Hot Pink in the City (22 page)

"Hey, Asma!" Misty says. She sounds excited
to hear from me, but I don't feel it. She's not exuberant about our
friendship. She probably gets her jollies from seeing me as a
doormat and punching bag.

"Hey, is it her?" Tamara asks. "Move over so
we can share the receiver... I'm staying with Misty for the day.
I'm glad you called when we're both here."

"What are you up to?" Misty asks.

"I'm getting ready to see Madonna," I say.
"Someone offered me and my cousin tickets."

"No way," Tamara says.

"Madonna's overrated," Misty says. "And she's
a slut."

"Yeah, she can be slutty," Tamara agrees.

They're criticizing my idol? Madonna has more
talent, intelligence, and personality in her pinky finger than the
two of them combined. "I can't wait to go," I say. "Oh, and I'm
going with a guy."

"You?" Tamara says. Misty snorts in
disbelief.

"I've actually been doing a lot in New York,
things you wouldn't believe, but you never let me get in a word,
and it took forever for the two of you to write back to me."

"Hey, don't be sore," Tamara says. "We can't
help it if you call from some shitty payphone."

"What are you talking about?" Misty asks. "Of
course we listen to you, but it's not like you have anything great
to share with us. If you want to tell us what you've been doing,
then just say it already."

Please deposit twenty-five cents.

I jab a quarter into the coin slot. "You know
what, screw the both of you!" I say. "I don't want to be
interrupted, and I don't want my so-called friends to disbelieve my
adventures. And yeah, I had adventures. And you know what, I think
I was able to have them because I wasn't anywhere near the two of
you!"

I slam the receiver down to hang up on them.
I wasn't even really thinking when I got that off my chest, but
standing here and reflecting on my outburst, I realize I'm right.
It was my traveling here alone and then being in the supportive,
loving, fun-filled care of my cousin that allowed me to break loose
and live a little. If Tamara and Misty had accompanied me on this
trip, I'd be on the backburner, watching the two of them kiss boys
and get into trouble. I'd be the goody-goody in the corner not
saying or doing much.

Sayonara, Tamara and Misty. There's no way
I'll continue being friends with them. I deserve better. There are
other girls at school I've been meaning to sit with during lunch.
The girls on my soccer team have been asking me to meet with them
at the mall or at parties, but I would say no because I was always
following Tamara and Misty, wasting my time on those two when they
never thought much about me. Well, I'm through with them. New York
has given me so much, tested me, taught me, and now I also have
this gift. I kicked two rotten people out of my life.

***

Abe isn't able to meet my family right away
since he has his own familial obligations, but he comes to the
basement a few hours before the concert starts to see if Uncle will
approve of him. I can't think there's anything to disapprove of,
unless Uncle has something against cuteness and rattails.

Auntie smiles and serves him tea while Uncle
grills him on where he's from, what his grades are, and what he
wants to be when he's grown up. He's taking us to a concert. I'm
not marrying the guy! Uncle's eyes light up when Abe tells him he
wants to be a doctor.

"It's always good to have doctors in the
family," Uncle says.

"Yeah," Nasreen says. "If you need a spleen
to be taken out or a leg amputated, family can do it for you."

Why does she have to act weird in front of my
more-than-a-summer-fling? "Can we go, Uncle?" I say.

"I think it would be all right if you took my
daughter and niece to this concert," Uncle finally approves.
Nasreen and I don't waste time. While he continues to talk to Abe,
we go to her room to dress.

Nasreen wears all black while I'm in hot pink
from head to toe, with tights and a ballerina skirt. Abe looks
absolutely hot with a white tank top and black jeans. I playfully
pull on his rattail during the subway ride. I'm nervous. I'm about
to see Madonna in concert. I've idolized this woman from afar. Just
like Helen of Troy launched a thousand ships, Madonna is
technically the person who launched my crazy summer vacation.

First, we have dinner, and then we head to
the concert location. Seeing Madonna live is a crazy experience.
It's a million times better than seeing her on TV or listening to
her on the radio. From a lost tape to seeing her live! She looks
gorgeous from what I can see in our nosebleed seats, and she sounds
amazing. She's not one of those singers who sounds horrible live,
and she doesn't need to lip-sync and fake anything. Even as she
bounces across the stage, she doesn't seem out of breath and her
voice doesn't break. She's pure, real talent.

Abe grabs my hand. I don't know how Nasreen
will react to me kissing him since she can be rude and aggressive.
Also, she didn't seem happy when our kiss was caught on tape. She's
busy looking at the stage and her surroundings, but I don't want to
be intimate in front of her. The lights turn real dim, and that's
when I dare to kiss Abe in public... again.

"Who's That Girl?" Madonna asks.

I'm that girl, I answer in my head. I'm the
one who's where I want to be and who I want to be with.