“Oh my God, yes!” Hayley supplies. “They make the best red velvet cupcakes. And it’s so cute inside.”
“I just hope that mural thing isn’t painted outside it,” Jenny says. “It’ll be so crowded. But I think we’re fine if we make a reservation.”
“So what do you say, Ji? Can you come?” Alexis asks.
I press my hands to my knees. A big part of me wants to go, really bad. I want red velvet cupcakes and coffee with artistic foam. I want them to be my friends. Even Nicole. I don’t want to be her enemy. I know they’d like me if they knew me. Alexis likes me. I want to tell them I wasn’t always like this, sad and snappy.
But the rational part knows that bakery is outside my tax bracket.
Maybe Amal can give me some money.
They’re all staring at me, waiting for my answer.
“Yes,” I say, still smiling. “What time?”
“We could do brunch?” Alexis suggests, looking around, and the girls nod enthusiastically. “Great! I’ll make reservations for eleven.”
“It’ll be fun,” Hayley says. “I’ve been craving a French omelet with truffle for ages.”
“You’re going toloveit, Ji,” Jenny says.
My chest expands tentatively. “I’m sure I will. Thanks for inviting me.”
She waves a hand.
“Are you going to be late to meet Jamie?” Alexis asks.
“He said we’ll meet in twenty,” I reply.
“Good,” Alexis says, and I catch a look exchanged between Hayley and Nicole.
“Say, Jihad,” Nicole begins. She sounds guilty. “I think I should apologize to you about how I treated you. I was being weird.”
She looks meaningfully at me, and I don’t know if she’s apologizing for what she did yesterday or just in general.
“That’s okay,” I say, even though it wasn’t okay, but I don’t want to ruin a good thing.
“Thank you.” She gives me a small smile and then hesitates for a second. “I hope you can help me out and put in a good word for me with Jamie? IpromiseI didn’t apologize to ask that. You don’t have to, but you know what it’s like to like a guy and he doesn’t even see you as more than a classmate?”
My skin prickles.
“I can do that,” my mouth says, “but I don’t think it would help. I mean, I barely know him, so I’m not sure any input from me would be helpful.”
“Thank you!” Nicole exclaims, and she smiles so deeply, looking at me like I’m her best friend in the world. “I appreciate it. A lot.”
I manage a half smile.
“I guess we’ll see you tomorrow?” Nicole says with her sweet smile.
“I’ll text you the place.” Alexis gives me a thumbs-up, and then they’re gone.
The silence in their wake is jarring, and it takes me a full minute to get my bearings before I leave as well.
Ocean Blue
I have about tenminutes left until I’m meeting Jamie.
It’s also time for Dhur, the midday prayer. Prayer times coincide with the positioning of the sun, and I usually wait until I’m home. Lately, I’ve had to pray it at school as the days are getting shorter.
