closed her door before she hit Hassan back on his cell.
âWhaddup, Di?â he said, his voice slightly raspy.
She held the BlackBerry away from her face as she pursed her lips and breathed in and out. Calm down, Dionne. Get your ish together.
âHey, Has. My moms said you came by looking for me?â
âI feel like some pancakes. Wanna go with me to IHOP?â
Dionne paced in the small area beside her bed. âWhat about Jalisha?â she asked, her entire body on edge, her heart beating, her pulse racing. She was all nerves, straight crushing.
âWeâre not together no more.â
Good. Perfect. Fab-u-lous.
âAww⦠What happened? You know what, never mind. We can talk about it over a stack,â she said, already opening her closet to find something extracute to wear.
âIâll be there in about fifteen minutes. Cool?â
âYeah, uh-huh,â Dionne said, distracted as she hung up the phone and tossed her BlackBerry on top of the pile on her bed.
She pulled out a black sheer ruffle shirt, a tailored blazer and dark denims with patent leather flats and a ton of long silver and pearl chains and necklaces. She wanted to be casâ, but ever so cute. Ultra-feminine cute. âMa!â Dionne yelled.
âWhat?!â
âCome here!â Dionne reached in her closet again and pulled out an off-the-shoulder, striped sweater in bright colors, with a white tank, another pair of dark denims and hot-pink knee-high rainboots. Laid-back cute.
Her moms stuck her head in the door. âWhat do you want?â she asked, the cordless phone in her hand.
âWho you on the phone with?â Dionne asked, her eyes shifting back to her two outfits.
âCan you give me back my business?â
Dionne looked at her mother. Her brows lowered at the twinkle in her motherâs eye and the happy look on her faceâthat plus the secrecy? âWhy do you have that goofy face?â she asked.
âNo reason.â
Dionne eyed her mother long and hard.
Her mom had had boyfriends before, but mostly it had always been just the two of them. No creepy dude pretending to be nice to show off for her mother, or chilling with his Timbs on their end table, or at their dinner table, or ordering her around, or moving in and making their small but stylish and clean apartment smell like feet and farts. Ew.
âDionne, what did you call me for?â Risha asked, holding the phone to her chest.
âHassan and I are going to IHOP. Which outfit?â she asked.
âI like the colorful one,â she said, turning to head back to the living room.
âTell whoever it is that your daughter says hello,â Dionne called out after her mother.
âWhat-ev-er,â Risha said, mocking Dionne.
Dionne eyed the outfits again. It was IHOP, but she really wanted to do a little extra to let Hassan know she cared what he thought.
Ultra-feminine cute it is, she thought, hurrying to get out of her clothes.
Dionne took the quickest shower ever, mostly to refresh her body since sheâd showered at her dadâs before she left. She wasted a few precious, but oh so important, moments putting on moisturizer, blush and her favorite shade of Pretty in Pink lip gloss. It definitely was Beauty-on-the-Go 101.
Back in her room, Dionne was just sliding her foot into a pair of Vuitton loafers when their doorbell rang. She emptied the contents of her Coach bag into a black patent leather Hobo bag and flew out the room. âIâll be back,â Dionne said to her mother over her shoulder before she pulled the front door closed behind her and then jogged down the stairs of the dimly lit hall.
âWow. You look really good,â Hassan said, nodding his head as he licked his lips and reached out for her hand to twirl her on the porch.
Success! âThanks,â she said shyly, wishing she completely understood the way Hassan made her feel so excited and numb all at once.