Black is the Color of Beauty

Chapter 18

NiNi's POV

July 11, 2019 (7:30 a.m.)

Cleveland, Ohio

       The last few months have flown by in a blink of an eye. Kevin and Day moving in together. Lei and Ty getting married. Damn, I still can't believe that one. And, Bo and I are being just us. I don't know what to call us to be honest. On one hand, we are always together. We eat dinner together. We go shopping together. Hell, we even SOMETIMES sleep under the same roof. Roof, not bed. Please, he ain't on that level yet. Yet, on the other hand he disappear for days at a time. He rarely speaks to me some days. And, the thing that throws me off the most is how Bo casually compares the things I do or wear to the women in his culture. In the words of my baby Ty "Ionnnn like that fuck shit". I'm confused, are you attracted to me OR not.

       My bedroom door opens up as Bo peaks his head in. What the fuck? I quickly pulled up my covers to cover up my upper body. " You act like I'm never going to see you in a bra," he rolls his eyes. My face begins to heat up at his comment. Did he just really just say that? "You won't," I suck my teeth. Good, I won't let him think he can have me or will have me like that. "Mhmmm, what is it that you Americans say? Whatever helps you sleep at day... no whatever helps you sleep at night. So, for now I'll let you think that," he eyes locked in on my bare shoulders that I forgot to cover up. Then, his eyes briefly travel down the length of my body. Even though I have a cover over me, the way he bites down on his bottom lip tells me that he can still make out my silhouette. " Okay, so why are you in here?," like damn can a woman rest in peace. My question causes Bo to stiffen up immediately. "We are leaving Cleveland at about 3 p.m. today. We will be gone for a while. I already went shopping for you and book you an 8:30 a.m. appointment with your hairdresser," he quickly say to me. Hold up. Hold up. Hold up. " Hold the fuck up? What is going on Bo? Where are we going? I thought we agreed to leaving for Shanghai August 1st. And, since when the hell does Meka take hair appointments so early?," all of my words rush out. " I can't tell you." His short has my chest tightening up.... my breaths are getting shorter.

    Calm down NiNi, count to ten. I count to ten slowly and take ten deep breaths. The tension lessen a bit inside of my chest. Damn, sometimes my anxiety gets the best of me. "Bo, please tell me," I stare deep into his dark eyes begging him. "NiNi, just for once trust me. We have to be at the airport no later than 1 p.m. I don't have time to explain everything to you. Hurry up and get dressed so you won't miss your appointment. I already sent your hairdresser  picture of the style to give you," he closes the door before I get a chance to ask him anymore questions. Shit, I grab my phone and text my mother and grandma that I will be out of town for a while. I glance up at the clock to see the clock to see that its 7:43 a.m. I take on my bra and panties, wrap my body up into a towel and grab my shower cap.

    Ten minutes later I came back into my room feeling squeaky clean. "Damn, ain't no better feeling than coming fresh out the shower," I say to no one. I drench my brown skin in some coco butter. Damn, I love the smell of this. I walk over to my dresser. Hmmm, I need a bra, panties and a comfy airport outfit. Before, I can open the top draw a picture and stick note on the dresser caught my eye. The note read, "You're getting your hair like this. No ifs, ands or butts. I already told your stylist and gave her the money for hair, dye, etc. Can't wait to see it. - Bo". For some odd reason, having Bo tell me how I'm going to do something made me squirm just a little bit. Normally, I don't listen. But, I kinda find this sexy and Meka already bought the stuff. And, I don't have money to give her to switch up whatever hairstyle he picked out. Underneath the sticky note, is a picture of an Asian girl with waist length jet black bone straight hair and bangs. My heart drops. Bo wants me to get this hairstyle? I glance into my mirror to see my curly fro that I've grown to love over the past year or so. Why this hairstyle? Does he hates my hair that much? My mind echoes out something Bo said to me last week. "One of the most beautiful things about my culture is seeing the silky straight black strands on a woman. When she walks, her hair is floating behind her." Is this what he likes? Is this what Bo wants me to look like? Is that why we are not "together"?

   I feel a dull pain in my sternum near my heart. Why is it that black women are never beautiful enough for others? Why can't we just be beautiful without changing something. I stuff the photo in my back pocket. My phone vibrates and shows me that I have a picture message from Meka. Its a picture of some bundles of hair. The caption under the photo is "Girl, this about to look bomb af on you. Your guy friend agrees. I will say it does no how to pick out a hairstyle." For some reason, Meka's message makes me smile. Maybe, you're overthinking this NiNi. It's just a hairstyle. It's now 8:10 a.m. I throw on a lilac velour shorts tracksuits. I'm feeling real 2000's today. I walk out to the kitchen to see Leo carrying a big size Burberry luggage bag. "Who's bag is that?" I ask. Leo nods at me. "Mines? How is that....," but I stop speaking after remembering that Bo said that my luggage has already been packed. I take the luggage from out of Leo's hand and open it up. What the hell is this? My eyes are overwhelmed this long knee length skirts, canvas sneakers, regular size t shirts and "mom" jean shorts. I see a few knee length dress that are short sleeves and Mandarin collars, traditional wear I think its called. Every thing was so not me. Where are the crop tops, off the shoulder shirts, cheeky shorts and Jordans? "What is this?", I look accusingly at Leo. "Your clothes. Is the clothes in the wrong size?", he scrunches up his eyebrows. Nigga, wrong size? Fuck that, more like wrong person. "Leo, this isn't my style at all." He pause for a moment before responding. "NiNi, Americans dress a bit out there. Honestly, American clothes style can make other people uncomfortable. We think its best for you to wear more comfy and cultural appropriate clothes. Those clothes are the latest trends in China, Korea and Japan. Its flattering...." but his words fade into the background. "We", what Leo really meant to say was Bo wants me to dress like those Chinese girls. The pain creeps back into my heart as I begin to think, " is black really the color of beauty?".

* TOMORROW is JULY 12th, its the character Ty and my birthday. Its crybaby, but will smack a bihhhh season. Cancerssss all day.*