Summer has gone by so fast, and of course that means school is coming even faster. To remind me and the rest of the incoming juniors that the hardest year of our high school lives is coming up we have registration. The last two years my dad would come with me, but now I stand in a long line with my peers and Vince for some reason wants to see the school he just graduated from.
"Ah I remember when I was standing in a line like this," Vince says with his hands in his hoodie pockets. The line moves up a bit and we move just a little making the person behind me almost step on my shoes.
"You know you're going to be standing in a line even longer than this next week," I say.
"Yea and it still won't be like this." Vince lets out a sigh and begins to really look at the line of my classmates we're standing in. He points to various students who as I look at them I notice they're tanner, taller, buffer, and more grown. "See Daya look at those dumb asses over there they'll be less of them in college, and ooh see that girl who's always eating hot cheetos in class there will be less of her and her crumbs." Vince's voice is not that low, and the girl who eats not just hot cheetos, but takis, lays, and cheeto puffs turns around. Instead of scolding Vince she gives him a flirty smile with her lips that are stained red from all of the food dye she consumes.
"You're wrong college is bigger there are going to be more of her," I say.
Vince laughs and pats my shoulder while looking down at me. "Ahh you crack me up."
I just shake my head and Vince and I continue to slowly move up the line. It's actually moving fast, but it slows down as everyone begins bumping into their friends. Unfortunately I don't have this pleasure as Harper texted me saying she has a dentist appointment and won't be coming until the last hour. After Vince has a whole ass conversation with one of the guys who's going to be a receiver on the team we make it inside the school and follow the other students into the school cafeteria where ID's are being passed out.
"Price, Daya," I tell the woman at the desk and she fumbles through a box of IDs to pull out one with a picture of me on it.
"I'll take that," Vince says. The woman doesn't hesitate to give my ID to him, and look over to the next person in line.
"Bro why do you look like you're being tortured," Vince says. We start walking to the big table in the cafeteria where schedules are being passed out. I look over vince's shoulder at my ID picture that was taken in May when I was broken up with Ziyah, and Vince isn't far off from his statement. My box braids look good, my shirt isn't wrinkled, but I'm smoldering so hard these factors can barely be seen. Why the photographer didn't tell me to perk up I don't know, but I will be back on that uncomfortable stool in October.
We keep walking to the scheduling table, and Vince squints his eyes and brings the ID closer to him. "My glasses aren't looking so bad now are they?"
Vince shakes his head. "No you know who you like in this picture?" He shows me the horrid photo again.
"A girl who's braids smell."
"What? No, you look like mom." The second the word comes out of Vince's mouth and he puts the card right next to his face I see it. I look exactly like mom when she's about to yell, cry, or tell me Ziyah isn't good enough.
Shaking the thought out of my head I gather my schedule from the perky woman at the desk. Not only does this paper have all of the glasses I signed up for in May, but my address, the name of my parents, and !D number. Because just giving us our glasses and locker numbers would be too easy.
just like my ID as we're walking outside the patio Vince takes hold of my schedule. "Oh you got Ms. Martin first period, sorry I screwed that one up for you." Wouldn't be the first time.
"What did you do?"
"Well lets just say she was my period after lunch you know when niggas are too slumped to hold their head up, I zombied that whole period." Vince and I burst into laughter. I can pretty much picture Vince with is mouth wide open jumping up when he gets called on.
The rest of the registration goes smoothly and I avoid seeing Unna who I still want to slap in the face after the party incident. After getting my locker which is no longer by the boys locker room and by the girls Vince and I head down the halls to the front gate.
"Man I'm going to miss walking these halls or really standing in the middle of them talking." Vince sighs and stops in the middle of the hall. He takes a breath as he looks around at the lockers and classrooms. Gosh he's so stupid. Just as Vince is about to pull out his phone and capture this moment of reminiscence one of the junior football players rushes up to him. Given that we're in the same grade I should know his name, but I don't and stand off to the side.
"Nice to see you man," Vince says. The two shake hands and I narrow my eyes at Vince. He plasters a smile on his face and listens as the guy tells him every compliment he wants to hear. I head out the front gate and look down at my phone.
"Ayy it's you," someone's voice booms. I turn to my side to see a tall guy in a Marina high school football sweatshirt that's underneath his gold chains. I don't know if this guy has the wrong girl in a t shirt with jeans or he's just being nice because I've never seen him before. Still he proceeds to walk over to me with a big smile.
"Hi," I mumble. I scan his face and the guy's tan complexion and small silver studs start to look familiar. It only takes me one more glance to realize he's the guy who was with Chase at Navia's party. Otherwise known as the player who is always there.
"You don't know me, but I've seen you around I'm JJ," he says and extends his hand. I slide my phone in my pocket and with a bunch of hesitation shake his hand.
"I'm Daya," I say almost like I'm trying not to be heard.
JJ nods. "I know I remember you, and that little skirt." JJ leans against the pole he's next to and licks his lips. I turn around to see if Vince has mastered the skill of perfect timing, but he's not behind me and JJ inches closer to me. The way his blue eyes are scanning me reminds me of 8th grade and that guy in the bathroom.
"I have to go," I say and move away from the wall to walk towards Vince's car. I don't know why I'm getting all tremulous again we're out in the open in front of the school where people are occasionally walking by. I'm being rude aren't I? I ask myself as I get closer to Vince's car. Of course Vince obviously has his keys making me lean against a palm tree. I text Vince to hurry the fuck up and let out a sigh.
"I thought you had to go," JJ says and he's right behind me.
"I'm waiting for someone," I say more towards my feet.
"Well hopefully I'll see ya around this year," he says. I nod, and my whole body tenses up when I feel JJ's hand right on my ass. When I move from his grasp his hand is gone, and I turn around to look at him. He has a big disgusting smirk on his face, and I want to slap it right off.
"Don't fucking touch me," I say. These words were supposed to make him immediately run away, but he still stands in front of me.
"What you have a nice ass I couldn't resist," he says. His words although they're the same as Ziyah's don't make me smile, and just make me want to take a thousand showers. After a few minutes Vince comes out of the school beaming from cheek to cheek. "Sorry Mr. Kennan wanted me to answer some of the freshmen team's questions, what's with your face? you look like your ID picture."
"Nothing," I say. Vince looks me over and we both get into the car.
I'm completely conflicted as I sit on my couch with my phone on Ziyah's contact number. I already put a smile on my face in front of Vince and my dad which killed me. I'm 16, I'm 16, I can handle my own stuff, I handled it, I told him to never touch me again. So if it's handled does Ziyah really need to know? My thoughts clog my brain and I can still feel that nasty ass hand on me. Guys grab taken girls ass all of the time, is it really a big deal? I feel so stupid because I know this is where everything goes bad in a relationship when secrets are kept. I just don't know how I would form the sentence to Ziyah, and I don't know how he'll react.
My dad and Kayla come inside the living room and my dad gives her a big kiss which is kind of cute. It's just in that moment I realize I have to tell Ziyah if I want us to ever to be that cute or stable.
For the next few days I think about how i'm going to tell him, and then invite him over. It's the middle of the day, and I'm home alone wearing my best jeans. Ziyah texts me saying he's here, and I rush to the door, and open it. Ziyah is so cute in his buffalo t shirt and black pants. I greet him with a passionate long kiss and he returns it, and maybe it's because I don't want to tell him or because his touch makes me forget about JJ's, but either way I don't let our lips depart. When his hand slightly grazes my butt I budge away and do a little shiver ending our embrace that I wanted to last forever.
"You good?" he asks as we make our way over to the couch.
"Yea why wouldn't I be?" I say and we both sit on the couch. We're right next to each other and Ziyah places my legs on his lap making us lock eyes.
"Ugh your mom is bipolar," he says caressing my cheek. I told over text a little after he came over. We're so close and his eyes are so open and trusting I don't want to change that.
"She's fine, but there is something I have to tell you," I blurt out.
Ziyah drops his hand. "OK." My face begins to get all flustered and we somehow get closer. There is barely any space between us, and when I can't form the words a bunch of reasons why I shouldn't tell him flash through my head.
"You're amazing and I'm grateful to have you in my life."
Ziyah is smirking and he plays with one of his dreads. "That's it?" he asks and it's like he's reading my mind.
"No," I say weakly. Ziyah begins to run his hand over my shoe.
"You can tell me anything."
"What If I don't know how you'll react," I say feeling tears burning my eyes.
"Is it something you did?"
"No." I slowly shake my head.
"Then don't worry about it."
"Don't worry about it as in don't worry about telling you or don't worry about your reaction."
Ziyah's face is all serious and lacking it's gentle nature. "You know what? You tell me when you're ready." And just like that the tension I was holding is gone.
A moment passes before I say, "So how's everything with you at home?"
"Nah it doesn't work like that, I'm not going to be all open with you when you're not telling me shit." His tone is so chill I'm not even sure if I'm supposed to be mad, especially since he's making sense.
"So we're just not going to talk?"
"I'm not really in the talking mood right now," he sort of mumbles.
"Ok," I say.
Ziyah looks back into my eyes. "But there is something I want to tell you," he says. Now i'm all curious and I sit up a little more. His smirk comes back onto his face. "You're amazing and I'm grateful to have you in my life," he mocks.
"I meant that," I argue.
"Really because it seemed like something you pulled out of your ass."
"I pull genuine shit out of my ass so your speculation has no stance."
"Oh really?"
I try to keep a straight face. "Really."
Ziyah nods a little. "Tell me some more genuine shit then.."
I don't even have to think about it. "You're so sweet, talented, and strong, and I want the best for you." My words are true, and I know Ziyah knows that, but we continue to mess around.
"I can't with you," he says and holds my face in his hand. He's about to go in for a kiss, but I back away a little bit. "What I can't get any?" he says licking his bottom lip.
I shake my head. "Not until you accept my compliment."
"It's accepted," he says and he plants a kiss on my lips.