Born This Way

Chapter 3

So, I finally got her numbers from Ali after doing chores and her laundry, which sucked. I have to call her, what if she finds me weird, but I'm not trying to date her or anything. I just want to be her friend and hang out from time to time since I’m such a loner and who knows what the future holds. I walked to my room after Alison gave me the number and I started pacing around in my room.

I dial the number and the phone rings.

After three rings she picks up

Precious: Hi

I paused, I swear I tried talking but my voice failed me.

Precious: Hello...anyone

I drop the call

Oh my gosh that was so rude. I just dropped the call on her. I feel terrible! I'm so nervous, my palms are sweaty and so is my face I check outside and it’s fairly cool but my temperature is slowly rising. I contemplated if I should call but what if she doesn’t answer my call. I have to call her again so I dial the number again and her phone rings twice before she picks it up

Precious: Hello!

I went silent again.

Precious: Uhm please stop calling this number if you're going to keep quiet, I'm very busy.

Me: ey! uhm Sorry. I'm Gabriella, I'm in the same degree with you we take criminal law together.

Precious: oh Hi! you freaked me out there dang!

Me: I'm sorry (laughs) just thought I should give you a call, see if you want to hang out.

Precious: okay cool but where did you get my numbers?

Me: my roommate Alison

Precious: oh, okay awesome, ey I'm having a party this Saturday at Club X want to come?

Me: yes definitely! dress code?

Precious: All white. Alison is invited too

Me: awesome! see you then

Precious: bye

I nervously dropped the call. I smiled so hard I felt like my lips were tearing apart! “Who in the world has you smiling like that if it’s not me?” Alison said jumping on my bed. “No one! get off my bed stupid!” I said pushing her off. “No!” she whined pulling my sheets refusing to leave she childishly held on to the corner of my bed like a koala bear. “You need to get laid” I said pretending to ignore her presence.

“Care to do that?” she asked me still glued to my bed. “I'm not gay dude!” I said to her. “You so are! and I know Precious is your crush” she said shoving me. “Fine!! yeah I'm crushing on her but that doesn't mean anything” I said looking away trying so hard not blush. “aahahahah My buddie is falling for a girl. That means one thing!” she said looking at me squinting her eyes. “What! “I exclaimed “You're gay!” she said laughing extremely loud. “What if I am?” I said that to her and she smiled wide and hard. “Then I have to find you a girlfriend, you! you would make a Hella fine stud…” she said pinching my cheeks. I’m not familiar with the terminology used but I Alison had once dated a ‘stud’ lesbian, a tomboy or masculine looking woman normally leads or controls the relationship. I think that notion is quiet problematic, if a woman wants to date another woman then why are they subscribing to a heteronormative way of living? Where there is a dominant figure and a submissive one? “pshhh... oh and we are invited to Precious's Birthday party with weekend” I said acting disinterested. “Do you know what this means?” she got up and sat on my bed again and held my face. “You can finally hit on her, Forget guys. Girls totally do it better I promise you” Alison said doing her victory dance. Her marketing and business degree are coming in handy because this girl can sell you anything, even a sexuality. “You are one sick child! now get out of my room so I can finish this assignment” I said laughing “Promise me one thing…” “Whaaaaaaaaat Alison?” I yelled rolling my eyes. “You will dress up as a stud, me being your stylist of course and be my date” she begged and I succumbed. “It’s not like I ever dress girly! and No!” I said teasing her. “Whatever!!! I'm dressing you on Saturday period” she said shutting the door before said anything. I started working on my assignment and finished very late. Alison made dinner but I just wasn't hungry enough so I thanked her and put it in the microwave to eat tomorrow. I am supposed to be visiting the family on Friday till Sunday but I'll be going to Precious's party and my mother has been texting me to come home.

The whole week was a series of lazing and bumming around instead of actually finishing my assignment but I finally go gone with it. On Friday morning I woke up early to submit my assignment and went home straight after that. Being in third year is a breeze, less lectures and more fooling around. Tomorrow is Precious's party so me and Alison decided to go ‘stud shopping’ so she calls it. I am excited to explore with my style more but I really don't know what to expect with Ali. “Duuuude!!! you ready??” she always chose to yell from somewhere instead of walking to my room and decently asking me whatever she desired. “Yeah, give me a sec” I was putting on my shoes that I bought not so long ago, I remember falling in love with them as soon as I saw them, rose gold Nike Cortez with white laces. I took a look at myself in the mirror one more time before heading off and walked out in plain black clean skinny jeans this time, my Nike shoes and white shirt that read 'You are a looser' it was pretty cool with geometric shapes. She didn’t comment on what I wore but she looked at me for some time and carried on packing her handbag in the living room.

So, we get to the Foot locker at the mall and she grabs tuns of Jordan boxes and Supras in different colours and sizes. If I didn't know any better, I'd think she worked at foot locker because she knew where to get everything and whatever she wanted. We in almost every shop, if we weren’t buying anything, we were looking at what we would come back for some time when we had time. She was having more fun than I was and that made me smile at how invested and happy she was to do this for me. I looked at her walk a few steps further than me and I hugged her from behind and she stopped. “Thank you, kid,” I said and she squeezed my arms with her body. It was time to leave and we had bags and bags of clothing and shoes. “I think we went a lil over board on shopping” I said looking at everything we bought.

“What! No!” she said opening the door to our apartment. We bought chicken nuggets and burgers from MacDonald’s for dinner. “You excited for tomorrow?”. “Kind of” I replied as I watched Ali unpack the items we bought and removing the price tags. She took each item out, carefully placing them on the couch. I didn’t realise how much she loved clothes until now. “Hmhmh you just want to see Mrs.P, don't you?" she asked with a smirk of her face. “No! I want to party” I sounded awkward even saying that. Who was I kidding, I know close to nothing about partying. “You haven't been to a real party before! what are you on about?” she said laughing. “Fine! maybe I want to see my friend Precious so what?” I said rolling my eyes “Noooo!!! what the hell did you just do?! studs don't do that, you need to act right” she said walking away.