It's the day of Vicki's birthday and Vicki is given an abundance of balloons that scream, "give me attention,' and "love me." So the whole school knows Vicki Prevez one of the youngest in her grade is finally 17.
I'm sure everyone already knew, but in case someone didn't get the memo Jada brought donuts before school and all of her friends including me sang happy birthday to her. It's like everyone forgot we have a week off next week and just decided to focus on Vicki. Vince and I will never get that luxury because our birthdays are both in mid July.
"Daya what are you doing tonight?" Unna asks just minutes before the end of 3rd period. Yes unfortunately I also have 3rd period english with Unna where we sit in adjacent seats. Unna looks me over and I can't help, but feel insecure and a tad angry because I wish she would leave me alone. Maybe this time she plans on giving me a list of places to go to make me more beautiful.
"Nothing," I lie. Sure, I want to brag and say I'm going to Vicki's get together, but that would lead to more of a conversation with Unna.
"Mhmm what a shame you look cute," she gestures to my Stankonia tee and mom jeans. Thank god that's what she said, I thought she was going to point out that my arms are still not shaved. Unbeknownst to her I'm going to change into an off the shoulder long sleeve, so I'll look cuter for Vicki's get together, and my blonde hairs won't be noticeable.
Unna doesn't give me a chance to reluctantly say thank you and struts out of the classroom as the bell rings. When she's a good amount of feet away from the door I leave the classroom, and head straight for my locker.
After scarfing down my chicken salad sandwich I spend the rest of my free time perfecting some of my short film ideas in the library. My ideas are put together, I just wanted to avoid the pep rally that's happening in the patio.
With only 15 minutes left before my next class I head outside to the water fountain.
"Fuck," I whsiper to myself as I attempt to pull all of my braids back. When my braids touch the water fountain they stay wet for the rest of the day, which is a big problem for the people who sit behind me.
Some braids as usual escape and touch the water fountain due to the light wind.
I'm trying to pull them back ,but someone's presence comes behind me and I feel my braids being lightly pulled back. I should check to make sure I'm not being kidnapped, but I'm thirsty as hell so IÂ take a long slip of water.
When I'm done my braids are released and I turn around to face Ziyah.
"Thanks," I say a little awkwardly. I don't immediately let him see my full smile, because I sort of feel like he stalking me, but then I notice his big group of friends not to far from us.
"No problem," he says. His nervousness is just as apparent as mine as he shoves his hands in his pockets, and makes me feel glad that I'm not the only one.
"Do you wanna?" I gesture to the walkway and he nods in approval. Something about standing by a water fountain outside the library is a tad weird when we can enjoy blue sky by walking around our dirty campus.
"I like you," I blurt out when we're away from the crowds of book nerds by the library. Ziyah turns to give me a quick look telling me to give more context. "I mean I didn't really say it to you in person."
This conversation would be so much better on the grass in the park, instead of out at lunch where any of the other thousands of kids can approach us at any given moment.
Ziyah smirks and finally speaks up. "I like you too." It does feel better in person.
"Good so what are you thanksgiving plans?"
"Just family dinner what about you?"
"Same." Because thats the fucking thing you do on thanksgiving have family dinner. I should've come up with a different more open ended question.
"Got any special traditions or shit like that." Now that's a good question.
I'm about to tell him about my family watching the Thanksgiving parade, but the sight of a dandelion in some dead grass that we're walking passed takes my attention away.
"Umm I watch the parade what about you." Ziyah does sort of walk slow so I have the time to grab the dandelion and catch back up with him. Too bad he definitely notices me blowing on the flower and raises his eyebrows.
"So why do you blow dandelions?" Ziyah asks and we stop walking and sit on a bench close to the front of the school.
Hmm I've been blowing dandelion ever since I could remember and Ziyah has to be the first person to ask that. Another good question on Ziyah's behalf.
"I don't know when I was little I kept wishing for things like straight hair and a baby sister with dandelions. They came true so I kept on doing it, I know it's kind of dumb." I fidget with my fingers and try to avoid looking at his eyes.
"It's not dumb, but what about the wishes that didn't come true?" I look up from my fingers to his eyes and they're boring into me, and I keep staring at them.
"I don't expect them to come true I just like putting my wishes out there." Like how I didn't expect to grow a head of long curls or become a famous youtuber.
"What are some that didn't come true?" The seriousness in his tone makes me ignore the rest of the students being as loud as possible at lunch and instead just focus on his eyes.
"I'm not Hannah Monatana and my birthday never changed." Boy did I love Hannah Montana, and I would watch the show over and over again if it got put back on Netflix. Ahh when Disney channel was amazing.
"Because it's in the summer and it's close to my brother's."Â It's one thing to not be able to bring cupcakes to school because your birthday is in the summer. It's another thing for there to still be wrapping paper from your brothers presents laying around when it's your birthday.
"Mine is in the summer too, What day is yours?" Wow his eyes won't move from my gaze, he's actually interested in what I have to say.
"June 20 whats yours?" And I'm just as interested in him.
Just like he moves my braids sometimes, I move one of his dreads out of his face mostly because it was blocking my view of one of his eyes. If we weren't in the middle of lunch or school period I would keep my hand on his cheek and bring my lips to his, but we're not. This conversation is actually good and doesn't need any gooey PDA anyway.
"Shit, June 30th just 10 days and a year apart."
"So you're a cancer!" Well Duh Daya.That explains just a bit of our connection, although due to a very small amount of research I know Cancers are most compatible with Taurus and pretty much all the other signs.
"Yup."
"To be completely honest I think zodiac signs can be a bit of crap sometimes, but I guess I do relate to some cancer character charistics." I only know because I occasionally read my cosmopolitan horoscopes, just occasionally.
"Which one's?"
"Umm I," my eyes finally tear away from his and I go back to fidgeting. "I guess I shut down when I'm hurt I guess," I look up to see if he accepts my answer.
"I feel that," he nods and my lips turn up.
For the rest of the last minutes of lunch I show Ziyah a picture of me in a hannah Montana wig. The picture is so good Ziyah doesn't just smirk, but for the first time he actually fully smiles. Sure we talked and I feel like it was a nice talk, but I know I'm missing something about him.
I've always felt like we were on the same level, unlike all the others boys I crushed on. We have glasses, hair that we play with, and we're both clearly shy, but there are clearly some differences between us.
He has a big group of friends and I have just met my first real one. He smokes, and I've never touched a drug. There's also one thing that I've been trying to figure out, he's the first person I've kissed and been this open with, but he's one year older than me and a junior so what number am I to him? Or does that matter when he's been treating me like I'm his first too.