If You Want to Be Happy

Not Quite Together

Bennet

Now that I have some money of my own, I can do some shopping. Most of the money my mom gave me came with a request to buy particular items for her, Di, and Mika. Dad dispenses an allowance for me via ATM, but it's just enough to pay for my needs like the stuff for my baon in school so I won't depend on Tita Neni to supply food for my lunch. It's lucky I brought an insulated lunchbox with me, the one which cradled the dozen salted eggs I brought. My parents have no idea what prices of things here are like, so of course I barely have enough allowance. But I'd rather earn my own money than ask them for more.

I don't think there's much point in my shopping for clothes since they're much cheaper back home. But Ava takes me to outlet and thrift stores and I do pick up some great finds. I get some tank tops I can wear under sweaters or polos for more warmth and bag of socks in different colors, because all I have are boring white school socks. And I can't resist a flowered raincoat and some adorable knee socks for my niece.

I particularly enjoy the thrift shops with used items. I am fascinated with things that have belonged to other people and can't help imagining the stories behind them and how they ended up being sent to the store. A pale yellow toddler Easter sweater in a sealed bag—because I wouldn't buy used clothing for Mika. Di would turn up her nose at it, anyway. Was it too warm for the sweater that Easter Sunday? Or perhaps the child refused to wear anything but her favorite sweater knit by her grandmother. I get a couple of belts from the children's section that fit me. There's a purple plastic one that still has the tag. Was it given to a child who was too chubby for it or hated purple? Or maybe wore only dresses and never pants, like Di when were kids. Another one, white with brass studs, looks hardly used. Was it used only for parties or for a costume? Well, now these belts will allow me to wear some of Ava's hand-me-down pants which are too loose for my waist.

My best buy is a vintage gold sequined cocktail dress. It's been marked way down since, as the woman tending the store says, nobody else ever fit into it. Ava goes, "It's meant for you. Buy it, Cinderella!"

I stare at my reflection in the age-spotted mirror in the curtained thrift shop dressing room. The warm soft sheen of the antique gold sequins adds a glow to my face. I look almost pretty and definitely grown-up in this figure-skimming dress. Ava insists says she'll buy it for me if I don't.

"I can pay for it. It's not that. Where would I ever wear it?"

"The prom. It's next month. Ms. Morals always has the senior prom set on the last day of exam week. Didn't Connor ask you?"

"No." I feel a flush coming to my cheeks. "Ava, he didn't try to hold my hand at the movie or kiss me good night."

"Who wants to kiss by the light of a police siren?" Ava giggles, having heard about the incident last night.

"I think he made it clear that we are just friends."

"You can go to the prom as just friends. And he's been bringing you to school as his guest. I think he'd be polite enough to ask you."

"I thought you didn't want me to date him!"

"No, I said dating is okay as long as you don't get serious about him. Look, it's the prom! And you never went to yours, you said. It's a major part of the American high school experience you can't miss. Just insist on going with his friends and not alone with him."

Since the dress really is a steal, I decide to buy it. I guess I can wear it to a friend's debut or something. I'm not banking on the prom.

At three in the afternoon, I go to Fine house beside Connor's to babysit Shelby, Gayle, and Luke, eleven, almost six, and four years old respectively. Their parents are going to look at a house they're thinking of buying. Shelby whines that she doesn't want to move, but when I see how crowded the house is with all the children's toys and stuff, I think they probably could use a bigger place. One with a yard where Luke can run around with their dog. I'm not too used to little boys and hope I'll be able to handle the lively little ragamuffin till evening. Gayle, at least, prefers to just sit and play with her dollhouse. Not a Barbie one but a beautiful old-fashioned dollhouse. It sits on a shelf in the girls' room, but Luke still climbs up and messes around with it. Shelby says she is too old for dolls but bosses her sister a lot on what to do with the dollhouse and its little wooden residents.