Daya

48| Tie

Winter break and all of the festivities of the holidays breeze by and the new year is here also meaning our two weeks of break is over and we're back at school. At least my family is too lazy to take down the christmas decorations and I still feel like my dad can give me more forever 21 gift cards at any second.

I'm in my first period and aside from being jealous that Vince gets to basically chill this semester I'm worrying about the film contest and the assembly in a few minutes where everyone will see my film along with the others. To make it worse right after a good portion of the school sees the films the vice president will come to the center stage and announce the winner. I want to win that gift card, but I'm shivering at the thought of going up on that stage.

"Everybody line up at the door," my teacher says and there is no reluctance from the whole class. We all walk to the auditorium along with other classes and I don't see Ziyah, but the thought of him actually calms me down. He's my boyfriend, and the phrase feels so nice when I repeat it in my head.

Our class takes our seats and the auditorium is packed making me sink into my seat. The vice president of our school Mr. Mingle gets everyone's attention and the big room goes silent.

"Our first film we will be showing is by junior Navia Lenin called My love for Harper," the man says with no emotion. Harper told me about how she was so proud of Navia at our sleepover and since then I've been able to picture it the film very vividly.

The movie plays and it's a bunch of clips of Harper, some are candids others Harper is acting like Jennifer Lawrence. The whole 5 minutes Navia explains everything about Harper, and with the music that's playing in the background it's hard to believe that Harper is alive and this isn't a tribute to her life. After the film ends more films are introduced and watched, and my teeth are chattering again.

Mr. Mingle  comes back to the stage and his bald head is shiny and his walk up to the stage is slower. "Our next short film is by sophomore Day Price and is titled Remember Childhood." My nerves are now gone and replaced by shock and a bit of anger. It's Daya not Day.

"Wait your name is Day," the boy next to me leans in and asks. I shake my head and shrink in my seat some more, sometimes I wish my name was Kayla or Sarah.

Just as Mr.Mingle is about to walk off stage two combined  voices that can only be recognized as Vince and Jada yell, "It's Daya!" Thank you.

Mr. mingle clears his throat. "My bad, how could I forget the sister of our quarterback Vince Price, Daya Price." I know exactly how he could forget, I am not good at any sports and hide by myself at lunch that's how he could forget about Vince's little sister. I wish I could've wore Ziyah's hoodie today, and throw it over my head.

My film plays and my nerves finally calm as I see what I created on the big projector which to me is like a big screen. I've seen it so many times, and only until now it doesn't just feel like some series of clips and an actual serious project.

"You're good at film or whatever," Dylan whispers from behind me.

"Thanks," I whisper back. The clips from my childhood come up and I hear some girls aww probably because they see Vince when he was 9, but I still get a warm feeling at someone reacting to my work.

Still I have some nerves in me because Ziyah or my boyfriend could be watching, but I don't pay attention to those thoughts, and listen to my own voice which doesn't sound so bad.

"Ice cream, cookies, and funnel cake at water parks. Remember not caring or even knowing about a nutrition label. Wanting to eat the whole bakery section at Ralph's and all of the sweet choices. We didn't care to lie and savor one's feelings and we told the straight truth. Or we were the complete opposite and we lied about everything because we didn't care. That's what made everything so beautiful we didn't care." The film ends with a clip of Sofia writing impossible on a paper and spelling it wrong, and when the screen goes black applause feels the auditorium. Every other film got the same applause, and it feels amazing, but ends when Mr. Mingle comes back to the stage. 

"Ok that was our last film, so now time to announce the winners and recipients of the gift card and La film school scholarship." Scholarship? that wasn't on the flyer. Mr. Mingle takes a little pause then opens the little card in his hands. As he fiddles with it my teeth chatter over the silence. "Hmm," Mr.Mingle says to himself as he looks at the card. "We have a tie between Navia Lenin and Daya Price." My heart drops to my stomach even though to me this short film isn't as big a deal as the school makes it out to be. More applause erupts in the room and I can actually enjoy it because Navia and I don't have to go up on the stage. This has to be one of my favorite Christmas presents next to some Nike sneakers my dad got for sale.

After the principle gives us announcements about having a great semester we're released to our break. I go to the office to take a picture with Navia and then back to the locker and after sharing a kiss Ziyah and I find a table with two seats where there's not too many people. Ziyah tells me my film was on some HBO shit, and because I know he hates when I don't accept his compliments I don't object. 

Ziyah keeps his eyes right on me, and I love it. Plus he's captivating with his dreads in a ponytail and his oversized guess t shirt all nice and wrinkless.

We've been talking for a bit about how I'm friends with Harper and our hands are entangled which I love because his touch calms me and my cluttered mind down.

"Harper is not that bad," I conclude extending my smile. Through my peripherals I see Chase and Laia walk by, but I only tear my eyes away for a second and that's because Laia's hair is straightened which I haven't seen on her.

Ziyah's hand tenses up a little bit and his eyes lose its lightness. "Daya," He says and his voice is quite harsh.

"Yes," I say with worry. I don't know if he notices but I'm holding onto his hand a little tighter.

"I hate to be that guy, but besides your brother how many niggas do I need to worry about?" His voice is back to being nonchalant and so are his eyes. Wait What?

"What do you mean?" As much as I want to keep my smile my face creases in confusion. Ziyah raises his eyebrows and I get exactly what he means, I just didn't expect for him to ask the question before I could ask my version of the question.

"None," the other words in my throat struggle to get out. "You don't have anyone to worry about." Unless Eddie Mariano the boy who gave me a valentine in 4th grade counts, after all he gave me starburst and fun dip.

"K." At that I remove my hand from his and my mind stops being calm.

I fidget with my fingers and do my best to not look at his eyes. "Are there any girls I need to worry about?" I look up from my nails just a little and seeing Ziyah's smirk come back a smile etches on my face.

"Nah."

He shakes his head and I believe him 100% which is weird because the old Daya would be all skeptical and let her insecurities grow more. I'm just keeping my insecurities at the same level. Although I do have this vision of this perfect girl in fenty makeup with faux locs who could be Ziyah's ex and model for urban outfitters.

"Good." The weird energy goes away and Ziyah extends his hand across the table and I place mine on it, all thoughts of the girl with fenty makeup disappear from my mind.

"You sure?" Ziyah asks, yeah he senses how tight I'm holding onto his hand.

"Yes I'm sure, everything's good." There's hesitation laced in my voice, but it's not because of Ziyah, but because it's still hitting me that I'm a girlfriend to someone as alluring as him and I don't know how to be one, and maybe Ziyah can sense that.

"Good because my mom wants to meet you."

My mouth slightly opens in an o, and Ziyah's cheeks have a bit of pink like when I saw the picture Harper took on his phone.

"She does?"

"Yea I mean only if you want to."

"I want to."

The rest of the day I bask in my new found happiness that is partly because of my new relationship, and the fact I won the film competition alongside Navia. Although there is this part of me that thinks Harper did some Aunt Becky shit and that's why Navia and I tied.  It's not the winning, but it's the feeling of having something to come home and tell my dad about. When I tell him over dinner there was no more talk of Vince playing football, and compliments I tried my best to object to.