New To This

Devondre

Although giddiness ran through me when Ziyah's hand was on my thigh and his eyes were on my legs I've settled back in my boyfriend jeans, and thanks to La's bipolar weather my bright red hoodie. Do I look like the girls who used to be on my screen when I had pinterest, no, but my looks don't matter today as it's the first day of my film program at the New York Film Academy.

"When I was young in the summer I spent my days chasing Devondre the neighborhood dog around, there wasn't no film program just Ms. Pattie's daycare," my dad says as he stops at a red light. Most of his childhood memories from the Bronx come at times like these when an old woman in a prius forgets how to drive. He's especially not holding anything back on this trip because it's just the two of us Vince is training and Dani is at summer camp.

"Didn't you say last time Devondre was chasing you?" I ask before he can add on to his narrative.

"Me chasing his fat ass or him chasing my fried chicken lovin' ass, same difference," my dad concludes and I can't help but laugh even if he isn't letting go of his mean mug. "You laughing now, but one of these days I'm going to find a dog who needs exercise and you're going to become Usain bolt."

"My mile is already 8:55." Dad does an impressive nod as if he's looking at some fancy painting. Making him lose his mean mug the old woman in the prius turns down another lane, and the bright green light flashes.

As the number of cars decrease my dad lets Lauryn Hill's Ex Factor play as I tap my fingers on my notebook which according to the film program's site was the only thing us students needed to bring. It only takes 5 minutes and a few insurance ads for my dad to park in front of the New york film academy, and turn to give me a semi harsh look. "New york film academy in north hollywood? Makes no sense, as a former New Yorker I'm offended." He shakes his head, and I can see the lecture in his eyes.

"Ok dad," I say not being too good at hiding that annoyed teenage daughter side of me.

"You know when I was young, guess how many times my dad drove me around," he asks.

"Twice, but he was looking for a place to smoke, "I recite. A smile breaks out on my dad's face, and his period of reminiscence is finally over as we head into the building.

There is tons of students and the first day of course is the long drawn out orientation  where I meet Alyssa  who has long brown curls and a golden girls t shirt. She wants to write the next How I met your mother, and the second she says it we immediately form a bond. Unlike school and group projects my shyness goes away and is replaced with excitement for the whole day.

When I exit the building my dad sits in his Mazda aggressively typing away at his phone. He doesn't stop until I pull the door open and his eyes land on me. "Hey did they teach you how to make billions while only casting the same 10 actors," he says  with a fake smile as I slide into the passenger seat.

"It was just an orientation today dad," I say and he begins driving while bobbing his head to "Girls on film," and mumbling along with the melody. I add on to his mumbling and head bobbing, until his phone begins to buzz every 5 seconds. Knowing how my dad feels about his privacy and me seeing Kayla blow up his phone with request I don't bother picking it up for him or even looking at the screen. Like the good citizen he is he picks it up when the light transitions to red, and goes back to aggressively typing.

"Vince asking for more food?" I ask even though I sure as hell know that's not the case. My dad just shakes his head and sloppily places his phone down in the cup holder only for it to go back to aggressively buzzing.

Unlike my mom who stays mad for at least a day about everything and doesn't try to lighten up my dad turns to me and lets the irritation come off of his face. "So tell me about the orientation I had to fill a bunch of paperwork for."