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weeks later — mid-january
"You wanna sit in the front row?" Perez asked me as we walked into the gym for the basketball game. It was one of the last ones of the season and due to me being asked to come, why would I not?
"Um," I look around nervously, trying to spot Zion and Leila. I knew they were here but I just couldn't find where they were. "The front is too close to the court, we can move up a little?"
"Yeah!" He smiles, grabbing my hand and leading me up to the middle of the bleachers.
We scoot past a few people before finding a comfortable seat near the end. He holds up the medium bucket of popcorn we got from the bootleg concession stand we had outside and offers me some. "Want any?"
"Oh, no," I shake my head. Popcorn would have made me projectile vomit all over him.
Sorry..too much?
The game was at least halfway into the first quarter when we got here. I rode with Perez, and Zion and Leila both got a ride from their mom, so they arrived a few minutes before me.
I had to prep and make sure my silk press still looked good. Sometimes, after a few days it started to get all oily and stiff and then I would have to do a stiff and greasy ponytail for my first out-of-school link with Perez.
That would be embarrassing.
"You sure?" He asks again and I just nod, assuring him. "Cool." He nods his head, clearly unaware of what to say next. "You like museums?"
"They're nice." I shrug. I've never been, so I couldn't give a real answer. "I guess."
"Wanna go?" He looks excited once he asks. "We can go Sunday if you have nothing to do. We can go to the museum, get some hot chocolate, see a movie."
I smiled. Mekhi and I never went on dates before, so this was refreshing.
"Yeah, we can go. That's fine."
After that, it got silent. It wasn't awkward, though. It was a nice silence, comfortable. We just watched the game for the most part until the second quarter came to a close. "Want something from the concession stand?"
"I'll just come with you." I get up. Most of the gym had cleared out because they went to get snacks, smoke, or go use the bathroom. The normal.
