Hello August, Please Be Good To Me

Chapter 26: Sweet Tooth Bae

My hair is still long enough to stick into a small bun, so that's what I do. Actually, two buns atop my head, which liken me to Mickey Mouse. Since Justin's house visit, I've been as free as a bird, both mentally and physically, but Danté doesn't seem much different. I've started to worry about him, but I don't know what to do either. Plus these days, I never see him, what with work, hanging out with Justin and sometimes his friends, or sleeping.

Today I'm with Sierra again, at Panda Buffet, but there isn't much conversation between us, with me on my phone (texting Justin of course) and Sierra nose-deep in a new book, To All the Boys I've Loved Before. So far my aunt hasn't caught me sneaking Sierra from camp, and I make sure not to do it too often. "You gonna go get some food?" I ask, looking up from my phone. Sierra looks up from her book too and smirks. "I will when you will, Love Song." She says it sweetly, and I fight the urge to reach over the table and push her over. I have an audience and everyone has a camera phone... "Shut up," I say, regretting even mentioning that to Sierra. I don't know what Justin was thinking. I hate pet names and I only tolerate "babe" from Justin, but if this is his idea of being funny, he's got another thing coming to him. "Tell Justin I say heeeey," she drags out the last syllable, batting her eyes excessively, and I get up and swipe at her with my rolled up napkin before heading to the buffet and starting off with my usual egg rolls and fried rice.

When I return back to the table, Sierra gets up and leaves, her book face down on the table holding her page. I say grace and unwrap my fork out of the napkin bundle, eyeing the book for a moment. I pick it up, examining the front and back cover before turning to the page where Sierra left off. She's almost done! I start reading a passage in the middle, and soon get the feeling that somebody is watching me. Sierra looks just like the Cheshire cat as she takes her seat across from me. I quickly put the book back like I found it and stick some fried rice in my mouth. "It's good isn't it?" I shrug, though now I kind of what to read the book from the beginning. "Have you finished the book I gave you yet?" she asks, and I stuff more food into my mouth so I can't speak. Justin text me about this guy walking around the mall with her shirt off, and no one has said anything to him. I chuckle, then get a great idea. When I do get around to swallowing, I suggest casually to my cousin, "Want a cinnamon roll?" I know what her answer will be, and after another round of good old American Chinese food, we gather out stuff and head for my car.

Sierra, who has finished the book, sits beside me, windows down and head against the seat. She sits up when we past the Cinnabon a few minutes later, and I pretend not to notice. "Umm, girl you just passed Bae," she says, twisting in her seat to get a better look at the now smaller and smaller building. "Chill, we're still going. I didn't forget," I tap to the beat of my turn signal's clicking, looking for any last minute cars before I change lanes. Not too far from the Governor Square mall is a Krispy Kreme, which I pull into, almost grazing the large truck beside me. "Doughnuts!" Sierra scoffs as I unbuckle my seat belt. "You can come to if you want," I offer, smiling to myself. I like to call this payback. "Eww, hell no," she sticks her nose in the air like a snob, and I laugh all the way inside. Doughnuts are also life, and Krispy Kreme brings me great joy. I settle on five glazed and one chocolate cake one, before going back outside again. My sweet tooth hasn't changed, but I can't believe how sick of cookies I am, and it hasn't even been a whole month of my working at the mall yet. Sierra gives a dangerous stare as I stuff a doughnut in my mouth, leaving the crumbs there just to annoy her.

"That is disgusting," she mutters, and I take another doughnut and wave it underneath her nose before she knocks it out of my hand and onto the dashboard.

"Ah! A causality!"

"Stop, you're making me sick!"

"Sick enough to pass on a cinnamon roll?"

I try and fail to dodge her kick to my shin, without swerving off the road. Ever since Sierra was little, she's had something against fried, sugary, yeast dough. Actually she chucks it anytime she eats it, so that's explanation enough, but it's still fun to rub it in her face, especially after all the things she claimed about my relationship. Speaking of relationships, Sierra is also the sister I never had, and vice versa.

I park in front of the Dillard's entrance of the mall, and realization dawns on Sierra's face. She looks at mine, and her face breaks out in a huge grin, just like a little kid. But just like a little kid, heck, like a younger sibling, there's an evil glint in her eye as she turns on her heel and leads the way to the food court. I hope this doesn't classify me as clingy but I really want to see Justin, and the extra fifteen out of our way is totally worth it, I feel. I stand back as Sierra orders her pecan roll, then come up to say high to Justin. He gives me a strange look, and as he leans his arm out I think he's trying to bring me in for a kiss...in a very public area. Instead, he swipes at the side of my mouth. Hard. "Hey!" I say moving his hand away. He laughs, "What were you eating? It's all over your face!" My cheeks burn to the point it hurts, and I turn on Sierra, knowing the meaning of that stupid glint in her eyes. "You let me walk around with crud on my mouth?!" She pats the sides of her clean mouth with a napkin. "Mmm, you're words, not mine."