CHAPTER FIFTEEN-REALITY
Real
I'm here, so what?
I text Milan upon reaching the sporting center he told me to meet him at. It's delivered, but he doesn't respond, I just stand near the car park and don't know what to do. I'm already tired as it is as I spent the night braiding my hair with extensions to make waist long knotless braids for longevity because my hair is too silky and they wouldn't last long. My mom worked at a hair salon once; also, where I learnt how to braid. I've been doing it ever since she passed.
I literary stayed up all night to braid my hair and the results are promising. Also, I bleached it a bit to make it golden blonde to correspond with my skin color, not like I wanna be blonde or something, but because I just love how it looks on me. I did my baby hairs and curled them a bit using hot water and some rollers of course. Got my waist bag and put on my red cargo pants and sky-blue crop top and some thrifted sneakers I got for less than a dollar at Walmart.
"Hi, I'm Diego."
I turn to see this not so bad looking guy, smiling at me and offering a handshake. I think of whether to take his hand or not; but having some company as I wait for Lan would be great. So I sake back and tell him and it's nice to meet him.
He asks me if I play and I tell him I don't. meanwhile, I send a text to Milan to tell him how much waiting sucks and he tells me he'll be here any moment. Diego tells me that he plays football and starts telling me how beautiful my smile is.
"Just saw you down there and was like holy crap, she cute and seems like someone's keeping her waiting, so I need to speak to her and keep her company." Diego says and I crap up.
Diego goes onto ask me if I have a boyfriend, and I tell him I don't, but also not ready to mingle. I spot Lan from a distance carrying a bag and decide to excuse mys3lf from Diego.
"I need to get going. He's here." I say looking at Milan.
"So, he's your friend?" Diego asks.
"Yeah, you know him?"
"Of course, he's co-captain of the basketball team and he's real good at it." Diego says and I'm not surprised. I searched about him on YouTube and he's just the best. As Milan gets loser, I say goodbye to Diego and he asks for my number. I just smile at him and turn to Milan who looks all fresh and seems to have just come of a shower.
"Took you long enough." I say, following Milan.
"Had to shower and get changed. Who was he?"
"Him? His name's Diego and he was keeping me company when you was keeping me waiting." I say and he just ignores me. We get to his jeep and he opens the door for me and closes the door, then puts his bag on the back seat.
He asks me for how long I've known Diego from and I tell him; I can tell he's kind of jealous just that he doesn't want to admit. I tell him what a great player Diego thinks he is. Milan takes out a cigarette and puts it in between his lips and lights the cigarette; I just keep staring at him.
"What, it's Friday." He says.
"It's still not healthy." I tell him.
"It helps me with my mental health." He says.
"How many athletes smoke?"
"I've been smoking this since I was 12, Real. It helps me cope." He says and I just stare at him.
I take out a lollipop from my bag and start eating it. Milan teases me about still being a baby and I just blush it off. Then I realize that he's just staring me; which kind of freaks me out.
"What?" I say looking him in the eye.
"You, you look gorgeous, Real." He says looking me in the eye.
I see the innocence and sincerity in them. Eyes lock, and our faces are close. Next thing I realize that our lips have met. I close my eyes and put my hands on his neck as he holds my cheek. It's a passionate kiss and as soon as we both pull away; we both crack up. We both make fun of each other's breathes as I tell him he spells like and pot and how I smell like strawberries.
"Okay, that was crazy." Milan says fastening his seatbelt.
"Totally." I agree.
"What do we call this?"
"Friendship kiss." I tell him and he agrees.
I've waited for this moment in forever; I'm really getting scared of how much I like him, I really don't wanna fall too deep for him. He scares me a lot. I get freaked out when I and him are close. Tomorrow, he might not like me anymore and our differences just makes it worse.
"Where we goin?" I ask.
"You'll find out when we get there." He says. I'm not a fan of mysteries. He starts the engine.
"Your parents know you smoke?" I ask.
"Ya, no. I don't know. I never told them."
"Why?"
"Coz I'm not a damn baby." He says focusing on the wheel.
"I think you should tell them."
"I don't think so. I think my dad knows though. He works for the FBI after all."
First time finding out Alejandro's a detective. Must be really great to have a detective. Looking at the road from the car window; the sun is shining brightly and a cool breeze is getting in the car, amidst the AC. I and Lan discuss about my music and I tell him I'm writing a son about him but refuse to spill any details for until I record it. He asks me why I decided to write a song about him and I tell him that because he's special.
The car finally comes to a stop at the mall, my favorite place. I remember arriving in this city about nine months ago and this was the first place I actually set foot on. I look at the wishing well where I threw my penny in on the day I arrived.
"What are we doing here?" I ask.
"Buying sodas, some junk and anything you'd like, I'll pay."
"Anything?" I ask just to confirm. Milan is not serious right now.
"Yep, anything."
I tell Lan that I think he gets too high after smoking, but he's always serious; even when he's sobber. He extinguishes the half cigarette and throws it in the bin and takes some chocolate toffee which I refuse because I've already had a lot of sugar in just one day. We get into target and get all the stuff Lan came to get and he got me this pretty bracelet with a heart-shaped royal blue ruby. For the love of music, I gently run my hands on the guitars and violines in the shop.
"Here." Milan says giving me a guitar. "Play me something.
"What?" I ask laughing.
"We're allowed to try out the instruments." Milan says.
"Fine." I say getting the guitar. We both seat opposite each other, legs crossed. I don't really know what to play, so I just let my hand make the tune.
#Remember when you told me fate#
#Said, it'd all be worth the wait#
#like the night in the back of the cab#
#When your fingers walked in my hand#
#next day, nothing on my phone#
#but I can still smell you on my clothes#
#Always hoping that things would change#
#but you went right back to your games#
Long nights#
#daydreams#
#sugar and smoke rings I've been a fool#
I continue and Lan was capturing me the whole time. He had his stylish I phone at hand and as soon as I finish, I realize people are clapping for me. I feel a little shy; some were capturing. As soon as I leave the guitar, a lot people start arguing for the guitar. We pay the bills and leave the shop.
"Hey girl, wait up!" a voice from behind says.
I turn to make sure she's talking about me. I turn to see this slim blonde girl with blue eyes and kind of tall, not taller than Lan though. She's wearing a one shoulder knitted blouse and jeans.
"Hi, I'm Nicole Jones." She says offering me handshake.
"Hey." I say shaking back. "Real." I add.
"Hi." She says to Milan.
"Sure."
"Hey, I know you. you play basketball, right. Rhythm team."
"Of course." I reply on his behalf. Then I turn to Lan. "Do you?" I ask.
"Maybe." He replies.
"You're like my favorite player." She says excitedly.
Nicole turns to me telling me my voice gave her chills at John Legend's concert and that she's an artist and wants me on her album. I tell her I'll think about it and she gives me her card, I'm so nervous about working with her. Lan encourages me that he believes in me and trust that I'll do just fine. I'm now actually looking forward to working with Nicole.
After leaving the stuff in the car, we go to a boutique where Lan picks out a Twilight saga shirt and I just keep on trying out stuff and I decide to try out this purple hoodie which catches my eye.
"Looks good on you, should I pay for it?" Lan asks and I'm surprised he's looking at me.
"Thanks, the crazy part is that it costs a thousand dollars." I tell him taking it off.
"Can still get it for you." he for you.
"Nah, it's okay, plus, I don't like it that much." I lie.
"You sure?" He asks looking me in the eye, Why's he like this?
"Yep." I say putting it back on the hanger.
"Oh….k." he says and I wait for him to pay for it. He takes me to this café and asks me to order anything what kind of dude is Milan Valencia.
"Should I order our thing?" he asks.
"Our thing? Didn't know we had 'our thing'."
"What we always have at my place. Chocolate flavored smoothies." He says.
"So, we really do have a thing."
He orders chocolate smoothies and asks me if there's anything else I need. Looking over to the left side table, I spot someone I know. "OH, no." I say hiding my face with the menu.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Milan asks.
"I think I've seen my brother." I say trying to hide my face under the table.
"Which brother?"
"I think Tay."
"What do you mean, you think?"
"Fine, it's Taylor." I say.
"Where's he?"
I show him where Tay and his friends are; he's in a red and white shirt and some black pants. They're having some French fries and seem to be enjoying their stories.
"Don't wanna meet your brother?"
"If I wanted to; why'd I be hiding? Of course I don't. come on, let's leave." I tell him and he settles the bills and we leave and go out to the parking lot.
"Okay, that was awkward, will you at least tell me what's going on Real, why the fuck would you hide from your own brother?" Milan asks.
"It's a long story."
"Well, I got time."
"It's a lot."
"A lot like what?" he asks.
"A lot." I tell him. Milan gives in and we go to his car; it's now around 06:15. I ask him if he got any information about Erica and he tells me that he only knows she's right here in California and that he's just working on finding out the exact location. He offers me a ticket to his game and asks if I'll attend.