Page 8 of Pretty and Loco

She came in fussing.

“I’m about to quit this fucking job! I- where the hell are you going?” She stopped mid-sentence and gave me a once-over.

I knew I looked good enough to eat tonight. I wore a short turquoise dress with long, exaggerated sleeves. My entire back was exposed, so I used tape for my breasts that made them sit up like I was fresh off the table. My hair was curled and pinned up, except for two pieces framing my face. I pulled the look together with a gold bag, accessories, and heels.

“I look the fuck good, don’t I?” I laughed.

“Bad as month-old milk. Where are you going? You got an event tonight?” She shot back with a giggle.

“No, I’m actually going on a date.”

Her grin slowly faded into a confused frown.

“A date? What? With who, Leah? What did I miss?” She asked, leaning against the counter and absentmindedly fixing a pin in my hair.

“You didn’t miss much. I met a man the other night at the annual Halloween Fest. He and I are going to dinner tonight. That’s it, that’s all.” I said, leaning forward to apply lip liner.

“What’s his name?” She continued her interrogation.

“Ricardo,” I said, knowing that she’d never put two and two together, that it was Rocko Sanders. Although he was one of the biggest names in California, I knew her mind wouldn’t immediately think of sports. She’s just a girl.

She groaned.

“Leah.”

“Leah, nothing. I got it under control, I promise.”

“No, you don’t have this under control. You see men every second of the day that try to talk to you, and you pay them niggas dust. You haven’t entertained a man since—”

“I know, Dayari, I know!”

My little sister gives me the purest form of hell. I mean grade A, uncut, raw…hell. I may be seven months older, but she never seemed to care. We have the best bond but butt heads because I feel like she was always trying to parent me. That’s the only reason she and I live together. After the incident, she moved in with me to help me heal, and she hasn’t left my side since. Make no mistake, I’m thankful for a sister who rides for me as hard as she does, but sometimes I think that she forgets that I am a fully functional adult, and it’s frustrating.

I saw the look on her face after I snapped at her, so I tried to compose myself. The last thing I needed before a date was a ruined mood. So, I lowered my voice and exhaled.

“You said that you were about to quit your job; it sounded like you needed to vent. Let’s talk about that instead.” I offered, hoping to redirect her back to something that didn’t involve badgering me.

“Let’s not. Did you fuck him?” She asked through slits in her eyes, unfazed by my frustration.

“No, I didn’t.”

“You sure?”

“Yes, Daya, this is the first time that we’re seeing each other since the event,” I answered as I walked past her, went to the wall where my perfume shelves were, picked up my favorite scent, and sprayed it lightly over my body. Beside it sat the travel-sized tube, and I dropped it in my purse to spray right before I walked into the restaurant.

Daya thought she was slick, but I saw right through her. She wasn’t asking me if I had sex with Rocko because she thought I was loose; she was asking because she wanted to gauge how seriously I felt about him. My sister knew better than anyone that if I chose to give my goodies away, I was all in. And being “all in” posed a problem for everyone involved.

For a couple of beats, the room was completely silent.

She may have been quiet, but I knew she was watching me like a hawk. When I turned around, it confirmed my suspicion.

“Daya, how about being happy that I’m finding an interest in dating again instead of being skeptical? I have got this under control, trust me.” I smiled, patted her head, and kissed her cheek like a parent would on their kid's first day of school. It was always my way of reminding her that no matter how much she fussed, I’d always be the older sibling.

She didn’t debate with me. In fact, she didn’t say anything else. She just followed me down the stairs and stood at the bottom, watching as I walked out the door and closed it behind me.

She worried way too much. This was the first time in a long time I finally felt I had my life under control, and I wasn’t going to let Negative Nancy make me doubt years of hard work and reflection.

Outside, the black truck Rocko had sent for me waited.