Daya

14|Break up

Harper and Navia have been going strong for maybe a month and a half now. They've kissed multiple times in public, joined the tolerance club, and have dedicated so much time together I haven't had to talk with Harper, unless it's in French class where she asks me about pronunciation.

Until today Wednesday which is supposed to be my chill short day, Harper calls me 2 minutes after my dad drops Vince and I at home, frantically begging me to come over.

Fortunately or unfortunately my dad wasn't out of the door yet, as he was trying a new protein bar that only has 1g of sugar. Harper's whiny panic was so loud Vince overheard her leaving me no choice, but to come to her aid, and most importantly get my family some quiche. This quiche better live up to Vince and Dani's somewhat high standards because shining in the Falims driveway is Michelle's BMW.

I slowly ring the doorbell and someone's quick footsteps make their way to me. Rosa who kind of looks like she was running around with kids all day, slowly opens the door. When it's halfway open she looks me up and down like I haven't been here, and looks back into the house.

"Excuse my language, but Daya honey you're fucked," she whispers with her head peeping out of the door.

"Who's at the door Rosa?" Michelle's motherly tone booms and Rosa quickly opens the door.

I slowly walk in to see Michelle standing closer to the back door in a white v neck sundress that almost topples over her bare feet. "Daya so glad to see you come, come, I knew that was your dad's Mazda outside," she says outstretching her arms letting me know she wants me to walk towards her.

As Rosa scurries into the dinning room with a little chuckle I hug Michelle who smells like lavender and something else that's really strong. When her slim arms detangle from mine that are covered in a long sleeved white shirt she still keeps her hands on my shoulders.

"Daya I am so pleased to see you, you look gorgeous as always." She moves her hands off of my shoulders and gestures to my distressed denim overalls. 

"Thank you," I say with a forced smile.

"And Daya I know I'm way overdue, but I am so sorry about my behavior at the brunch, I truly owe you." Here comes the quiche.

"Ok thank you it's ok, but you don't owe me anything."

"Oh yes I do Daya,  come on what's your price, hah get it Price? Do you want me to get you with Henry because aside from the random hookups he's single." She gestures around at her spacious house like she's going to give me a chunk of it if I ask. Only out of curiosity I ask, "He's single? Really."

"Yes I know I was surprised too, I thought he was going to end up with that Isabelle character." Michelle puts her head in her palm and shakes her head.

"She was a little too chill for my taste." I nod thinking of Henry's high school sweetheart Isabelle.

She was some vegan from a state next to the Dakotas and she always smelled like salt water or new organic natural shampoo, at least when I ran into her about 3 times.

"Yes totally, Henry couldn't handle that level of chillness especially with the girl still in contact with her lover from where was it? The Dominican Republic, and poor Henry couldn't compare to that Mario."

Michelle and I both sigh as images of the tan beach babe who was Isabelle's ex flash through our minds. They never actually broke up and I believe Isabelle is with the Dominican surfer right now laying in the sand on some exotic island.

Getting off track Michelle and I discuss all of the red signs about Isabelle and Henry's relationship, like Isabelle's disbelief in monogamy, and Henry never using tongue when they kissed. After some nodding and criticizing Isabelle's nonchalant way of life Michelle circles back to the main question.

"So come on Daya what do you want? I need to feel less guilty so I can take your mother out for lunch again." No disrespect to my mother, but really she wouldn't care about Michelle's drunk fit if Michelle took her out to a really nice restaurant.

"Quiche."

"Quiche?" She lets the question swish in her head like wine a bit. "The one at the brunch?"

"Yup." Without any question about the cheese or texture she shouts some command to Rosa. She lets me know the quiche will be ready by the time I leave making me question how long I will be in Harper's room.

As I walk up the stairs I check my phone to see a collection of messages from Harper begging me to stop talking to her mom. Not responding because we're in the same house I slowly push open the door that is holding in Harper's depressing room from the well lit hallway.

The curtains are closed and the lights are creating a somewhat dark draft where Harper lays in the middle of on her bed in a gray oversized sweatshirt. Her eyes are glued with a drop of honey on the ceiling as her phone sits on her stomach. She lets out a sigh then turns her head to me showing dry tear stains down her pale cheeks.

Even in this depressing manner that I've only seen on Vince when he fumbled and made the team lose 2 years ago, she still manages to give me the signal to take off my white sneakers when my feet almost touch her carpet.

After I take my shoes off I slowly make my way to Harper's bed which seems to have not been folded and perfected by Rosa.

"Hey what's up," I whisper and sit next to her. She doesn't jump up or look right into my eyes like she normally does. For a girl like Harper I can't think of that many scenarios that would put her in this somber state. Whatever it is it's not about her father seeing as it's not affecting Michelle who seemed happy and her breath smelled only of apple cider vinegar.

"Navia broke up with me after 6th period." Harper's words squish together to create a high pitched cry. Instead of asking her how she changed out of her romper so quickly I scootch on the bed some more and stroke her golden blonde hair.

"I'm sorry," is all I say.

"Don't pretend like your sorry Daya, you knew it wasn't going to last." Uhh you're supposed to say okay, and wallow not bring up the truth. I stop stroking her extremely smooth hair feeling a tad defensive as her depressing voice surprises me.

"I didn't but, look at it this way, now you can learn from this relationship and make a better one with someone else who is not experimenting." My little addition of comedic relief makes Harper jump up and change her melancholy expression.

"Navia was not experimenting!"

"If you say so."

"She's the one who went down one."

"I'm not denying that, but do you think she really knew what she was doing?" I look at Harper over my glasses that are sliding down my nose.

"It did sort of feel like she was just tickling me with some water." To much information, but I've heard way worst from Sex and the City and Jada who loves details.

"And she took a noticeable step back when you kissed her."

"She did." Harper's upbeat argumentative voice trails off into a stare. "Fine she did take a step back, but I still think she's completely bisexual." Killing Harper's certainty I pipe up with laughter at Harper's use of the oxymoron completely bisexual.

"Do you think I'll find another blushing redhead who gives head in someone's trashy bathroom?" Harper plops her head on my shoulder and making the moment cuter I put my head in on top of hers.

"Harper I'm sure there are way more easier girls who are actually gay." Harper nods and as one of my braids hits her in the face we get out of our cute position.

"You know who I really liked for a while? Henry's ex Isabelle. She smelled like the ocean and she always wore those short bikini crop tops or t shirts with no bras. Too bad she was in love with that Mario guy who Henry couldn't compare to."

"Yea too bad."

Until Rosa finishes with the quiche I comfort Harper and tell her all of the jokes about Navia that I've been cooking up in my head since I heard that toilet flush when I came over last time. Some of them just revive a deadpan, but the majority all work. For a second when Harper's face is red with laughter I think about telling her about Friday, but me watching a movie with a friend isn't relevant whether Harper is single or not.