One Giant Step for a Black Girl Praying to God in a Cubicle

Chapter 4: To Greet or Not to Greet

"OK, Nandi, for the umpteenth time, that jean looks fine on you! can we go now? My feet hurt!" Rene was pouting to her stressed friend as they were at a clothing store in Seoul. Rene really didn't see the problem with the jeans. They looked great! Nandi on the other hand, didn't like that her curves were showing. She preferred loose-fitting clothes. Rene could not figure out if it was just her wanting to be comfy or her being insecure of her body. Nonetheless, her friend looked great and she wished she would see that. Or maybe borrow her own pairs of eyes. Eew! Rene laughed to as she thought to herself.

"Rene, for the last time, are you sure these jeans are fine?" Nandi wouldn't stop looking at herself in the mirror. She had dragged Rene into the fitting room. Rene had been dragged to the 40th fitting room that morning. She had kept count. Nandi dragged her throughout Seoul looking for clothes and they only had two outfits to show. The problem was not that Nandi couldn't find clothes, she surprisingly had some clothes for bigger built women. Nandi was the problem. Too indecisive.

"come, let's go pay for this," this time Rene was the one dragging Nandi but to the sales woman. They got to the counter and the woman took the jeans with a sweet smile on her face. Nandi looked nervously at the woman. Rene rolled her eyes. She was getting tired of this shopping. She had bought all her own clothes in the very first store they visited 3 hours ago. She was ready to leave and go home.

'eolma yeyo?" asked Nandi. The woman told her how much the jeans cost and Nandi paid. The jeans were put in a cute red plastic and Rene grabbed it. "Now let's go." Rene walked out the store with the jeans. Nandi shrugged and thanked the lady and walked after her friend. They got to the car that Rene got for the both of them and Rene put all the bags inside the car on the seats at the back. Nandi decided to drive since Rene looked tired. She suggested they get lunch at a café.

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When they got there, it was pretty empty. Well, only four guys sat by a table close to the entrance. They eyed Nandi and looked at each other for a moment and said something and looked back at her. Nandi was too intrigued by the coffee smell and the doughnuts she saw displayed by the counter to notice the guys looking at her. Rene on the other hand noticed. She was getting annoyed a little. She was in no mood for more drama like the one they had last night. To top that off, she was tired from shopping and it was just 11am. She was gonna give them an earful if they started anything.

"Can I have two lattes please?" Nandi said to the lady by the counter. Nandi paused for a moment and said, "and can I also have two medium bran muffins? Thanks". The woman who tooked her order told her to find a table to sit and she would bring the orders there. Nandi smiled in satisfaction. As she turned she saw her friend already found a table by the end of the café - very far from everyone.

"and now?' Nandi sat opposite Rene.

"what?" Rene eyed her while she was texting on her cellphone without looking at it. Nandi wanted to master that art but she always sucked at it.

"why are we sitting in such a far and awkward spot?' Nandi whipped out her own cellphone and turned on the camera. She told her friend to stop texting for a minute and they took a pic together.

Rene resumed her texting and Nandi looked at her in silence.

Ten minutes passed by while Rene was still on her cellphone and Nandi stilled looking at her. Their order came and Nandi thanked the woman for bringing the food over.

"See those guys?" Rene motioned with her eyes in the direction of the four guys who were seated by the table near the entrance of the café. Nandi was about to turn around and look at them when Rene slammed her hand on her's preventing her from looking.