Coming of Age and Coming to Love

Chapter 7

So it turns out that daddy wasn't as pissed as I thought he was gone be. Oh but don't get me wrong he was mad alright. He put me on a three day punishment because I went outside and ain't tell nobody. Plus I was with a boy, which I don't think was a big deal. It's twelve in the afternoon and I was sitting on the couch in the living room, watching tv. I felt the couch sink in my right and I turned to see daddy smiling at me.

"What," I asked kind if agitated.

"You like 'em don't you baby girl?" I knew exactly who he was talking about, but I wouldn't let him know that.

"Like who?"

"Don't act dumb princess, you know who. That boy Khalil, the one who you was wit yesterday."

"He's a friend papi, be calm."

"Yeah okay. I seen the way you looked at him the other day. That ain't no friendly look. Speaking of looks, your quince dress try-on is tomorrow."

I face palmed myself. How could I forget my own birthday and quinceñarea? That was a dumb move on my behalf. Ugh! I still have to find an escort.

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After me and daddy talked about my dress, I went oh stairs to talk to mommy. As I approached my parents master bedroom, I heard At Last by Eda James playing. I knocked on the door and waited patiently for her to answer. Thirty seconds had passed and just as I was about to walk away-

"Come in Fieya," she called out angelically. I walked inside to see mommy brushing her hair, in front of the mirror.

"So who is it," she asked.

"Who's who," I questioned confusedly.

"Your escort."

"How you even know that was what I came to tell you?"

She gave me hat 'chile please I know you' look. I just started to smile at the night of my escort choice.

"He's the boy, Khalil, that I met when we first got here. I like him a lil' bit though mama. Papi know too but I don't know how he do."

"He knows because he knows you. Daddy told me all about 'the look'. He said it was the same look in your eye that I have for him. So, is he going?" I sat there on the queen size bed quietly with my head down. Here's the thing, I never really told him about the escort situation. I thought when I picked somebody, daddy was gone use his "gangsta magic", to get the person there. Guess not.

"You haven't told him yet. Good going Fieya. You need to tell him by tomorrow, the quince is in exactly two days."

I walked out the master bedroom with TOO much on my mind. That's a nice way to greet somebody, "hey, you fine be my date or daddy gone kill you." Oh yeah, I got this in the bag, sarcasm intended. But the time I made it to my room I just flipped im face down on the bed. I wasn't even in the mood to change out my day clothes. I closed my eyes and before I knew it, I was off to sleep.

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I was at a dress store trying on all different kinds of dresses. This had not been a good morning for me at all. Now I had on a blue ruffle-like dress that went all the way to the floor. The top half of the dress was a corset, while the bottom half was loose and puffy. I hated this stupid thing. It was itchy in all the wrong places, got me feeling like I have a rash. I stepped in the podium to look at myself in the triple mirrors.

"I hate this dress," I said to mommy.

"Of course you do," she replied not looking up from the magazine she was reading.

I stepped down and started walking back to my dressing room. But I stopped in my tracks when I seen the most beautiful dress. Looking at the dress it felt as though we were just drawn to each other. I went to the rack and grabbed the dress to try it on.

Once I had the dress on I couldn't believe my eyes, it was perfect. The sees was a fuchsia pink with a corset top and puffy-like bottom. The corset had nothing but all sequin and and glitter shining off of it. Usually something like this wasn't my cup of tea but I couldn't resist. I exited the dressing room and I swear I saw mommy drop a tear.

"This is the one," I simply stated. Turning around on the podium, staring at myself in the mirror, I came to a scary realization. I'm becoming a woman.