He texted me asking if I'd be down to chill with him and a bunch of people I'd never met in Long Beach. Last time he invited me out it was with some of his cousins in Hollywood. Funny night.
But Katy would be there, and the last time I saw her we made McNuggetinis in the backyard and laughed for what seemed like the entire night about everything and nothing.
"yeah dope. lmk eta"
"I've never been to Huntington Park. What are we close to?"
"Watts. Compton."
He nodded but I knew he didn't know what that meant.
"So what's the plan, Stan?"
"Just chillin. My best friend Jason who shares a birthday with me will be there, and his girlfriend and ..."
He went on to name like ten people and I realised I wouldn't be home until the next day. At times like these it's best to resign yourself to the experience.
*************************************************************
I had hit it off BIG time with Armando, but I wanted Kyle to like me the most. His red face and nervous expression inspired deep trust in me. He was like this sassy southern woman in the body of an angsty and awkward comic book nerd. He wasn't drinking and that made me like him more.
"What kind of white are you?" I asked him at some point.
"Basic," he said with absolutely no shade.
"Like Polish? Irish?"
"That's way too ethnic."
Armando laughed and lifted me off the chair to dance.
"He's like Napoleon Dynamite white, girl. Like cigarettes and casseroles."
Later, when they would go off to their room, Katy would tell me about the night they met, and how minutes after saying hello they locked themselves in a closet all night.
"I mean. Those two hoes don't seem like a match but, yeah."
"Don't be racist, dude."
She grimaced and drank the rest of my drink, which I was secretly grateful for.
*************************************************************
The next day felt slow. I wished I had a car to drive myself home, but it was nice listening to Katy sing Copa Cabana while she made breakfast.
"Missed you," she said handing me some Cholula for my eggs.
Jason said he thought Katy hated all women.
We ignored his comment and ate our shared plate with happy mouths, her pale freckled face disappearing the fluffy yellow pillows into it at lightning speed.
"Yo, have you guys seen Wassup Rockers?" He stood up from his burrito to say this.
"It's so fuckin sick."
...
When I finally got home, Angel was sitting in front of the air conditioner trying not to die.
"Love that fit for you, seriously."
I smiled and rolled my eyes. She had picked the dress out in the store for me two days ago.
"You're cute," I told her and she proceeded to tell me all about this dude she called the love of her life.
"This is it," she had me scroll his Insta and he seemed so legit that I couldn't lower my brows.
"He's even a Cancer.
The only thing is, I have to figure out what to call him."
"His name?"
"No, I can't. It's Ronald."
"What do his friends call him?"
"Ronnie. Sometimes Ron."
"Don't you think a bad name is interesting? Like it seems perfect that this person who you're into has this one glaring peculiarity."
"I cannot. I will not."
Poor Ron, was my thought. His name is about to change and he doesn't even know it.
"Keep scrolling," I crawled onto the air mattress next to her.
"Keep talking. Just low."
I put my head on her stomach and fell asleep to the sound of her acrylics tapping on the screen.
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