“I thought he was some big football star in New York City now? Why would his highness be gracing our presence with an early visit? Why not just show up at the resort for the ceremony?”
“He just had a bad breakup and I think he wants to come home to regroup before the wedding. He probably needs to be around people who give a shit about him. From what I hear, New York City can be a lonely place because there are so many people. Everyone kind of just keeps their heads down and lives their lives on autopilot, no one really getting a chance to connect with anyone else.”
Oh, boo hoo for him.
“I’m sure seeing you will be enough connection for him. I don’t see why you need me there.”
“Brick isn’t the only one who needs some face time with people. You need to do more things and expand your friend circle, Kay. You’re spending way too much time indoors with he whose name will not be mentioned.”
“What are you talking about? I’m out now making friends and drinking smoothies.”
The cashier raises an eyebrow as she slides my drink across the counter to me. She hands me my change and something about her judgmental stare makes me feel uncomfortable, so I dump the change inside the tip jar. Why I care about what some seventeen-year-old girl thinks of me is probably one of my many issues.
“Thanks,” she manages to offer me a small smile as I walk out of the store and back outside.
“Damn!” I exclaim as soon as a gust of frigid air swipes the back of my neck.
“What?” Kyle asks with concern.
“I swear it’s dropped about ten degrees out here.”
“I told you,” he laughs with relief. “It’s too cold for that running nonsense. If you’re serious about the whole exercise thing, why don’t you join a gym like everyone else?”
I take a sip of my drink.
Not smart.
It only makes me colder, and it tastes like grass, celery and honey mixed together. I could make a better one with my eyes blindfolded.
“I’ll call you later, Kyle. I’m about to speed walk home before my fingers fall off.”
“Tonight at seven. My place. Don’t be late.”
“Is Elijah invited too?” I ask, hoping that gets him to back off, already knowing that Elijah can’t come because he has a shift tonight.
“Nope.”
“Then I’m not coming.”
“If you don’t come, I’ll call Ma and tell her why you’re off the pill.”
“Mom thinks I’m a virgin.”
“You can’t honestly believe that?” he boisterously laughs.
“Not unless you told her I wasn’t!” I gasp.
“Bro’, she found a condom in your room like three years ago and called me panicking. I calmed her down and told her it was one of mine, but we all know that makes zero sense and our mother ain’t stupid.”
“You never even told me that story. You’re despicable.”
“That’s why you love me and stop changing the subject. You’re coming tonight.”
I love my big brother, in fact he’s my best friend in the world, but this is just mean. He knows that I haven’t told my Mom about my issues with Elijah. She was so elated when I finally brought someone serious home to meet her; I know she’d be crushed to find out that he’s not exactly the kind of boyfriend I’ve made him out to be.
Sure, I bet in a faraway land there are millions of daughters who can actually tell their mothers the truth about their relationships, but knowing mine, she’d figure out a way to make it my fault. She’d tell me to work it out because of how frightened she is of the marriage statistics for single women of color and of me being alone for the rest of my life. And that’s a conversation I don’t want to have.
“You’re bluffing,” I challenge Kyle.
