With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
Complications
I’ve always had a feeling Malachi was interested. Even if he hasn’t said those exact words. And to be honest, even if he had said those exact words I probably wouldn’t have believed him. If there’s one thing I learned from Tyrone, it’s that a person can say all kinds of things but it may not be more than that, just speech. Malachi’s actions, however, tell me time and again that he’s feeling me.
And I don’t know what to do about it. It takes me the whole bus ride home to get the courage to bring it up to Angelica, and even then I hide it behind Malachi’s invitation.
Angelica is immediately on her phone texting Laura. “Cool, she says she’s free so we’re both good to go.” I’m quiet on the walk to my house. Angelica comes inside with me. She’s going to take photographs of a new mural in Port Richmond this afternoon, and there’s a thrift store there that offers cash for secondhand clothes. She’s offered to sell a bag of old shirts and jeans for me.
We’re upstairs in my room, where I’m tossing the clothes into a large plastic bag. I hope I can earn enough to make a dent on what I owe for the trip. I have a ton of Babygirl’s clothing that doesn’t fit her anymore, and I throw in two brand-name shirts I got last Christmas that I hope will sell for a good amount.
“That shirt is cute; why are you giving it away?” she says, grabbing a Doc McStuffins shirt from the top of the pile.
“Because it doesn’t fit Babygirl. Unless you’re having a child sometime soon?” I say, raising an eyebrow at her.
“Oh, yup, that’s at the top of Laura’s to-do list, get me pregnant.”
Angelica plumps up the pillow and leans back on my bed. “So, is this like a double date this weekend?”
“What? No. In fact, he even invited ’Buela and Babygirl.”
“Ohhh. That’s deep. He’s already trying to get in with the family.”
I stop what I’m doing. “I think he’s serious about going out with me. It’s just, you know how I am with boys.”
Angelica grabs a shirt from my hands and folds it. “You are scared of being hurt, girl. And you never think you have time for yourself.”
I shake my head. “I don’t have time for myself. And I don’t have time for boys.”
Angelica and I fold silently side by side. When the bag is full she ties it up tight and I walk her downstairs. At the doorway she pauses. “Maybe it’s not about time, Emoni. Maybe it’s about having things on your terms. Being with Malachi? It doesn’t have to look like anything except what you two make it. And if anyone can take ingredients that shouldn’t work and make something delicious out of them, it’s you. Give my goddaughter a hug from me.”