Ride Home To Me

Chapter 12

Finals week flies by and by Friday evening Mia is practically panicking over the fact that I still don't have something to wear. My ma takes us the next morning to the mall so that Mia and Letty can help me pick something out.

I make sure Mia hears my complaining from the dressing room as I squeeze into what's probably the fourth or fifth outfit she's had me try on today. It's nearing lunch, and I am cranky, and hungry, and completely over trying on dresses. Finally managing to zip it up, I shuffle out to show them.

"What do you think?" I ask. I've got on a flowy yellow dress with a beaded top. Mia cocks her head and Letty scrunches her nose and goes, "No. Mia you're supposed to be the one that's good at this."

I huff. "Well that doesn't help. Mia I'm getting tired, this is like the billionth dress you've put me into."

"Will you relax? It can't be more than the fifth. Go back and change out of it, I think I saw one that'll do it," she orders. I drag myself back into the changing room as Mia disappears into the racks of clothes once again. I hear Letty walk in and knock on the door.

"How you holding up girl?" she says. I can practically hear her smirking through the door.

"You just love watching me in my misery don't you?" I groan. "I just want food."

"We'll get some soon as the boss finds a good dress."

"She better hurry the fuck up because I've been over this for an hour."

"She's right here and she thinks this is gonna be the one," I hear Mia call out. A deep red velvet dress is thrown over the door. I narrow my eyes. I don't immediately hate it, which is unusual. I slip into it and am almost shocked by what I see in the mirror. The dress hugs my body perfectly, not too tight, not too loose. It's got a flat neckline and a slit on the right leg. I don't really look like myself, but I don't think I dislike the person staring back at me right now.

"Gabi? What do you think?" Mia asks.

I just open the door for them to see. Mia's jaw drops before she starts squealing with excitement. From the corner of my eye I could swear I see something flash across Letty's face, but it disappears before I can name it. Instead, she just grins at me and nods.

"That's it girl," she says.

"You look beautiful Gabi," Mia gushes.

"Aight aight let me change. Can we get food now?" I plead to Mia. She giggles and says yes, going out to tell my ma we were ready.

My ma pays for the dress and I kiss her on the cheek in thanks. Letty and I are immediately drawn to the smell of chinese food coming from a nearby restaurant, so we stop and get lunch before going back to Mia's house.

I sit on Mia's bed as Mia arranges things for everyone. Glancing at the clock, I realize it's only 2:45 pm.

"Mia we really can't wait to set up until later? The dance doesn't start for another four hours," Letty says, watching her run around.

"Three hours and fifteen minutes actually," she shoots back. I smirk.

"Don't look so smug Gabi I'm curling your hair too," Mia says. I whip around.

"Mia-!"

"No arguing."

I groan and fall back onto the bed as Mia heads into the bathroom.

"Can I just sleep instead of going?" I mutter, closing my eyes. "Sleep is good. Sleep is very good. You ever tried sleep yet Letty? I think it's pretty underrated." I feel the bed sink next to me and open my eyes to see Letty's face next to mine.

"You actually got a date hermana, no backing out now," she grins. Her smile vanishes, though, when I don't return the expression. "Hey ¿que pasa?"

I look back at the ceiling.

"I'm scared, Letty," I admit. "I think saying yes to taking Maya was a bad idea."

"Why?"

"Last time I tried being happy with myself it didn't end well." I sigh. "I just... I'm scared that it's going to end exactly the way it did before, that I'm going to have too much fun and let my guard down and suddenly it'll all go to shit and we'll have to move again."

Letty squeezes my hand.

"Last time you didn't have friends that had your back hermana," she said quietly. "Me, Mia, Dom, Leon, Jessie, Vince... you're not alone anymore."

My chest swells and I fight the urge to cry.

"Thanks," I whisper. Mia walks in and joins us on the bed, wrapping me in her arms.

"You okay Gabi?" she asks me.

"I don't want things to go wrong," I say, leaning my head on her chest.

"Tell you what," Mia says. "Letty and Dom and I will keep an eye on you. Things start going south, you just give us a wave and we'll get you outta there quick."

A tear escapes my eye and I nod.

Almost quietly enough that they can't hear me I whisper, "Thank you guys."

"Anytime, girl," Mia says. "Now let's get ready for this dance!"