The Other Black Girl

During a Resistance meeting the following day, Shani reflects in greater detail about the circumstances of her flight from Boston and the goals of the Resistance. On Shani’s last day at Cooper’s magazine, Eva circulated a copy of the infamous op-ed, in which Shani was quoted referring to her white colleagues as “Vampiric, self-important white saviors whose definition of diversity is writing about Black and brown people who do nothing but hurt and steal” (228). Feeling shocked and betrayed, Shani recognized the quote as part of a conversation with Eva the night before. Shani was publicly fired, and Eva was nowhere to be found.

Shortly thereafter, Lynn sent Shani documentation of Eva’s “ever-changing identities,” her “wild trajectory” across the United States, and the “destruction she always somehow managed to leave in her wake” (227). Lynn identified Eva as an “OBG,” or “Other Black Girl”: a driven, individualistic young Black woman “beholden to [no one] but [herself] and the white people [she] worked for,” someone “obsessed with success—and with taking down any Black women who got in [her] way” (229). Convinced that Eva is part of a larger, more insidious movement, Shani deleted all social media, cut her long natural hair, and moved to New York to join the Resistance.

During their twice-monthly meeting, Lynn shares evidence collected over the past five years about OBGs, including their locations and characteristics, such as the “smile-and-nod,” “helpless shrug,” and “glassy-eyed stare” (230). Lynn suspects OBGs came into existence 20 years prior and currently blend in with and convert non-OBGs. Shani recounts her observations from the Young, Black ’n’ Lit event and notes that she saw Hazel hand Nella a jar. Shani also reveals that the Resistance has been using Pam to send notes to Nella.

The Resistance has many rules, one of which is to “Never confront an OBG or potential OBG unless directed” (231); however, Shani believes the Resistance should warn Nella about Hazel. Lynn, who believes Nella is compromised, instructs Shani to keep her distance. After the meeting, Lynn introduces Shani to Kendra Rae, who is visiting New York in secret. Kendra Rae promises to tell the Resistance what she knows about Wagner Books. In exchange, she asks Shani to describe the jar that Hazel handed to Nella.

On October 17, Nella receives an email from Lena Jones, the author she’s been attempting to meet, but Lena is now requesting Hazel’s contact information. Fuming, Nella prepares a cup of tea to calm down before the Pins and Needles book cover meeting. She’s wearing the hair grease she received from Hazel and is distracted by its pungent scent. Nella reflects that, in addition to Lena, everyone in the office favors Hazel. Nella is bothered by Hazel’s office celebrity and “bothered […] that she [is] bothered” (240). She traces her insecurities, in part, to the fear of being an “Oreo,” someone who is not “Black enough.” However, Nella also senses something artificial in the way Hazel takes “code-switching to an entirely new level” (240), charming India and C.J. as easily as Vera and the other white editors. As Nella is lost in thought, Sophie approaches from behind, mistaking Nella for Hazel. Livid, Nella calls Sophie “Gina” and storms away.

At the meeting, Nella finds Hazel in her seat cooing over photos of Vera’s dog. Nella notices Vera’s style has subtly changed and attributes the change to Hazel’s influence. Nella sits next to Leonard, the overworked cover artist, and commiserates with his foul mood. Nella admires his first few covers until he reveals “a watercolor rendering of the American flag, with illustrations of various faces weaved among the red and white stripes” (248). Nella recognizes one of the faces as Shartricia, depicted as an exaggerated caricature of Black features, and recoils. She listens incredulously as her colleagues praise the cover and hopes Hazel will “Expose this pickaninny for what it is” (249). To Nella’s horror, Hazel commends the cover. Unable to contain herself, Nella explodes: “You people are un-fucking-believable” (250).

After the meeting, Richard approaches Nella. She assumes he intends to address her outburst, but to her surprise, he asks about the notes. Richard intends to launch an investigation starting with the mailroom, but Nella, who is afraid a person of color might be blamed, politely dissuades him. Richard again surprises her by announcing Wagner will be meeting with Jesse Watson about a project and plans to assign Nella and Hazel as co-editors. Nella is annoyed at the idea of collaborating with Hazel, whom she considers her junior, but pleased when Richard compares her to Kendra Rae. Nella takes a moment to bask in the compliment before setting a Google alert for her own name, “Just in case” (259).

On October 20, Nella is waiting for a coffee order at Starbucks when a handsome Black man, later revealed to be Will from Joe’s Barbershop, offers her a compliment, drops a folded napkin into her hand, and leaves. Flattered, Nella opens the napkin and expects to see his phone number. Instead, she finds a phone number and another note: “WAGNER’S DANGEROUS. YOU’RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME” (262). Nella looks around to see if she’s being watched and texts the number, demanding to know who has been contacting her. The person on the other end, later revealed to be Shani, responds with a meeting location at 100th and Broadway. Nella knows that meeting up with a stranger is dangerous and asks for more information. She waits a few minutes and receives a reply: “Her name’s not Hazel’” (264).

Shani heads to the meeting location with mixed feelings. On one hand, she is directly disobeying one of the central rules of the Resistance: no contact with potential OBGs. On the other, Shani can’t bring herself to watch Hazel destroy Nella’s life, too. Shani decides to go rogue and warn Nella before heading back to Boston to write an exposé about the OBGs, a “river of Uncle Toms flowing beneath the shiny, plastic surface of corporate white America” (266).

As Shani rushes down Broadway, she thinks about her meeting with Kendra Rae and feels admiration for the bold statements the editor made during her infamous interview about her weariness working with all-white authors and her desire to read more Black voices. Shortly after the interview, Kendra Rae overheard a phone conversation between Diana and Richard, and she knew from that moment they were conspiring against her. Kendra Rae suspects that Richard somehow changed Diana and that their childhood friend, Imani, is somehow involved.

Shani feels increasingly uneasy as she approaches 100th Street. Just before she reaches the meeting location, Lynn shouts her name, and Shani realizes that Will informed the Resistance of her plans. Shani drops her cell phone into a nearby trash can just before being ushered into a nearby car.

Nella arrives at the meeting spot 10 minutes early and takes a booth at a nearby restaurant to observe the street. Just as Shani approaches, Nella is interrupted by an older white server who politely pressures Nella to order. Annoyed, Nella acquiesces by accepting a menu. When she turns her attention back to the street, Nella is relieved to see Shani still outside. Shani looks familiar, but before Nella can place her, she witnesses Shani throw her phone into the trash and disappear into a black sedan, pulled inside by a Black woman in workout clothes.