I changed Tara's name to Kayla sorry for the confusion
The next morning gets off to a rocky start for the Price household. Sawyer has a tantrum and I believe It has something to do with being separated from all of Harper's teddy bears. I let her take one home it's the most flamboyant one, but I guess that wasn't enough. Her crying threw the whole morning and really day off making us get to school a little late.
Luckily this time my tardiness didn't result in me losing my seat because Dylan is still in one pissy mood. Or who knows that could just be his personality and I didn't pay attention to it before.
To match the chaotic morning I'm dressed in some of my simplest clothing. An oversized sweatshirt and to my mom's dislike tight leggings and my dirty white converse. If I had sweatpants like the rest of the student athletes I would've thrown them on, because I've pulled my sweatshirt down so many times in fear of anyone looking at my ass, which I'll admit is being complimented a lot by the leggings.
It isn't until lunch when I stop at my locker and put a bite of my protein bar in my mouth that I lose some of the tension and nervous energy. In all of that morning chaos this was all I was able to pack next to the orange I had for nutrition, and the pack of trail mix I'm going to have after school. I'm begging for more of the delicious chocolate chip bar when I spot Vicki and Jada walking down the hallway and as usual stealing everyone's attention.
Totally opposite of me Vicki is in an off the shoulder top and tight jeans. Jada has the same vibe as me in her Victoria secret pants along with some baseball player's hoodie. Vicki leans against the lockers next to mine and stops smiling so brightly.
"Sorry, if it makes you feel better she tells everybody's business." She exchanges a little look between her and Jada.
"It's cool." Really I don't think Vince is even mad after our little heart to heart yesterday.
"What's that?" Vicki gestures to the paper in my hand that in fact is the poster for the film competition. I unfold the paper to show them, "Vince gave it to me, I think I'm going to enter." Vicki takes the paper and her and Jada scam it over. When they're done they give me an impressive nod and Vicki hands it back to me. "Cool you should enter," Vicki smiles and hands me back the paper.
Suddenly as I put the paper back in my backpack smirks come across Vicki and Jada's faces.
"Get it girl," Jada whispers and they both scurry off. I turn around and Ziyah and his whole dreadhead oversized clothes gang are approaching me, well not approaching me just walking in my direction. It only takes a partial second for Ziyah to stop conversing with his guys to catch my glance and give me a little nod.
If we were anything like Navia and Harper he would've ignored his friend group and nailed me to this locker to give me one moment that would make the other people in the hall truly uncomfortable. Him and his group turn down the intersection of the hallway so banging me against my locker will have to wait.
It was honestly a win/win he didn't stop to chat because I'm not in my best state. Eventually I'll have to tighten my messy bun because I will be seeing him after lunch ends. See be already has so much power of me, and the way I want to just look good for him shows. The way I just switch my mindset to think about him is also a significant example.
To take my thoughts off of him I gaze at my phone only to of course see a text from him. Ziyah: Sorry my friends were being annoying see you in 5th period. It's too late he has me on his hook because I don't hesitate to start typing. Me: Yea see you. So he has a little power over me, I obviously have something over him there's only 15 more minutes till 5th period.
Sure enough Madame is in a terrible mood and threatens that anyone who speaks will have to sing a French song in front of the class. Something does come over me when I'm around Ziyah, but whatever it is it's not strong enough to get me to sing Je suis une pizza in front of him and my other 29 classmates. Sure we did literally see each other during the period and exchanged some glances, but in the words of some crazy drug addict I need more.
The next time I see him is after 6th period when I've changed out of my workout clothes for tennis and I'm walking out of the school behind him. Of course it only takes me just a bit to catch up to him and get by his side.
"Hey," I say and his dreads swig in my direction.
"Hey True," My hands immediately start fidgeting with my braids at his new nickname for me.
I don't know what to talk about, but I know I sort of like him and with that I want to know more than just the basic things I know about Ziyah Elijah Daniels.
He puts his phone in his pocket and he stops walking so of course I stop too. He quickly moves from the left to the right side of me and we continue walking. I don't get what he did until about a few steps after when I realize I'm on the inside of the street.
"Thanks, glad to know chivalry isn't dead."
"It's in a coma clinging to its life, but you're right it's not dead." I let out a little bit of laughter and we exchange a smile.
"Where are you going?" I ask as we officially pass the school.
"The park, are you going to walk to the elementary school?" Before I answer I can't help but look him up and down from his dreads, Eazy E shirt, and down to his black sneakers. He's so simple, so not something that a bunch of girls stop at, l chill, yet to me all of these add up to adorable and someone I want to be around.
"I have to be there at 3:25." Really that's just 25 minutes from now, but it's long enough to talk to him for. Usually I do go earlier like 3:15 to use the bathroom, but technically that's the time I'm supposed to be there.
"So where are you going?"
"I don't know." Ziyah stops and I do the same as if I'm his child or Sofia.
"I guess your coming with me then," he declares and places the braids that were dangling in front of my glasses behind my ear. Really that was a waste of time because they're just going to go back.
We get to the park and pass a bunch of benches to sit on the bright green grass. Ziyah is in a chill reclined position and I'm in my usual crossed position.
"So you just sit here and wait for your parents?" I mutter.
"Something like that." He checks his phone and doesn't notice the wave of disappointment coming over me. This guy is supposed to like me, heck he kissed me, we should be having an amazing conversation right now.
We have good conversations and have been talking a lot lately, but we only talk about music and the funny things that happen in our french class. He's not just to blame for the lack of depth in our conversations, I don't like talking about myself out of the fear of giving someone too much information.
Finally he looks directly at me, and we exchange smirks. He has the cutest eyes, but the sight of a dandelion makes me stop looking at them. I pull the dandelion out of the grass and blow on it.
I wish to be a successful screenwriter and that some homeless people win the lottery. I put the dandelion back in the grass and as I dust off some pedals Ziyah's eyes meet mine. He has a smirk on his face, and it's just a sign of his inability to fully smile, but it makes my lips turn up and look away from him.
"You know you're adorable right?" He places the same two braids back behind my ear. Just like any other time I hear a compliment my eyes wander around the empty park. Unlike last time he doesn't pick my head up, and instead the sight of two familiar people makes us stand up.
"Ziyah what's happening?" One of the guys that I saw in Ziyah's group says. Like Ziyah he has dreads except his are dark black with 80% of the dread being mustard yellow. If Ziyah didn't see him and automatically walk towards him and the girl by his side I would've made a joke about his dreads looking like curly fries.
As Ziyah and the boy who has a skateboard dap I can't help but notice the girl next to him. It takes me only a second to see those black long curls and realize Jessican Hamlin or Vince's ex is standing in front of me.
"Little Vince,"she squeals. She engulfs me in her spicy scent by wrapping her arms around me and tightening her grip. It's like she doesn't know her only title in my life is the girl my brother lost his virginity to. When she releases me she babbles on about her college applications prior to leaving with curly fries.
We stay and talk about his friend who's name is Lucas and how he should've never got dreads until I have to go to the elementary school. Ziyah walks me to the elementary school, and we say goodbye and I find another dandelion. While wishing someone gets their disease cured I also wish that Ziyah and I will be able to talk without a damn moment of silence.
When I get home we pick up some platter's from Junior's because my dad is late. Kayla who is more like a babysitter lets us eat on the couch, it's more of a privilege for Vince than me because Vince changes the channel to ESPN.
I finish a good ¾ of my food and give the rest to Dani who shoves down all of my pleintens. She blames her crazy appetite on the fact that she's having a gross sport, and she's right she is growing. She's growing like pubic hair, fast and annoying. I try to ignore it but she keeps on getting taller and becoming more and more snarky.
When I'm too tired of seeing ESPN I go sit at the dining table past Sawyer who is in her playpen making out with her bear. Kayla stands in the kitchen washing the little bit of dishes gracefully. She's always so busy with doing hair or visiting her "real," family, I feel like I haven't seen her in a minute.
"Kayla how's life? I ask. She flips her long curls and turns from the bottle of dish soap to me.
"It's good I'm finally losing the baby weight," She gestures to her legs that were honestly always slim. She looks exactly the same, but if I try and see her like she does I guess her cheekbones look sharper.
"How's your life? how's the new friend? ''she raises her eyebrows and gives me the same look Vicki and Jada did.
"He's good."
"Good I'm glad you've made a new friend." Friends yeah friends.
"Kayla between you and me he likes me and I like him now what?" The question has been wandering in my mind since Ziyah said I'm adorable.
I don't see my mom until tomorrow so I might as well just take advantage of the second motherly figure in my life. Kayla also has a completely different point of view compared to my mom. My mom is a borderline workaholic who has been working towards her goals since highschool. Kayla on the other hand spent her time modeling for IMG models in highschool and having a full college experience at UC Berkeley.
"You start getting to know each other more."
"He doesn't, well we don't really talk about ourselves that much."
"Hmm someone's like their dad." She sneaks me a little look and I remember why I keep things to myself.
"He knows my middle name, my amount of siblings, and he's seen the place that I live in isn't that enough." Kayla puts the plates down and pulls out a chair next to me. She lifts my head up by placing her cold hand on mine, forcing us to make eye contact.
"Daya I know you like to keep inside your little bubble, but if you want to build a meaningful relationship you're going to have to step out. He's not opening up, maybe you should start or at least make sure he can trust you."
"Shouldn't it flow naturally if we like each other, maybe we don't like each other." I nod at my conclusion.
"Or you're not ready for a boyfriend," Vince interrupts. He may be saying it out of spite, but I don't hear it and only hear the truth. Kayla removes my hand, and gets up from her chair.
"Just be yourself." Of course isn't that the piece of advice to give everyone no matter the situation. You're about to be hit by a bus, just be yourself. Your afraid you're not going to be successful, just be yourself. You've spent too much time alone, and don't know how to build friendships or relationships especially with the opposite sex just be yourself. Besides a girl in a middle class household with a stable home environment who wants to be the next great screenwriter, who the fuck am I?