There's Something About Sweetie(43)
Finally she turned on her side too, to face him. “I still want to go out with you. It’s not ideal for me to date a boy who’s still hung up on someone else, I’ll admit.” She laughed a little. “But this whole dating thing for me is about something else too. You know how you wanted to date again, sort of like a palate cleanser to get rid of the Celia aftertaste?”
He nodded, smiling a little at the way she’d put that.
“Well, I wanted to date someone like you”—here she made a gesture toward his entire body—“to prove to myself that I could. My mom’s always talking about how I need to get thin before someone handsome will give me a chance. And I knew in my heart that she was wrong.”
“She is wrong,” Ashish said forcefully, and she looked up at him in surprise. “I’m sorry, but that’s total crap. You’re beautiful. And you’re incredibly talented, too. Any guy would be lucky to go out with you.”
“Thanks.” Sweetie smiled and looked down at her feet, her dimple almost slaying him. “Anyway, we both have things we want to achieve through dating each other, and it’s not that one big, grand true love, right?”
Ashish nodded.
“So.” Sweetie shrugged. “Let’s just keep on with the plan. Maybe I’ll help you forget Celia a bit, and maybe you’ll help me see that I should listen to Amma less about what I can and can’t do while fat.”
Ashish smiled. “Really? You’re sure?”
“Totally.” She held out a fist for him to bump, and after a surprised pause he bumped it, laughing.
“You’re cool, you know that?”
“Obviously.” She stuck out her tongue at him, and then they were both laughing.
Car headlights swept over them, and Ashish looked over his shoulder to see the off-white Escalade with Rajat behind the wheel. “Oh, I should …” He gestured with a thumb over his shoulder. “Hey, do you want a ride back home?”
“No, that’s okay. I drove.” Sweetie smiled and stepped back. “But I’ll see you Saturday at your house, right? So we can go to Pavan Mandir together?”
Ashish nodded. “Pavan Mandir. Get ready to get your worship on.” He rolled his eyes.
Laughing, Sweetie waved a little shyly and turned to walk to her car. Ashish watched her all the way.
CHAPTER 16
The rest of the week raced by like, well, Sweetie on the track. Kayla, Suki, and Izzy kept her mind busy with talk of the upcoming Band Night at Roast Me. Saturday morning, just as Sweetie was finished with her shower and getting dressed, Kayla sent out a group text with the good news.
Kayla: we now have 12 bands ladies! Band Night is totally on!
Izzy: WHAT
Suki: F$%^#$@#@@$%F
OMG, Sweetie typed, sitting back against her headboard in her room. How did you make that happen?? Yesterday we were at 5!
Kayla: I told you before BGM
Sweetie: ??
Kayla: black girl magic
Kayla: also I promised Antwan I’d seriously think about his promposal if he agreed to publicize at Eastman and got us to at least 10 bands
Izzy: haha well then I guess you owe him a date
Kayla: I was already going to say yes but this is way better than a corsage
Sweetie: hahahaha you are hilarious and ily
Kayla: ily2
Suki: okay so that’s Kayla’s prom plans and band night taken care of … what about you, Sweetie?
Sweetie: what about me
Kayla: don’t play coy bb your date’s in what an hour?
Sweetie: yeah just about … I’m NERVOUS you guys
Izzy: but this is just about proving to yourself you can do it right? So there’s no need to be nervous!!
Suki: she’s right you know … just remember that you’re one kick-ass lady. He’s the lucky one
Kayla: you’ve got that brown girl magic, too, S. You got this
Sweetie: OMG I’m crying. TY guys Ilysm
Kayla: love you too we’re here for you
Suki: love your face
Izzy: Love you!! Have fun!!
Sweetie: k I’ll text you guys when it’s over
Suki: Yeah let’s grab some fro yo or something and debrief
Izzy: Yessss
Kayla: I’m in
Sweetie: k!
Sweetie set her phone down and blinked away the tears. She had, hands down, the best friends in the world. She felt readier now than she had all week, just with a small pep talk from her crew. If Kayla, Suki, and Izzy believed she had this, then she had this. She trusted their judgment implicitly, even when she didn’t trust her own. Speaking of trusting judgment … She grabbed her phone again and texted.
going on my first date today with Ashish Patel
Anjali Chechi: Okay you have NOT filled me in enough to drop that bomb on me
lol sorry will do that soon
Okay okay. Remember: SAFE SEX
Omg Chechi seriously we’re going to Pavan Mandir
Okay you have NOT filled me in enough to drop that bomb on me
lolol I will I promise
Okay then talk soon!
Okay
Just seeing Anjali Chechi’s words on her screen made her feel even more secure. Ashish Patel, let’s face it, was a small part of her life. There were others who knew her, who loved her, who felt like she was on totally equal footing with this basketball star who could be a model if he chose. Amma wasn’t one of them, but so what? Sweetie walked up to her vanity, drew on some winged eyeliner, and smiled at herself. She was wearing a yellow kameez top with little red flowers on it and plain white salwar pants. Her dupatta, the shawl, was red with gold thread shot through. (It was a little warm for a long-sleeved outfit, but Amma had once told her her arms were her worst feature, and Sweetie had never quite been able to get over that.) She’d paired the whole thing with red sandals and a gold bindi, something she wore only to the mandir. Her hair hung in loose waves down her back and she felt almost beautiful today, and that was a good day in any book.