The second guy to speak is Air, so named because instead of looking us in the eye, he fixes his gaze upward as if addressing the ceiling. He twists his lips to the side and pounds his fist into his palm for emphasis. Air’s thoughts on the topic of interracial dating are slightly different from Fire.

“Yo, let’s keep it one hundred—the reason Black guys go with white girls is ’cause they come with less drama.” His thoughts are greeted with deep groans from the girls.

The next guy to speak is Water, thanks to his soft, flowing voice and laid-back demeanor. He’s got the whole Black bohemian/Cree Summer thing going on.

“I don’t think we should put Franklyn in a box. I mean, every situation is different. All we know is that he came in here with a white girl. But she’s more than that label. She’s an individual, who might have specific attributes that Franklyn is drawn to. Her race might not even factor into it.”

“Exactly!” Air says.

Water adds, “The fact is, none of this is real. Race is just a concept. And we need to stop using it as an excuse for all the things that happen to us.”

Turns out Water’s an idiot.

The fourth guy—let’s call him Earth, because unlike Water, he actually lives on our planet—chimes in, “You need to take that Ben Carson BS somewhere else, man, like for real. For centuries white folks been feeding on and off us.”

“I can appreciate that we have opposing points of view—” Water begins.

“Nah, it’s not just ‘opposing points of view.’ You dead wrong. First of all, while Chloe’s ancestors were out there building their wealth, our ancestors were denied any opportunity to own land or prosper in any way. And that’s after four hundred years of free labor. You feel me?

“Secondly, what we need to ask is why that white girl is with him. She wants to Kardashian him—parade his Black ass around to improve her status. Nah . . . I’ll take a sista all day. Every day.”

“Just because she’s white doesn’t mean she thinks like that. Maybe they got that ‘deep connection’–type thing,” Air counters as he looks up toward the ceiling.

Seriously, why does he keep looking up? What’s up there?

Earth says, “Deep? C’mon, like, for real? They probably can’t even hold a conversation. Say she pops off and says something crazy. Franklyn asks, ‘How Sway?’ She won’t even know what that means! How deep can their connection be?”

“All Black people don’t speak the same way, and for you to suggest we do is ignorant,” Water says.

“All I know is, if a white girl is dating a Black guy, something ’bout her ain’t right. Some sick stereotype is play’n on a loop in her head,” Earth insists.