

I shake my head in disapproval. This fool is crazy!!!!

Bullying little girls to death is nothing to be proud of.

At least I am not riding my daddy’s coattails, you’re just mad because I get more clout than you on the gram. Jason brags.

Jason, when did you become such a loser

Don’t hate me, I am a bully. That’s what I do. Bully. Jason whoops as he does a little jig and snaps his fingers.

So, do you ever run out of girls to bully? Amy asks.

"Nope, I found my next victim yesterday. Jason replied while staring at Andre.

I couldn’t figure out if Jason wanted to date Andre or be Andre. If Andre ever becomes my boyfriend, I will make sure to keep him far away from Jason. I wave Andre over to my table, the cheerleaders trail behind him. I wanted Andre to be my boyfriend for the longest, but he is dating Shalisa. I still flirt with him every chance I get. In a matter of seconds, the whole basketball team and cheerleaders are at my table, hooping and hollering like excited kids opening their gifts the night before Christmas. I am the brand-new toy everyone wants to play with, and I love every minute of it.

Aaliyah, that interview you gave at the court side seats was dope, one of the cheerleaders waves her hands to emphasize her point.

Yeah, your hair is giving me life right now Bridget gushes.

I just threw this look together I lie tucking a strand of hair behind my ears.

One of the cheerleader’s yells Yass girl, your edges was slayed to the gods.

I flip my hair. It sure was!!.

Aaliyah, can you ask your dad to come to career day, Andre pleads.

Yeah, that will be so cool. Amy chimes in.

I shrug my shoulders Maybe. I am trying not to look excited, but inside I am doing somersaults. Everyone likes me, even Andre the school star basketball player. I am finally the most popular girl in school. I took it all in like an OG.

It will be hella cool, come on ask your dad, Brad insists. Brad is one of the point guards on the basketball team and extremely hot.

Maybe. My dad is in the finals, so he is pretty busy trying to bring the championship to the bay.

Cool, can he come after the finals? Andre asks.

I look at their anxious faces; I take a deep breath. I didn’t want to promise something I cannot deliver.

Andre smiles at me. I will do anything you want.

Oh-o-oh everyone chants.

I laugh. Andre, I have a couple of things in mind.

The guys were cheering so loudly, it took a minute for Andre to calm them down.

Amy nudges me, Aaliyah, have you met any celebrities in LA?

Who haven’t I met?

Denzel

Yep, I see him all the time in Los Angeles.

Drizzy Drake.

I sat next to him a month ago.

Michael B Jordan.

I shrug nonchalantly. I met him at a movie premier

Oh snap, Aaliyah is on fire

Everyone laughs. I am so happy right now; nothing can stop this moment.

The bell rang, I stroll out of the cafeteria and walk to my history class. During class I read my texts, most of them are invitations to exclusive parties. At the end of the day, I linger in the hallway watching students run out of school like they were fleeing a volcano eruption.

For the first time in my life, I love school, and I wish I could stay longer.

*

I run my fingers through my hair as I wait for my mom to pick me up from school. Amy, Shellie, and Bridget have been dying to go to the movies and I asked my mom if she could take us and as usual, she is late.

I can’t wait to start driving. This is so lame. Why can’t my mom ever be on time?

Bridget nods, and Shellie stares at her watch. I watch Amy flip through her phone. I think she is checking what time the movie is playing for the one millionth time. My cousin Taryll, whose afro looks like a tower on fire and his best friend David are walking towards me. Please walk pass me, I don’t want anyone to know Taryll is my cousin. Taryll is a nerd and a loser, and his best friend is a bigger loser, the worst kind. David is poor!

Hey, can I talk to you for a moment? David asks, looking somewhat nervous. He runs his fingers through his jet-black hair. David is tall and lanky with smiling green eyes. He is polite, kind and very smart. Both of his parents are Happa. His mom is half Chinese and half German, his dad is half Chinese and half Irish. David’s green eyes run the gamut of jade green to sea foam green depending on his mood. He spends most of his time learning how to speak Mandarin by watching YouTube videos. His only goal in life is to teach English in China when he graduates from college. Why would anyone want to do that? Everyone one knows teachers are broke. I can’t date David; the clicks will never approve of him. He is poor and has no ambitions to become wealthy.

I stare at him. Hoping to deter him from saying something stupid.

Yeah, so what do you want?

Amy, Shellie, and Bridget stand at a distance. I know what they are thinking; I must get rid of them fast.

David hesitates There is a party tomorrow night and I kind of wondered if you want to go?

Don’t you have a job to go to? I ask. David works part- time in a coffee shop to help his mom, who is a full-time graduate student in a public university. His mom is too old to go back to school. Someone needs to give her a clue.

I only work weekends Aaliyah and you know that. Stop acting brand new.

Well, I can’t go out with you. I am busy.

Why is David asking me out in front of my friends? I danced with him once at a Christmas party. Now he thinks he can step to me? I shake my head in disbelief.

David searches my face for answers. Busy doing what?

I just can’t. I mean David, you shouldn’t ask me out.

Do you have a date?

You’re poor Amy cuts in.

No, I am not, mind your business Amy David yells.

Don’t get mad because you’ve been curved Bridget retorts.

Taryll looks at Bridget like she is a piece of trash on the sidewalk. He then proceeds to go for the jugular.

Bridget, what are you talking about? Nobody is interested in what an oops baby has to say

David wiggles his wrist like they were on fire.

Ouch that must hurt Bridget. Do you want to go to the bathroom and have a good cry?

SHUT UP TARYLL, I AM NOT AN OOPS BABY

Well, I beg to differ. Your mom practically announced it, while she was drunk at the country club Christmas party again

David added Well, you know what they say, alcohol is the truth serum

"You guys give it a rest alright. Amy is right. David, I can’t go out with you. I just can’t." My cousin is so annoying; why can’t he disappear and take his stupid friend with him.

Taryll’s face turns beet red, which is unusual for him because he seldom gets mad or embarrassed.

Taryll glares at me. I don’t believe this; how can you be so shallow,

David turns red, he looks away. No worries

David, don’t cover up for her. Aaliyah, you have known David since forever. You tripping, these fools really got you gassed up.

Taryll turns his back to me and walks away with David trailing behind him.

I feel bad; I hurt David, why did I do that?

Amy hugs me. Don’t worry about it, you did the right thing?

Bridget chuckles That was savage, Aaliyah

Yeah, your cousin was all in his feelings. David will probably cry in the shower tonight Shellie laughs.

Guys, Let’s just forget about it.

Shellie points at my mom’s Maserati Yeah, besides your Mom is here,

I nod, but my mind is elsewhere. I have never seen my cousin look so disappointed in me before. I have an ominous feeling; things might not go my way for very long.

Chapter Two

Aaliyah, we have a flight to catch at noon. I haven’t let you skip school so you can hang out aimlessly around the house all day," mom yells from the bottom of the banister.

All right, I yell back, rolling around on the bed and messing up the Frette bed sheets. After staring at my face long and hard at the mirror, I finally decided I wouldn’t be as beautiful as my mother. I mean I don’t have her beautiful green eyes, long shiny black hair, and sun kissed skin. kin instead I notice another pimple hiding under my chin. The tenth one to leave black acne scars on my face. I pull my thick curly hair into a