(Sana) Haute Couture? Avant Garde?

I slammed my hand around my desk trying to find my phone. Ugh. I need to change my alarm. I shut it off and opened Binstagram to see a string of texts from Maisha:

3:17 AM - “Hey it’s pretty late and I don’t want to bother you but I don’t know if I want to go into statistics anymore :(“

3:17 AM - “Like maybe I should've done something else. Psychology sounded interesting, or maybe pre med like Akaash is doing. He keeps talking about the career opportunities”

3:18 AM - “I really don’t know anymore.”

Poor thing. This was the fifth time she was ranting about it this month. That day at the café must have really stuck.

3:22 AM - “I’m regretting my choices right now and ever since a month ago, like when Rahim showed up after u guys left and he got hired and everything idk. Like I'm happy for him but maybe I wasted highschool. What if I saved money and went to collage instead for something practical. But idk if i could even do that yk? Also my parents would be high key PISSED”

3:23 AM - “*collage”

3:23 AM - “*COLLEGE omg I can’t spell”

3:26 AM - “lol idk what i’m doing”

3:39 AM - “Also you’re probably asleep, sorry about this :(“

3:43 AM - “Wait, is this outfit cute?”

*photo attachment*

4:01 AM - “Sorry one more thing. Idk how I feel about Jess asking to come over and stuff. Ik you get what i mean since we both live in the same area but I don’t think i’m comfy with it. Also the whole thing with her and Akaash. Yea idk. He’s the densest person ik. I don't want her to get her feelings hurt again”

4:12 AM - “i just feel like it’s not”

And then it stops. She probably fell asleep.

Jessica also left me with messages from yesterday night.

11:43 PM - “Heyyy you see Akaash tomorrow right? 4 that sc meeting? Can u ask him if he’s free Thursday at lunch? Also do yk if he’s going to café Eris tmrw?”

12:08 AM - “wait am I being too clingy :/“

12:09 AM - “no, right?”

12:10 AM - “i don’t want him to think i’m annoying. Sorry. you go to sleep early. We’ll talk tomorrow. Byeeee”

I texted “no worries, we’ll talk today :)” to both and opened the group chat.

Jess <3: “Guyssss, let’s go to café Eris after school tmrw”

Maisha_Ali: “sure”

I texted back

Sanaaaaaa!: “I’m cool with that :D”

I dragged myself out of bed to brush my teeth and shower. I quietly checked on my dad who was still sleeping after a long night shift. It was 7 in the morning, so I still had plenty of time before school started and the craziness of the day caught up to me. I made two servings of waffles, leaving some for my dad when he woke up. Even if dressing warmly is comfortable, winter time was a hassle. I didn’t want to catch a cold so I sat waiting for my hair to dry, and I saw that Akaash had texted me:

8:15 AM - “Hey, friendly reminder to bring the printed meeting notes for today. Also I heard from someone in another class that our art projects are being checked for progress today.”

I was pretty much done anyway. I texted back my word of thanks, grabbed my house keys, and headed out.

School went as usual. Everyday was more or less the same. I took notes in class, and attended whatever extracurricular meeting at lunch. Akaash said he might drop by the café as well, but he wasn’t sure. I met up with Jess and Maisha near the main entrance.

“Ooooo cute outfit!” exclaimed Jess.

“Aw, thank you,” I smiled halfheartedly.

Maisha nodded in agreement, “That’s the sweater you got from Top Bopit right? It looks good.” She pointed to the plastic bag in my hand, “What’s all that?”

I sighed, “Art materials.”

They both groaned knowingly.

“Dude, Ms. Garnier is really fun and all, but she lowkey scares me,” Jess said.

I nodded, “It’s due tomorrow and she doesn't even like my concept. Whatever.”

Jess rolled her eyes, “Oh please, she’s probably gonna be like ‘it's not haute couture enough’, whatever that means,” she waved her hand around, mimicking our teacher.

“Girl, that’s not even the right term. It’s avant garde... Wait, aren’t you French?” Maisha said, raising her eyebrow.

“Maybe like 5 generations ago. The only thing French about me is my last name.”

Maisha shrugged, “Fair enough.”

We caught the bus to the café and as soon as we walked in, an overjoyed Rahim rushed towards us with a plate of bread in the shape of a very fat frog.

“I don’t know if this is allowed, but here, have some free frog bread. Freshly baked.” he said, proudly presenting it to us.

Maisha gave him a tiny appreciative smile, “Thanks.”

“No problem. Do you guys want me to take your order? No rush.”

“Sure. I’ll have a hot chocolate,” I looked at Jess, “Two hot chocolates?”

She nodded in approval.

“Ok, two hot chocolates and-”

“A plate of butter tarts, we haven't tried them yet,” Maisha added.

Rahim’s face lit up and he skipped away.

We sat in the usual reading corner.

“Oh my god… this is actually really good…” said Jess with a mouthful of the bread. She scanned the café, probably looking for Genu. He was wearing nicer pajamas today, cozily tucked away in the far right corner. As always, his back was to the wall so you could never see his screen.

Jess got up, “I’ll be back in a few.” She walked over to Genu and they greeted each other.

It was an unexpected combo but Jess had a way of being friends with everyone. She was just charismatic like that.

I took out my ugly art project and started working on it. It was a janky - but still functioning - clock made from things people use throughout their lives. It had miscellaneous items like camera parts, zippers, buttons, and a toothbrush (new of course). I picked up the plastic fork beside me and glued it as the big hand.

I glanced at Maisha who was picking at the now deformed frog bread. “Hey, sorry I didn’t reply to your texts sooner.”

“Nono! Don’t apologize, it was literally 3 AM. Also, I vent to you like every two minutes.”

I laughed, “Don’t worry about it, we can talk if you want.”

“No it’s okay,” She stabbed a fork into the bread.

She chewed in silence for a bit. Then she spoke again.

“...Ok, actually, you already know I’ve been super stressed over what’s gonna happen next year, right? Like starting university and all. Jess figured it out by default since her whole family is in law anyways. You were smart to take a gap year to work, and…” The frog's limbs had been ripped off by this point.

I stopped working on my project.

“Hmm… I felt like it was the best option for me. I don’t really enjoy school, even though I might technically be good at it. Your grades are stellar though, like, you can pretty much excel at any program. Just try things out in the first year and you can figure it out from there. It’s normal to change plans throughout.”

Rahim walked up to us with the hot chocolate and tarts.

“You know, this is kind of morbid,” I said to him, pointing to the dismembered frog bread.

“I know, I didn’t really think of that when I made it. For some reason Scanta lets me keep it on the menu, and the kids especially love it.”

I gave him a concerned look. He glanced at my art project and gave me one back.

“Hey, where’s Jessica?”

Maisha pointed to the corner where Jess and Genu were talking up a storm about who knows what.

Rahim’s face contorted into confusion. He picked up the hot chocolate and carried it over.

Maisha bit into one of the butter tarts and made a face.

“Is it not good?” I asked.

She sighed disappointedly. “It’s amazing.” She slid the plate towards me.

I took a bite. They really were.

I shook the crumbs from my hands, “I guess this is a bittersweet experience for you.”

“I guess. I’m really happy for him. Genuinely. He dropped the courses he was struggling with and took easier ones so that he can actually finish school. But seeing that, I guess it feels like I wasted my highschool experience by just studying the whole time and stressing over what comes next.”

I completely understood what she meant. “Oh I get that. But you had fun right? I’m positive you’ll figure it out when the time comes.”

She smiled and handed me her small glass ring, “Here, it’s my contribution to your project.”

“Are you sure? This is really nice…”

She nodded.

The bald man I see around here all the time, I think he’s the owner, came over with a tin of blue glass shards. “Nice art project! It’s very expressive, unlike the weird paintings Tristan put up.” he wrinkled his nose but went back to smiling right away, “Here, you can use these in it.”

“Oh. Thank you so much,” I said, taking the tin.

But he didn’t stop there.

He clapped his hands, “Hey listen up everyone! If anyone has something they’d like to contribute to this student’s very special art project, please place it in the bin beside the front counter! Small items are preferred. Thank you!”

Maisha buried her face behind her hands out of embarrassment.

“Thanks,” I said, a little taken aback, but grateful nonetheless.

“No problem!” he pranced away to some room in the back of the café.

I watched as people slowly got up and dropped various items into the bin. It was kind of wholesome. A little heartwarming honestly. Genu added a computer chip, a lady in a trenchcoat and the man beside her contributed a fountain pen. The cashier with orange hair placed what looked like a bus ticket. Some little kid put in a bee carcass. Might have to pass on that last one.

Jess dropped a scrunchie and came over to our table. “I’m baaaack!”

She paused, her smile disappeared. “Maisha? What's wrong?”

I noticed the horrified look on her face.

“Hey... Are you okay??”

She shook her head. Her eyes were wide and they flit around the room nervously.

I turned to see what she was looking at.

There was a boy our age walking towards us. He looked normal, maybe even a little attractive.

“No freaking way,” she muttered under her breath. “No way Trevor Neat is here right now.”