FRIDA' S LIST

Chapter 22 THE PARTY

It was the beginning of summer and I was going to Celestin's party. I wouldn't stay late. I wore the black dress that Louise had offered me. I straightened my hair as if nothing had changed. I tried to smile to Louise when she told me that I was gorgeous, but it was a real disaster. My mother dropped me off at the party around 10 pm. There, I found a crowd of teenagers, some standing in the corners. I didn't know any of them except two classmates. They were kissing, flirting, and having fun, and they weren't smoking joints there! Okay, honestly, some of them were smoking pots. Anyway, I wasn't a cop.

The party was going well. I looked around and was lost in thought when Maeva came toward me to greet me. She was smiling as if she had won the Super bowl. She was beautiful. And there was Mr. Dama following her. What was he doing here?

"Hey, Pam! Thank you for being here!" she began.

She hugged me tight.

"Thank you for having me. Hello, Mr. Dama."

"Hey, Frida. Call me Paul," he said.

"Okay, Mr. Paul ...Dama," I said.

He smiled at me and whispered something in Maeva's ear.

"I'm gonna grab you a drink," he said louder, before kissing her ear.

"All right," she nodded.

"Wow! You look...WOW!" Celestin said, coming toward us.

I ignored his compliment.

"Seriously, Mr. Dama? Are you sick or something?" I said, frowning at Meava.

"What? He's a college boy," she said.

"He's our teacher."

"He was our teacher. But his contract is over, and school is over."

Mr. Dama waved at her to come over.

"Excuse me. I'll be right back," she said, leaving us.

"Seriously, Mr. Dama?" I said, watching her.

"Yeah, it's a geriatric party," Celestin mumbled.

I felt like an only child going through her parents' divorce.

"Sorry," I murmured, patting him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry. I'm not gonna give up on her."

I watched him. Maeva was right. Celestin could say some beautiful things sometimes.

"Take this," I said, handing him a box.

"What is it?" he said.

"Your gift. It's your birthday, remember?"

"Yeah, I forgot. Thanks," he said, hugging me awkwardly. "I have something for you too."

"What?"

"Jojo gave me this for you. He said you were right and you'll understand."

I looked down at what he was handing me. It was Louise's watch.

"Where's he?" I said, looking around.

"Gone, but he'll call you later he said. That's all I know."

Maybe, I hadn't lost my friends after all.

"Hey, guys. C'mon, dance," Maeva waved at us to come over.

"Where's Mr. Dama going?" I said out loud, watching him leaving the place.

"He probably needs a nap," Celestin said.

Maeva came back to us.

"He'll be back later," she said, following my look.