you,” he says, and without waiting for a reply, he drops a kiss on my lips and leaves. My break is over. I hate having to see Toby so much at work. Luckily, the Riaz family knows my situation, thanks to Mando, so they try to accommodate our meetings. Jerking out my crappy cell—I should get a Hoveround to match it and drive myself to the Grand Canyon—I send a quick test to Mando.
-Hey you! Need huge favor New Year’s Eve. I plan to do something awesome for Toby! We are finally going to be alone. Do you have anything I can borrow that is long and flowy? I want something to make him stare .
I go back to work, wiping down counters, refilling saltshakers, and pouring soft serve into the machine. I feel my phone vibrate in my apron pocket.
-What it do, white girl =], so you getting sticky icky on NYE with GOLDEN BOY EKKKK OH, TOBY, love me long time!!!!!!!!
Her texts always make me laugh. Today she is channeling her ghetto goddess Sir Mix-a-Lot wannabe self. Another buzz.
-Tell me, Rory, does he get you hot and bothered? Does he make you want to feel your body? Do you wanna get with him and take his picture cuz he is RUMPLESMOOTHSKIN?
I literally LOL at that one. Typing quickly because I’m not on break now, I reply back.
- Mando, you psycho, Méxiho thug, I do not need a sex suit; I need a beautiful dress. I want it perfect not slutty =]
Hitting send, I finish up and make my way to the back because I heard the supply truck pull in.
I know my shift is over when I hear Mrs. Riaz hollering at what can only be one spoiled Amandolette. “ DOWN, MIJA, DOWN! ” I come through the swinging door and see Mando propped up at the end of the counter making bubbles in her root beer float. “STOP, MAMA, GAH!” she yells back. I love watching these two. Mrs. Riaz is full-on Mexican, straight from Ario De Rosales, with a thick accent. I’m not sure where Mr. Riaz is from, but even though he is darker toned than his wife, he speaks perfect English. Mando never speaks Spanish; she claims it cramps her style. However, I know she can. I heard her and her dad tie up once in front of employees, and they tore it up. It sounded like a Spanish bomb went off in here.
“Let’s go, White girl,” she says with a scowl on her face “These people make me wanna color with gray crayons!” I look all bug eyed and mouth Sorry to her mom as we leave.
“Seriously, she acts like I’m always trouble. One day she will pay,” Mando says with her evil laugh. “I’m pretty dayum sure I still have a few old Lego’s I could leave lying randomly in her path… OR,” she drags out, “I could cut her with cardboard in true Chulo fashion.” She bursts out laughing at her schemes before we make it to her car. “Here,” she says, chucking a bag at me. I forgot I asked her to let me borrow a dress. My eyes bug out. It’s perfect! A long, simple, satin, one-shoulder dress in a deep red, almost wine color that will touch the ground when I walk. It is so thin and moveable, and the slit will make it easy to sit. “You can use all the same jewelry and shoes with it as you did with the homecoming dress,” she says smiling. She remembers everything fashion. “Will I need to do your hair?” she asks, waggling her penciled-in eyebrows at me. This girl is Mexican to the bone, and I love everything about her.
“Thanks, Amandolette, you are the best friend a girl could ever have!” I almost choke up, but it’s true, and she knows it. I got uber lucky with this one. “I think I’m just going to go with long and straight, you know, simple.” She’s smiling, so that must be a good sign.
“OK , Rory, but I have my bag in back, and I’m at least running a flat iron or my Instyler over it, so it is not frazzled, kay kay!” With a pop of her gum, she raises her eyebrows high, smiling at me, and then hands me a green apple sucker. I tend to have suckers stashed everywhere. They are my weakness, and she knows it.
“Hey, Mando,
Learning to Kill: Stories