“You already know. You saw the Patriots logo carved into my haircut. I’m from Boston, but I moved to New York when I was nine.”
“I never been to Boston.”
“It’s nice. I go back once or twice a year,” he said.
Talking to him was a fresh of breath air for Chanel, but their conversation was brief. Mateo was a busy man, but the chat left Chanel with some hope that she would see him again, maybe sooner than later.
***
It took a week for Mateo to call her back. It had been a week too long, and Chanel was about to lose hope in seeing him again. But hearing his voice again, she became excited.
“I wanna take you out. Is that cool?” he said.
Chanel was over-the-moon. She wanted to holler over the phone, but she managed to keep her cool. Of course she wanted to go out with Mateo. It was like a dream come true.
“Yes.”
“I’ll come pick you up tomorrow night.”
Chanel gave Mateo the address, and when she hung up, she screamed at the top of her lungs. It was so loud that her pitch almost shattered windows. But Mecca was happy for her.
“So, he asked you out, huh?”
“Yes! Ohmygod, Mecca, I’m so nervous right now. I don’t know what to do. I have nothing to wear and my hair looks a mess. I need to look perfect for him,” Chanel chattered nervously.
“Girl, you know I got you. Just relax.”
Chanel was overcome with emotions. This was going to be her very first date. When it came to men and love, she was a rookie. She didn’t want to rush things; she wanted to take her time and fall in love with the right man, and Mateo seemed perfect.
***
It was Saturday night, and the temperature outside was a high 95 degrees. The heat wave was becoming ridiculous—almost unbearable. Every air conditioner in the city was on blast, and folks dressed in tank tops, shorts, and slippers loitered outside on the blocks of Harlem downing ice cold water and fanning themselves.
Despite the heat, Chanel was determined to look her best tonight. She wanted to impress Mateo with her beauty and her grace. Butterflies continued to swim around inside her stomach. She had never been so nervous about anything in her life.
“Mecca, you almost done? It’s getting late. He’s gonna be here soon.”
“Just a few more minutes,” Mecca replied.
Chanel’s hair was the last touchup. She couldn’t sport her go-to long ponytail or braids tonight. Mecca was giving her a blowout, and it felt like it was taking forever. Mecca was skilled at doing hair, and she promised Chanel that she was going to make her look dazzling tonight—that Mateo was going to be in complete awe at her transformation.
“What time is it?” Chanel asked.
“It’s eight thirty-five.”
“Shit! He’s gonna be here soon, Mecca.”
“You wanna look perfect for him, right?”
“Yes!”
“So, let me work.”
Chanel sighed. She didn’t want to be the late bitch on her very first date with a boy. But she also didn’t want to look like Plain Jane or a sloppy bitch either. She had no choice but to trust Mecca.
“There. I’m finished.”
Chanel stood up and stared at the final touch to her look. Her long hair was flowing past her shoulders in a black mane of beauty around her angelic face. She wore Mecca’s black mini-dress with her same white sneakers. Mecca also had blessed her with a pair of earrings, cubic zirconia of course, and a thin necklace to match. Chanel smiled at her appearance. She was cute before, but now she looked stunning.