Accessory Wars

Chapter 43-Ki

            April. A time for rain, budding flowers, a lack of coats and my birthday. Ugh. I didn't want to tell Jay but it sort of spilled out during a conversation one day. Now we had date plans. Turning twenty one didn't seem like a big deal but I guess in other parts of the world, it's an important year. Maybe if it had been twenty years ago. Twenty one used to be the legal age to drink in Askara but it was twenty now. Not that I indulged myself. Too many empty calories. I thought of treating myself for my birthday but then the image of the scale glaring 200 at me flashed in my head like a police siren. I think my body personally wanted to see me suffer.

Another reason I didn't want to tell Jay my birthday was because I technically already celebrated it. My family followed the Songi custom where everyone celebrated their birthday at the start of the New Year. In other words, I was already twenty one.

I tried to rationalize I could pretend it was a normal date if I ignored the birthday part but it was as sturdy as a cardboard bridge. While Jay and I were an official couple, we'd been dating for a grand total of seventeen days. Aside from our sandwich dinner and a coffee run, we hadn't been on an "date". As the day drew closer, it left me stressing out because I only ever made it to a fifth date before. They were like a doomsday clock for me. No matter how many times Jay assured me he wouldn't leave, I still had a hard time believing it.

The day came and I spent far too long looking through my closet for clothes. Most of them were too big for me, insert tiny fanfare, so I called in Trevor. He was the closest to my size and he brought over a stack of shirts for me to try. I managed to find a plaid button up that fit my torso, although the sleeves hung several inches too long to the point only the tips of my middle three fingers poked out. Red, green and grey crisscrossed over the fabric, which weren't exactly my kind of colors but I've worn worse.

"Why are you all so tall?" I complained as I tried to roll the sleeves up.

"You're just short," Trevor teased as he stacked his shirts back up. "Plus, I don't think Jay's going to mind if your clothes are a little baggy." I bit my tongue as I started to fiddle with my hair. I hadn't officially told any of my friends of my new relationship but somehow they all seemed to know anyway. Good lord, when Reagan found out he pressed me for hours. That one was on me, though. I spoke without thinking. Again. I really need to work on that.

"Why would Jay care what I'm wearing?" I rebutted, trying to play aloof.

Trevor gave a skeptical look. "If you two aren't together, I'm becoming a vegetarian." My shoulders sank. He patted my shoulder. "You're too obvious, Ki."

"Right," I muttered. I went back to fixing my hair, scowling at my reflection in the microwave. "Are you still planning on watching the tournament with us next week?"

"As far as I know. Kaylee might be studying while we watch but she says it's fine. I should study too but I'll be too distracted to retain anything."

"Jay and Derek might be joining Kaylee on the study squad. I swear they could read through a hurricane." I got my hair to my liking and doubled checked my pockets for my ID. I glanced at the large holographic C in the corner, feeling a weird churning in my stomach. Would it really be so bad if I was higher? A simple glance at my watch gave me my answer and I quickly put my wallet back into my pocket.

I parted ways with Trevor and waited outside Jay's building, sending Jay a text to let him know I was ready to go. He texted back a second later saying he was on his way down the stairs. Not long after, the door opened and he grinned at me. I almost died because he was wearing a button up plaid shirt too. At least it looked normal on him. Or is that stereotyping, seeing as he grew up on a farm?