Hot and Humid (Laurmani)

Chapter 2

The spring semester went by without a text or call from Lauren. I wasn't going to call her, but I was a little curious about how she was doing. Then, one day in May after summer break had started, I got a call.

"Hello."

"This is Lauren. Is this Normani?"

"Yes. What's up?"

"Paramore is coming to town, and I really want to see them, but I don't want to go by myself."

I inquired, "You haven't made any friends since you've been here? You've been here for at least a school year, right?"

"Yes, and no I haven't made any friends. I'm having a hard time fitting in here. Houstonians are just so country and backward," Lauren confessed.

I advised, "Well, you aren't going to make any friends saying things like that."

Lauren apologized, "I'm sorry. You seem cool, though. You have all of your teeth and none of them are gold."

Silence.

"Normani, are you still there?"

"Yes."

"So are you going to come with me? You can invite some of your friends, but they will have to buy their own tickets. I'll buy yours."

"I rarely listen to rock music," I admitted.

"What do you listen to?"

"Mostly R&B and hip hop," I said.

Lauren informed, "Well, Paramore has a little R&B influence in their music. The lead singer says she's inspired by it. I listen to R&B, so I think you might like them. Broaden your horizons."

"Since you're buying my ticket, I guess there would be no risk."

"Great!"

She gave me the date, time, and location of the concert before we hung up. After we got off the phone, I called up Brandee to see if she wanted to come.

"Nah," said Brandee turning me down. "I don't want to feel like a third wheel."

"It's not a date, Brandee."

"Suuurrre," Brandee teased. "I don't like Paramore, so I'm not going to spend money to see them. You have fun with your girlfr...your friend."

End call. I didn't have time for her shit.

On the day of the concert, because neither of us had a car, we planned to get off at the same bus stop near the venue. I got off my bus and looked around for Lauren knowing she had arrived before I had. And, oh my god. I saw her in this big, psychedelic, carpet-looking thing. It had to be the ugliest dress I had ever seen. What do I do? Do I want to be seen with her? Should I hide? Shit! She already spotted me.

"Hey!"

"Hi, Lauren."

She spins around. "What do you think of my dress?"

I'm terrible at lying. What do I say? "It is very...green. It matches your eyes."

"Thank you. I would compliment what you're wearing, but there isn't much material to compliment."

Did she just basically say I look like a thot? No she didn't. And, after I....sort of complimented that ugly ass dress.

"It's so hot and humid," complained Lauren.

"You should have worn something cooler."

Lauren explained, "The material is light, and it protects my skin from the sun."