sleepy city [discontinued]

5 | wednesday night interlude

jackson

I think London considers me as a friend, and we've been talking for a few months now. She couldn't text me as much as I wanted her to because she was always studying. I wonder if she thinks about texting me while she studies. I spent my time in my studio watching Netflix on my computer, wondering if London is really studying right now. I gave this time to myself to watch movies and eat junk food. London suggested that I shouldn't eat junk this much, but I told her that these abs weren't going anywhere.

I put joggers on when my phone made a soft ringing sound. It was a text message from this girl, asking if I was feeling better. Why wouldn't I be? Then I remembered. This girls name was Mia, and she was asking if I wanted to go out on a date. The first time she asked I told her wasn't feeling well and that I had to study as well, also because I was broke.She was really nice, and we'd worked on an assignment together, then a week later she asked me out. I would feel bad and guilty if i said no this time, so I accepted.

Mia said she knew a great place to go, and asked me to meet at her place in an hour. I took a shower and put on some jeans and an NYU sweater. My apartment was near campus and it didn't take long to get to Mia's dorm. It was about 6 in the afternoon, and there was a pretty sunset.

I came to her dorm bedroom, and several girls in shorts and tank tops passed me. They were all white girls, and there was nothing present that I would call myself interested in. I knocked at the door, and Mia opened it. She wore a mesh sweater and skinny jeans covering her pale skin.

"Hey." She smiled. She had really white teeth and her red auburn hair was cut short.

"Hey. I like your haircut." I think she smiled harder. It's possible she's glad I noticed. "So where are we going?"

She grabbed her purse. "This little burger place not too far from here."

I nodded. Mia closed the door behind her, and I asked her to lead the way. My phone vibrated while we were walking to the place Mia talked about. I really wanted to answer, but I didn't want to be rude.

"So what's your major?" Mia asked. This was finally something besides that damned burger place or her last boyfriend.

"Psychology. My minor is sociology." Those were the only words I had said during that walk. Mia continued to talk about her classes, weaving in little notes on how her girlfriends went out with their boyfriends. She was lonely.

We finally made it to the dining spot. I opened the door for her and pulled out her chair. I was only being polite. I looked at what to order, ad then the waiter came.

"Classic cheeseburger with fries and a coke, please."

"Veggie Burger and a water." She smiled weakly while the waiter took our menus. "I'm on a diet." I knew she was lying.

Her stature was fine and slim, but I didn't say anything. I could tell she wanted exactly what I ordered. I hated when girls didn't eat what they wanted. But if they wanted to look pretty, so be it. I tell them they do, yet it's so hard for them to believe me. It's hard to make a girl happy, especially if she doesn't like many features of herself.

By the end of our date, I concluded that Mia wasn't for me. She was very shallow, talkative, and I knew she was a die hard Christian. A black girl came in with her white girlfriend, and she was disgusted when she saw them kiss. She mumbled how they were going to rot in hell, along with "that pregnant whore" in her Religious Studies class. I knew if she had any interests in me, I would have to decline. I couldn't date someone like this. I paid for dinner and walked her home. Shegave me a kiss on my cheek and complimented my tattoo before closing the door.

"That sounds horrible."

"And then she called some girl in her class a pregnant whore."

London and I were FaceTiming, and I had run the whole date with Mia over. She said she felt sorry for me.

"I have to thank Mia sometime, though. On the project we worked on, I had to come down to Atlanta for research."

"So without Mia you would've never met me?"

"That's right."

It's 11 o'clock on a Wednesday night, and I still have to study.

"Blow me a kiss, babygirl."

I call her babygirl on purpose. She's the kind of girl who needs and deserves to be called babygirl. But she does need to call me Daddy or something.

picture of Mia provided