"Hey, can we talk?" Sasha asked from behind me.

 "Sure, follow me." I replied. Sasha followed me upstairs and into my bedroom. "You want to know, right?"

 "Yeah, I can't date him without knowing." Natasha answered. I sat on my bed and Sasha took the chair at my desk.

 "Cory's great. He's nice and smart. He's the captain of the basketball team. When he asked me out last year I was so happy. He wanted me and it was nice to be dating someone who was-"

 "Black." Sasha answered. 

 "Yeah, you know the story with my dad. I guess you can say I just- it's confusing but being with Cory made me feel like I was with my dad. Even if I never met him."

 "So what happened?"

 "It turns out Cory was just a boy and that he wasn't as perfect as I thought he was. He pushed me to have sex and I wasn't ready. I broke up with him. He apologized later and admitted that some of the other basketball players had been pushing him to score my V card. I hated him then but now I understand a little better. He was just trying to fit in, to be accepted by the well-"

 "White guys." Sasha said, fully understanding. 

 "Yeah. I used to try so hard to blend in for my mom and her mom. I would straighten my hair so it wasn't so curly. I'd dress in button ups and in cashmere when what I really wanted was to wear something more black. Whatever that means." 

 "Lillian, there isn't one way to be black but if you ever want tips I'm here, chick." Natasha said. She rose from her chair and gave me a hug. "And you should make your move."

 "On?" I asked with a quizzical physiognomy. 

 "Mi'a. She's pretty in a I don't care sorta way. I'm going downstairs. You coming?"

 "In a little."

 Natasha went downstairs and I laid back against my pillows. Dad? Do you know today is my birthday? Do you care? Are you even out there? I closed my eyes. A stray tear falls and a warm hand catches it.

 "Mi'a?" I sit up and she hugs me before I can say anything else. 

 "I got you something." Mi'a reaches down and pops a pink bag into my lap. 

 I reach into the bag and pull out a tray of six strawberry cupcakes with pink frosting. "The cupcakes you got me from a Slice of Cake. Mi'a, thank you. I love them."

 "I know. You devoured the single cupcake I gave you a while ago. I thought it'd make a good gift. I also overheard your conversation with your friend. She seems cool."

 "She is. And how much did you hear?" I asked my mouth full of one of the cupcakes. 

 "Enough to know that who you are is fine oreo but I might have one more gift for you. What do you think about going to my house tomorrow? If you feel like you're missing out on the black experience I might be able to help with that."

 My mouth dropped open. A little bit of the strawberry cupcake fell out, "Shut up. Are you serious? Yes, yes, yes, I want to go to your house. Omg!" I jumped up and wrapped my arms around Mi'a's neck. It took her a second but she soon returned the gesture. "Mi'a," I began but she stopped me by pulling away.

 "Oreo, look I'm not sure how this is coming off to you but I'm just your-" I stopped Mi'a with a kiss to her lips. When she began to pull away I wrapped my arms back around her. I licked her bottom lip and she parted hers in surprise. 

 We battled for control with me giving up prematurely. Mi'a unwrapped my arms and pulled her lips from mine. "Wow!" I breathed.

 "Yeah, wow. I shouldn't have let you do that." Mi'a sighed. She stroked my bottom lip before bringing her hand to cup my cheek. 

 "Haven't you ever done anything you weren't supposed to?" I asked looking into her eyes.

 "If only you knew." Mi'a said the left side of her smile perking up and then down in the blink of an eye. "If only you knew."