It took two days and some terrible Pinterest inspired ideas from Vince, but we or really I came up with an idea on how to ask Vicki to stupid homecoming. Sawyer has been mastering her walking skills, so we thought it would be a good idea to exploit our baby sister and have her walk to Vicki with a sign that only I made. Plus I think the baby deserves more credit Vince, Dani and I didn't get out first steps until we were like 18 months.
"Don't don't Sawyer," I say sweetly as I hold the whiny toddler in my arms. She's trying to get her slobbery hands on my braids which I've already put into a ponytail. That's what she does, she grabs on to your hair or the hair you bought and uses her little smile to distract you from her strong baby grip.
We're standing by the bleachers waiting for Vicki who for some reason is all the way in the front of the school. Vince is in a nice button down and slacks talking to some of the football team who he invited to hoot and holler when Vicki says yes.
One these players is of course Chase, but at the moment he sits on the bleachers with Laia on his lap trying not to touch her thighs that are a bit exposed in her volleyball shorts.
"Jada said she's coming!" Vince shouts and the whole football team goes crazy. Vicki really needs to hurry up because I'm getting tired of people walking by and probably thinking i'm a teen mother as I hold Sawyer who is trying to pronounce syllables while sticking her fingers in her mouth.
At least she looks good though with her little curls slicked into two buns with pink hair ties that go good with her plaid pink jumpsuit and white reeboks. Her whole outfit all styled by me which took some time due to her abundance of adorable carter outfits.
If this whole thing goes south waiting outside is my dad and Tara trying to pretend they're not eavesdropping through the windows of my dad's black mazda. Tara had to practically drag my dad here from his sound engineering, because in his words, "homecoming isn't even that important can we wait for the promposal."
"Here she comes," I whisper and Vince walks right beside me. Vicki has no reason to say no to him that I know of, yet Vince is playing with his coconut smelling curls at the sight of Vicki in her black crop top and adidas track pants.
Jada makes Vicki stop in her tracks 12 feet from me making more nosey ass students gather in a crowd. I put the small watercolor sign in Sawyer's little hands and place her on the ground, making us all exhale she starts walking. It's a slow little wobble, but I'm just glad she didn't fall on her face after all we are on the hard cement.
"Awww." Some girls from the track team gush as Vicki sweeps Sawyer into her arms and reads the sign.
"Yes Vince yes," Vicki shouts and Vince runs over to plant a passionate kiss on her lips. Everyone claps as if sharing saliva is so impressive, and they just got married. They look like a young youtube worthy family the way Vicki is holding Sawyer in her arms as Jada takes pictures of the three. Just for one second of their cuddling and pleading for attention I want someone to grab the attention of everyone and ask me to dance in a pretty dress in the school patio.
I wouldn't admit it to anyone, but as I keep on seeing people come up to one another with inexpensive flowers I kind of want someone to ask the infamous question that's not, why do you have dirt on your knees have you been giving head?
It's Wednesday so after the proposal we got out of school 2 hours earlier than usual so the teachers can talk about us behind our backs. Usually my dad would just pick Vince and I up and we would spend the time doing anything, but Thursday's homework. I usually work on my screenwriting, while Vince just knocks out for a good hour.
Plans changed when Vicki asked me to go to the all with her and Jada. I said yes thinking I was just going to get a free meal and this was my payback for being her messenger, but it didn't take long enough for me to realize she was hoping to buy her homecoming dress.
Maybe it's because it's her senior year and she's already been to 3 homecomings, but she's being super nonchalant about the whole shabang. She hasn't even mentioned being nominated for homecoming queen this whole time we've been looking at dresses in this little boutique in the corner of the fox hills mall.
"Girl can you pick one already?" Jada yells through a rack of plus size dresses. She really is making us look bad in front of the 4 foot 2 old lady stores clerk who already gave Jada the side eye for coming in with a cheeterprint headscarf and small Mcdonalds coffee. It's almost 2pm I don't know why she's acting like she just woke up and had to drop her kids off.
"Chill I'm looking!" Vicki shouts back while skimming through some short skimpy dresses. She's done this to every rack in the store, just pushed the dresses to the side without taking more than one second to observe. Jada on the other hand found a cheap bright orange strapless mini dress within the first 10 minutes we arrived.
"That's cute," I point to a black slip dress Vicki is about to push aside. I would never spend so much time shaving my legs to wear that dress, but Vicki isn't me and she can definitely make that piece of fabric work. Now would Vince die from anger when guys steal peeks at Vicki's body for too long, most definitely.
"I don't know it just doesn't seem right," she pushes it and moves to the next rack.
"What are you looking for?" This is the question that should've been specified before we even stepped foot in the mall. Seriously all I need is for her to at least identify one color or style and I could probably pull out a group of dresses instead of just trying to read Vicki's mind.
"I don't know I just want something perfect." I start following her to sections she's already looked at. If I had known she was going to be this indecisive I would've just spent the afternoon letting Soyer pull on my braids.
Vicki didn't find anything so Jada just bought her little fanta dress that according to her is too perfect to try on. After the old clerk lady lets out a sigh of relief when we leave we got to Jamba Juice or what Jada calls "That place where healthy ass bitches go." Now we're just sitting in the food area Vicki and I are shaking our heads as Jada points out numerous guys who are over the age of 20 and frankly look like scrubs.
"Look at that one," jada hollars. She's pointing to a guy in an adidas tracksuit with slicked cornrows who's holding hands with a little girl who looks about 10 with bubblegum barrettes in her curly hair.
"Jada he's a dad," Vicki retorts looking up from her phone. Jada dismisses her and goes on to watching every guy who walks out of footlocker. "So Daya who do you like?" Vicki puts her phone down and looks at me.
"I don't really like anyone," I mutter. I tap my short bitten nails on the dirty white table knowing that Vicki wanted a way better answer even though I've never been one to spill all of the details of my life.
"No one not even your little white friend's brother?" I stop tapping and look up at Vicki who now has a smile emerging on her face that's slowly coming onto mine.
"No not Henry."
"Girl you know you're fine as fuck you could get a guy if you tried."Â There goes Vicki with that princess mentality also known as a way of life where one thinks every woman needs some guy to save her.
Getting out of my feminist side I guess it would be nice to have someone to give you their jackets when you purposely choose to wear summer clothes in the winter.
I guess the real reason I've never found someone I like is because of my mom who ever since my parents divorce has been giving me "men ain't shit," rants. While my dad got married again she wallows in sadness from time to time and it often gets transferred on to me.
"Look Vicki if I find someone who likes me then we'll see until then I don't need anyone." I say this hoping she'll recall what she said when we were in the car. She doesn't though she just continues to talk about the perfect dress she's looking for, but will probably never find because all stores are selling the same clothes that come from poor bangladesh factories.