“This is odd. Just hang out here until I come back, mmmkay?”
Rashad nods. “Okay. No problem.”
“I hope they didn’t make a mistake and overbook this flight,” I say, “because I cannot wait to get to New York, and it would totally suck lemons if you had to go on the next flight.”
“That is the truth, Princess. For real. Are you going on vacation? You with your family?”
“No, I’m…Wait a minute, how do I know you’re not some criminal trying to scam me? I don’t play that.”
A huge grin bursts across Rashad’s face. Ooo! Please, God, don’t let him be a criminal! He’s way too cute for felonious activities.
“That’s funny, but I am not a criminal. I’m going to New York to a summer program at Columbia University.”
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
“Word? Me too. What a coincidence.”
“I know, right? What are the odds that I have a seat mix-up with another person from the program? Do you think it means anything?”
I bite my lip to keep from foolishly grinning again. “What do you think it means?”
“Maybe that we’re supposed to be friends. That would be cool, right?”
“It would be totally cool.” What is wrong with me? Did I forget that my longtime crush and best friend forever is sitting on this plane with me? I’m getting my serious flirt on like Ricky doesn’t even exist. What is up with that?
Thank goodness the flight attendant comes back. She says to Rashad, “Yes, there has been a mix-up on the tickets. I apologize for that. But, fortunately, the seat you’re in is not assigned. You don’t mind an aisle seat, do you?”
“No, I don’t mind. I’m just glad I’m getting to go. I didn’t want to get stuck flying standby.”
“You’re all set then. We’ll be taking off soon, so go ahead and get comfortable.”
The flight attendant walks off with an armful of blankets and pillows to a mother and her two crying babies. I sure hope they fall asleep soon or that somebody finds a piece of candy to pop in their mouths.
“This is your first year going to the summer program, right? I would’ve remembered you if you’d been before.”
I nod. “This is my first year, and my friend Ricky’s too.”
“Your friend. Is he on the flight?”
“Yes, he’s somewhere back there.” I point to the back of the plane.
Rashad glances over his shoulder. “Do you want to sit next to him? I can switch seats with him if you want.”
“N—no. That’s okay. You don’t have to do that,” I say.
Did I just sound really thirsty or what? Womp, womp on me.
“Okay, then, I’ll stay. What classes are you taking in the program?” Rashad asks.
“Oh, I’m doing the creative-writing curriculum. I’m going to be a writer.”
“Me too. Sweet.”
“Where are you from, Rashad? I hear an accent, but I can’t place it.”
“You can hear my accent? I’ve been trying to hide it. I’m from Atlanta.”
“Ah, that’s it. You sound like my down-South cousins.”
Rashad smiles. “And you sound like my up-North aunties.”
“I might be going to college in Atlanta. Spelman is on my list of schools.”
Rashad’s eyes light up. “Word? I’m hoping to hear back from Morehouse myself. We’ll be neighbors.”
“That would be hot.”
“Gia, we are going to have a great time this summer.”
“We are?”
Rashad touches my arm, and I nearly jump out of my seat. His touch is electric.
“Yes. Have you ever been to New York?”
I shake my head. “No. I went online and found some cool places I want to visit.”
“The best places aren’t online.”
“Then how am I supposed to find them?” I ask.
“You were supposed to meet me on this flight so I could show them to you.”
I let out a half laugh, half snort. “Seriously? Wow, you’ve got it all figured out, I see.”
“Glad to provide some humor, Princess.”
“Why do you keep calling me that?” I ask.
“What? Princess?”
“Yeah.”
He lifts an eyebrow. “You don’t like it?”
“It just seems a little…I don’t know…like maybe we should get to know each other first before you start giving me nicknames.”
“I call every young lady I meet a princess.”
I feel really stupid right now. I thought he was giving me a pet name or something.
“So is your friend Ricky really your boyfriend, and you’re just saying he’s your friend to throw your mother off the trail?”
“Uh…not exactly. Not officially.”
Rashad chuckles. “So does that mean I still have a shot?”
“A shot at what?”
“Being your summer crush?”
“Anything’s possible I suppose.”
3
I’m completely stoked when the plane lands. New York City! I’m here!
Rashad stays close by when we get off the plane, which causes some inappropriate mean mugging by Ricky. But I think Rashad can sense that because he sticks out his hand right away for Ricky to shake.
After hesitating for a second too long, Ricky does shake his hand. “I’m Ricky Freeman. You are?”
“Rashad Moore. I met Gia on the plane. I had the pleasure of sitting next to her.”
Totally blushing right now. Ricky is giving me a blank stare too, like he’s trying to figure out what’s going on in my head. If I knew what was going on in my head, I would definitely let him know.
I spent the entire flight getting to know Rashad, and he’s cool as what. And fine as all get out. And we’re in the same program too? What the heck kinda coincidence is that? Especially since Ricky is in the engineering program and will be crunching numbers all summer.
Is it possible to have more than one crush at a time? I know I can have celebrity crushes and real-boy crushes and it’s okay, but two real-boy crushes? I don’t know the rules on that.
“Are you in the Columbia program too?” Ricky asks.
“Yep. This is my third year,” Rashad replies.
Why is Ricky looking like he wants to square up and chop Rashad down with a two-piece? Unnecessary roughness for real. Ricky and his big ego can go somewhere else. The funniest part though is that Rashad seems completely oblivious to Ricky’s macho-man routine. Ha!
“I guess we should go over to the baggage claim,” Rashad says.
Ricky replies, “Yeah, yeah. I knew that.”
Okay, Ricky is totally tripping with these caveman shenanigans. Rashad hasn’t