Telltale Tango | Complete

Three - Giselle

The bright screen of the phone lights up my room despite the blackout curtains. I know there aren't any new messages from him, but I stare at it anyway, wondering how last night ended the way it did.

I want to pick it up and text him back, but I don't even know what I would say. Maybe...

"Giselle, are you in there?" Priya whines through the door. "You better still be home; I need details of your epic date."

"I'm here. Breakfast first?" I say, pulling on my doorknob until the door releases from the frame, crashing into the drywall behind it. "Oops. Breakfast first?"

"It's two in the afternoon, Giselle."

"Breakfast is for breaking your fast, Priya. I can eat it whenever I want."

Her eyes could probably see through the back of her head with how dramatically she rolls them, pulling my hand and dragging me toward the kitchen, plunking me down on a small wooden chair next to our drafty window. The sun streams in and reflects off the pickle jar on the counter right into my eyes.

"So, what do you want for breakfast?" Priya waves a spatula around, other hand firmly planted on her hip.

"Did you tie your hair up since we got here?"

"I'm asking the questions," she brandishes her weapon in front of my face. "And I asked what you want for breakfast."

"Umm... Toast? No. Oatmeal maybe."

"Oatmeal it is, then."

"I didn't sleep very well. Maybe I should have some eggs."

Priya ties the long, dark apron around her waist, covering most of her teal dress. "Eggs it is. How do you want them cooked this morning, my friend?"

Why are there so many ways to cook an egg? I don't want to think about things right now. I want to daydream about hot guys and crawl back into bed for a nap. But I can't do that because I need to get ready and—

"Giselle? Earth to Giselle. Come in Giselle."

"Sorry. Umm... How do you like making them?"

"Girl, you are getting sunny side up eggs and a toast soldier. I can't keep doing this with you. Who am I if not an excellent chef? And who are you if not terrible at ordering. We don't even have that many options?"

"I'm sorry. That's perfect, thank you. I need coffee."

"In the pot," she says without turning around, eggs cracking straight into the pan.

The only clean mug says 'world's best boyfriend,' and became mine after Priya's third to last boyfriend dumped her after cheating on her. Needless to say, we—I mean she—broke into his house and stole it back. I suggested shattering it into a million pieces. Glad we didn't do that as I sit sipping the lukewarm bean juice and hoping the caffeine will perk me up enough to get through the day.

The eggs sizzle in the pan as Priya watches them like a hawk. "So, you were out super late. Tell me about your date."

The remaining coffee slides down my throat and I inhale a small bit, causing a short coughing fit.

"You aren't going to sway me by pretending to cough, girl."

A small amount of water from the tap remedies my coughing fit and I pull my legs up under me on the kitchen chair. "I wasn't. Nevermind. My date was... where do I begin?"

"Well, how was the guy? Nice as he was online?"

My head shakes before I have time to get the words out.

"He wasn't nice, and you stayed with him all night? Girl, you don't need to stoop that low."

"I didn't stay with him. Just—Can you stop talking for a second? My story is good."

"Fine. So what happened? Ow!" She shakes her hand and turns the tap on as cold as it will go, holding her burnt thumb under the tap water and staring at me.

"Well, I get there and the guy is NOT there, so I go sit down at the bar, right? But then I realize this creep in the corner is the guy I've been talking with, right?"

Her gasp is punctuated by her placing the plate of food down in front of me. "No. Way."

"Yes way. But I'm super hungry at this point, right?"

"Do not tell me you sat down with a creep just to buy you dinner. I will buy you dinner."

"No. I didn't do that." The egg burns my mouth but stops my stomach from protesting its emptiness, so I shovel in another bite before continuing. "I stayed at the bar and the guy there—"

"You met a cute bartender?"

"You are really bad at letting me tell stories."

"And you are really bad at telling me stories in a timely fashion."

"Shush, you." I hand her a toast soldier to eat while she waits.

"Well, he left me a cute note on the bottom of my receipt and also I forgot my credit card there, so I texted him and we're going to meet up again tonight."

A mouthful of food does not protect me from Priya's squeal and hug. "Ooh, tell me everything. So he's cute. What are you doing tonight? Are you going out? Are you going to come home?"

"Put your suggestive eyes away; I only just met him."

"I know, but you like him. I can tell. I would tell you to be careful, but you're probably already doing that enough for the both of us."

I don't have to respond in order for her to know I've been running all the scenarios since I met the man. "I think he's alright. But I want to get to know him a bit more first, you know? All I know is I like him enough to see him again."

"Awe. You are so cute. I absolutely love this for you. What are you going to wear?"

"It's two in the afternoon! I don't know!"

"You've just been staring at his messages, wondering if it's acceptable to message him again, haven't you?"

"You're lucky I don't have anything to throw at you."

"I am. But you need time to get ready. You still smell like a bar. You need to shower and pick an outfit and get your hair and makeup done." She picks up my hands and stares at the skin I've picked around my nails. "And you need a manicure. Okay. We should have just enough time if we start now. Finish that egg, please."

"I don't need you to do a whole makeover on me, Priya. I can get ready for a date."

"Oh, like last night?"

"That was one time!"

"And it was also the only time in over five years. Just admit you don't know what you're doing."

"I will never."

Priya grabs my arm and pulls me up. "Let's go pick out some date clothes. You are so lucky you have me."

"Fine. But only because you are good at this and I'm not even sure if tonight is a date."

"Look at you. You're practically dancing with excitement. I say it's a date."

"I'm just going to pick up my credit card and maybe have a drink."

"Well, if you look hot, maybe it could turn into more. You never know. Now go. Shower. I'm going to find something in this closet that's casual but hot."

"Isn't that a contradiction?"

"Oh, sweet summer child. You have much to learn. Go!" 

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