There's Something About Sweetie(36)

Izzy shook her head. “I have those feelings too, Sweetie. I’m not fat, but I constantly feel self-conscious of my body. My hips are too big and my arms aren’t toned enough. A lot of people—especially women—have those feelings.”

“Damn patriarchy,” Suki said darkly. “Holding women up to higher standards.”

Sweetie smiled a little. “I appreciate you guys saying that. And I know you feel the pain of having to live up to beauty standards. But …” She looked around at them, not sure how to put it.

“But it’s not the same,” Kayla said quietly.

“No. It’s not. When I walk down the road, people immediately make judgments about me based on my body size. That doesn’t happen to you guys, no matter how self-conscious you might be about your bodies. You’re still thin, and you get to exist in spaces without constantly being found wanting.”

Her friends were all quiet for a moment, and Sweetie wondered if she’d offended them. She’d never quite put it like that before. She’d never had the courage to.

“I’m sorry it’s so hard for you,” Izzy said finally. “Because you’re one of the coolest people I know.”

“And the most kick-ass,” Suki agreed.

“When you go out on your dates or up onstage,” Kayla said, holding Sweetie’s eye, “just know that you have three people in your corner. No matter what else happens, we will always accept you as you are.”

Sweetie blinked and looked away. “Thanks, guys. I know,” she said, her voice hoarse. “But I’m not sure if I can do the whole song thing. I’m sorry.”

“I’m gonna give you time to think about it,” Kayla said, holding up her hand when Sweetie tried to argue. “I know, I know, you won’t change your mind. But do you really want those people to dictate what you do, Sweetie? I know what it’s like to be prejudged based on physical appearance, okay? Believe me, I’m a black girl. And I also know you have what it takes to tell those people to shut the hell up.” She smiled. “Just think about it. We don’t start practice until next Monday, anyway. So you have some time.”

Sweetie ripped off another piece of dosha. “You’re so stubborn.”

Kayla leaned over and kissed Sweetie on the cheek. “That’s why you love me.”




“That’s her?” Pinky asked, looking at Sweetie’s picture on Ashish’s phone. He’d been a total creeper and pulled a picture from her Insta profile (they followed each other now, a fact that made Ashish unreasonably happy).

He glared at her. “Yeah. Why?” He looked at Oliver and Elijah across the cafeteria table. They were both uncharacteristically silent. “You got something to say?”

Elijah just shook his head, but Oliver ventured timidly, “Um … she’s just a little different from the other girls you’ve dated.”

Pinky snorted. “Different? More like she’s another species entirely from Supermodelicus conceitedum.”

“Celia wasn’t conceited,” Ashish replied, purposely missing the point. He scrolled through Sweetie’s posts to see if she’d posted anything else since yesterday. He wanted to hang out with her again, he realized. Which was weird because they’d barely spent any time together. It was like some dormant part of him began to blink to life in her presence or something.

“No, she just stomped on your heart and used the pieces for confetti at her I-have-a-new-boyfriend party,” Elijah retorted. “Whereas this girl looks like she’s never even had a boyfriend.”

Ashish looked up from his phone, his temper flaring. “What, because she isn’t thin?” he asked, his voice dangerously low.

Elijah shrugged, rolling those annoyingly gigantic traps Ash would’ve killed for, and Oliver didn’t meet his eye. “You can’t blame us for saying it,” Elijah said finally. “Not with your track record.”

“So maybe I haven’t ever dated someone like Sweetie before,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t—or can’t—find her attractive. Or that other dudes haven’t found her pretty and cool enough to go out with her. Come on, guys. Let’s not make judgments about who we can or can’t date. Do I really need to be telling you that?”

Elijah bristled, but before he could say anything, Oliver spoke up. “He has a point,” he said to Elijah. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think you shouldn’t date Sweetie. I was just … surprised.”

“Do you really find her attractive?” Elijah said in a disbelieving tone that Ashish really didn’t like.

“Yes, Elijah. I find her hair, her curves, the powerful way she runs around the track and the fact that she can totally kick my ass very attractive. She’s gentle and insightful and kind, and I fight that hella hot too. Got a problem with any of that?”

“Whoa,” Elijah said, raising his eyebrows. “You’re not playing.”

“No, I’m not. And I’d like to propose something: From now on, none of us ever judges someone else based on their physical appearance. Deal?”

Elijah held his gaze and, after a moment, nodded. “Deal. Sorry, man. I wasn’t trying to hurt you.”

“I’m sorry too,” Oliver said, wrapping his skinny arms around himself.