Link Up ✔️

Chapter 63

Perez was gorgeous

I was intrigued by him before we went on our date. Social media was good for something. I stalked his TikTok and he made good thought pieces about being racially profiled. He was Mexican and he was from Houston, Texas.

No girlfriend that I could tell from his pages, but that did not mean a thing.

We texted each other back and forth for a day before we decided to just go out. I had not been on a date in a while. I already did not know how to act.

What was I going to wear? What was I going to do to my hair? Luckily I took my braids out the week before but now I did not know what to do with my hair.

I stared at myself in the mirror for what for let an hour, and still had no idea. I missed the braids. At least I could get up and go with them. Now I had to do something with my hair. I combed it, flat ironed it, and I still looked like I stuck my finger in a socket.

"Ugh!"

I grabbed a jar of gel and slicked my hair back into a ponytail and then made a bun.

I was dressed in black leggings, tall boots, and a long gray sweater. Simple, not too dressy.

I applied a bit of foundation, but I did not need much. I was still learning how to do my makeup, so I was not into highlighting or contouring, or covering my blemishes. I added some blush for my cheeks, green eyeshadow because it was my fave, and then topped it with lipgloss.

I was cute! Well, I had to keep my confidence up like that. I did not get many guys thinking I was cute. Maybe it was my bubbly personality that guys liked.

Even though Perez had a car, we were hanging out on campus for our date.

"You look great," he said to me.

That was just what I was going for. "Thank you, Perez."

It was still cold outside so Perez was bundled in a thick coat and even wore a knit cap on his head. I was not that cold, only with a light coat and gloves.

"How about bowling?"

A total cliche date, but why not. We headed to the Student Union where there was a huge bowling alley. There also was a game room there, maybe we would play a few games as well.

"I love it here," he said as they walked.

"Here where? The school? Mizzou?"

"Yes, but Missouri in general. The weather, the people."

"Boy, really? Missouri is not that great of a place," I added with a chuckle.

"Have you been to Houston?"

"No, I haven't been to many places." Besides visiting Angel's parents in Phoenix, that's about the extent of my travels. Before my father met Angel, he never left the St. Louis area at all, so I at least was doing better than this.

"Think about St. Louis but bigger. Warmer weather and when we get cold or snow, we don't know how to act."

"You've been to St. Louis?"

"Have family there. My uncle attended Mizzou and then moved to St. Louis. He's the reason I chose here. My parents didn't go to college."

We made it to the bowling alley. I realized I had to take off my cute boots. Good thing I wore socks. Perez wore fresh new Jordans, which were nuts in the snow and all, but they still looked new. Perez dressed like money.  

"I don't want to get into your business, but your parents...what do they do?"

"They own a restaurant. We do okay I guess. My uncle, the one in St. Louis, actually does more than okay. He has a restaurant as well. Same concept as my parents, but he gets better business. He's rich!"