For those of you that don't live in LA, the grove is an outdoor shopping mall. That's a picture of it above.
The next two days of school aren't really days of school and just Holiday shenanigans like Ugly Sweater contest. Right when I got to my mom's house I got a text from an unknown number who I could only identify as Angela. Angela: Sofia's party will be at the grove and it starts at 7 also wear a dress. It only took a little convincing from my mom for her to agree to her 15 year old daughter going to a 5 year old girl's birthday party at the beginning of winter break, but she's on board.
I'm standing in front of my bed switching my eyes from two dresses. They both fall under the same fit and flare category, but one is long sleeve and the other is more flattering. A shiver runs up my spine from standing in my undergarments, and I choose the short sleeve. It falls some inches above the knee making me lather a bunch of lotion on my perfectly shaved legs and my ankles that are covered in my converse.
"You ready?" My mom asks and I jump from my spot in front of the mirror. I put my braids into a ponytail and when I turn to look at her they flip and it kind of hurts.
"Yes," I say. I grab my phone and when I approach the doorway where my mom stands I stop as she looks me up and down.
I can tell by her somber face and tone she's is one of her depressions periods again and the only thing I can do is hug her which sort of uplifts her mood.
After our little moment my mom and I depart and the whole ride she has this big smile on her face.
We arrive at the grove and it's dark so the bright lights glimmer and I can see the top of the big Christmas tree which makes me excited.
I say goodbye to my mom and begin texting Angela. Me: I'm here. Angela: Yay! I'm right in front of the fountain. I don't bother responding and look in awe at the lights wrapped around the trees as I make my way through crowds of happy people listening to the christmas music and going from store to store. The lights are so bright and I make sure to take a video of the little kids running to the Santa house in the middle of the walkway.
I get across from the fountain, and my eyes wander for Angela and Sofia. I pull out my phone, but stop when I see a pair of hazel eyes looking at me. Ziyah stands in front of the fountain in a light blue polo, khakis, and his hands in his gray hoodie. Without consent from my brain my feet stride toward him slowly still in shock.
"You look adorable," he says the second I get in front of him. None of the Christmas lights distract me and I resist the urge to look down at my feet.
"Thank you so do you." I say as my face burns at the fact that I'm at my favorite place with Ziyah.
Naturally Ziyah's hand connects with mine and we begin walking under the Christmas lights of the mall. I point out basically everything I love about the place and my cheeks burn from my smile.
"So you've come here a lot," Ziyah says as we walk together in the direction of the little shops and restaurants.
"Yea since I was like 5," I say, but my words are broken down by shivers. I've tried to stay extra close to Ziyah, but I'm getting goosebumps as we walk.
"You cold?" Ziyah asks with a raise of his eyebrows.
"A little," I nod. Before I can rub my arms more Ziyah takes off his gray hoodie and puts it on my shoulders. "Thank you, but aren't you going to get cold?" My teeth chattering goes away and the warmth of Ziyah's jacket feels so good against my skin.
"Nah, but if I do I'll guess just have to stay close to you." A smirk creeps on my face and we arrive in the middle of a bunch of candy shops and little food spots that sell horrific amounts of sugar. Ziyah and I both agree that we're hungry and we pass a bunch of shops from ridiculously covered candy apples to healthy organic ice cream. The marketplace is basically an elegant version of carnival food, with macarons and a toy shop. With the multitude of shops the back of the grove is better than the front where there is only a pressed juicery and wetzel's pretzels.
After passing several shops we walk into a candy store where I eventually pick up a package of pistachios that Ziyah agrees with. Ziyah pays for it and I feel bad and then we take a seat at a little table by the empanada shop. We're facing each other with the package of pistachios and a clear bowl for the shells, and watching the movie with him was fun, but this feels like an actual date.
"Damn, why didn't you get the unshelled ones," Ziyah says as he cracks one and puts the shell in the clear case.
"Because the cracking makes it taste better." At least that's what my dad told me when I asked the same question when I was young.
"If you say so." Ziyah finishes swallowing his pistachio then leans forward in his seat and pushes his glasses up on his nose. Sometimes I forget he has glasses because his eyes are so powerful and his glasses are quite thin.
I stop reaching for pistachios and give him the same eye contact which makes my face heat up.
"If you have come here so many times don't you get tired of this place?" He asks.
"Well I haven't been here in a while and I don't know I guess I can't get tired of it because I have a lot of memories here."
"Like What?" His face is so trusting and I want to tell him everything, but hear everything from him at the same time.
"Umm well when I was a kid, my dad would put me on his lap and we would just people watch together." I smile at the thought, but it disappears when I see that Ziyah's face has gone cold and there is no sign of any of the happiness I saw the whole time we were walking. "What's wrong"
"It's nothing," he says, but I can tell he's lying as his hand sort bounces on the table.
"No it's not you can tell me," I say softly. I sort of want to add an, "If you want to," but I don't and stare into his eyes.
He runs his hand through his dreads, but his one hand still taps the table. "My dad walked out on me when I was 9." His hand continues to bounce and I don't know what to say. Words are caught in my throat and I reach over and put my hand on top of his. Instantly he stops tapping and holds my hand. I might be imagining it, but he doesn't seem as cold as our hands touch and we focus on just each other.
With every genuine bone in my body I say, "I'm sorry, you didn't deserve that." Well no one deserves it Daya god you're such an idiot why did you say that? Ziyah doesn't seem to be phased, and surprising me he rolls his hoodie up on my wrist to lift my hand and place a kiss right in the middle of it like I'm some princess.
"Thank you," he says when he brings my hand down. Some children scream to their mom about wanting ice cream and Ziyah and I go back to cracking open and eating pistachios while talking about literally everything.
Not now, but maybe later I will tell him that his dad doesn't deserve him, and that Ziyah is a better person and a better man than he is. I don't know his dad, but I know Ziyah and when ever I'm around him he does his best to make me feel special and wanted. His touch makes me feel special, his words make me feel special, and the only thing I hope for is that I'm doing the same for him.
We eat all of the pretty small package of pistachios before we start walking around The Grove. Ziyah has his arm around me and even though my braids are in a ponytail he finds a way to fiddle with him.
"Admit it the grove is better," I say.
"Fine, even though the Americana has twice the amount of stores the grove is better," he says.
"Thank you." Ziyah and I stop when we get to the huge tree and I look up at it in aww. I take a little video then Ziyah and I face each other. With the big christmas tree behind us the moment couldn't be any better.
"You know you're something special Daya."
"So are you." Seriously you're the only person I like at school.
"Nah not like you." Ziyah moves closer and lightly places his hand on my neck. Our lips smash together and I love the feeling of being close to him, and his soft lips on mine. Our lips depart when my phone buzzes and it's my mom saying she's in the parking lot. It doesn't feel like it, but the sky is almost a dark black we've been at The Grove for almost 3 hours.
"My mom's in the parking lot," I whisper.
Ziyah puts his glasses back on. "K, I'll walk you over there." We start walking again and Ziyah takes his phone out of his pocket and I can't help but look at it.
My eyes widen when I see my sleeping face under what time it is. "You made me your lock screen."
"Yes nosey ass why wouldn't I? you glow without makeup that shit is fucking cool." Ziyah shrugs and I've come to love when he does that.
"How do you know it's not sweat?"
Ziyah turns to look at me. "Because it's freezing and your the only face I can see."
"So it's freezing you want your hoodie back?" I almost forgot I had it on.
"Nah keep it."
"Are you sure." This is just common decency I love his hoodie and the soft texture and this must be the feeling Vicki had when she wore Vince's sweatshirt.
"Yeah you look good in it." We get to the parking lot and I see my mom's car far away, and I realize she's going to have a lot of questions regarding my new item of clothing.
"Text me when you get home," Ziyah whispers after we seperate from a hug.
"Ok thank you for an amazing night."
"That's the cheesiest shit I ever heard." I was thinking the same thing.
"Bye Ziyah." I say and he plants one last kiss on my lips.