Rising Shards

Ko debated a bit between having her hair up or down, but decided to not look like she put too much thought into her looks for her date with Lillia. After that decision, she was ready to head out, but her twin sister blocked her from leaving their room.

“What is it?” Ko asked.

“I don’t get any of this romance crap you put yourself through with these girls, but…” Kai said. “Because I’m the most badass twin sister you could ask for, I’m doing a checklist thingy for you this time.” She had an actual notepad ready for this, which Ko respected.

“Uh huh.” Ko said.

“Lemme just…where’s my pen?” Kai asked.

”Surprised you didn’t write it in crayon.” Ko said.

”Very funny.” Kai looked around, then decided on a mechanical pencil she found on the ground instead. “Alright, question one before I let you out of here. Are you gonna treat Lillia like all the other girls you had a thing for?”

“Hell no.” Ko said.

“OK,” Kai spent a while scribbling something on the notepad, which was weird to Ko because it probably should have just been a check mark. “Question two. What’s different about her than all those other ditzy girls?”

“Lillia’s hotter—” Ko started.

“No, bad.” Kai swatted Ko with a bodybuilding magazine that she had ready for bad answers, apparently. “Try again.”

“Lillia…I feel…more of an…emotional…whatever. For.” Ko said.

“Better.” Kai said. “You can have the hots for her, just don’t like…I’ve heard you describe girls before like ‘oh this chick’s the hottest babe I’ve ever seen’ and then dumped them a week later for the next girl you think is the hottest, and if you think of Lillia like that first like. I dunno.”

“I get it, I get it…” Ko said.

“Did you get the gift for her?” Kai asked.

“Uh huh,” Ko said. “It’s in my bag.”

“Alright, last question,” Kai said. “Are you gonna do any dumb drama crap that’s gonna end up burning me when I try to help you out from all this dumb crap from the uh….what the—uh what. I forgot what I was saying. The uh. The girls. Like the drama with the girls before.”

“It’s different this time, I won’t do any of that dumbass stuff,” Ko said. “I don’t…” She sighed. “Don’t make me say it.”

“Well, now I have to hear it.”

“I don’t…” Ko said. “I don’t want to put you through that again, alright? Happy now?”

“Happy enough.” Kai said. She finally stepped aside. “Alright, don’t screw this up or I’ll seriously kick your ass.”

“I’ll do my best.” Ko said.

“You shouldn’t be spending this time worrying about me,” Lillia said as Oka paced in front of her. “You have your own date to attend to.”

“I’m plenty anxious about that too!” Oka said. “But I want to…wait, one thing about me first. Does this outfit look cute?”

“It does, Zeta will love it.” Lillia said.

“That’s all I need then!” Oka said. “Now let me make sure this will all be good for you, so I don’t worry about you all night!”

“Fine, fine.” Lillia said.

Oka clasped her fists, maybe a bit more dramatic a gesture than needed, but Lillia was a theater kid too, so she didn’t mind it.

“Alright, I’m saying this as like your bestie.” Oka said. “And I’m trying, really trying, to put aside what Ko did at the sleepover…how are you feeling about tonight?”

“I’m…scared.” Lillia said. “And thank you for trying to put the sleepover aside. Ko…I think she’s just…”

Oka looked like she desperately wanted to say something, but she held her tongue.

“Thank you for not saying whatever you’re thinking right now.” Lillia said.

“It’s really hard.” Oka said. “She put Zeta through a lot, and that’s hard to look over—but this isn’t about us! How about you! You, tell me you. Your uh, feelings and stuff.”

“Again, I’m scared,” Lillia said. “I’ve never had anything that remotely constitutes as a ‘date’ before. Maybe a study session? But those weren’t exactly romantically charged.”

“Well, don’t overthink it is my advice.” Oka said. “Ko’s definitely into you, and you’re…feeling something for her. So just have fun, alright?”

“I’ll try.” Lillia said, the idea of having her first date sinking in at that moment.

An alarm went off on Oka’s phone.

“Dang,” Oka said. “I had more things I wanted to check, but. Berin has to drive me, so. His schedule’s kinda. Yeah.”

“You don’t have to explain anything to me there,” Lillia said. “I hope you have a wonderful date.”

“You too.” Oka said. “Text me if you need like. Advice or anything, kay?”

“Will do.” Lillia said.

After Oka left, it was about time for Lillia to head out as well. Since Ko and Lillia’s date would start in the dorms, she didn’t have to have the date hinge on planning for car rides.

“I don’t want to bombard you with advice,” Kalei’s mom said, her trademark slogan for when she was about to bombard her daughter with advice. She paused, just like she always did, somewhat waiting for permission from Kalei to bombard her with advice.

“I honestly could use some tips here,” Kalei said. She pressed her warm cheeks against the cold window of the car door nearest to her. Normally she’d be super embarrassed about this, but since coming out to her mom she’d found herself wanting more opportunities to ask for advice on dating girls.

“Wonderful!” Mahina said. “Advice step one. Since you’re on a date with a girl, I will give you my girl specific dating tips.”

“It’s still so weird to me to think that you’re…er,” Kalei said. “It’s even weird for me to say out loud, I dunno.”

“Bisexuality is a thing my dear daughter!” Mahina said, clapping her hands with each word.

“Don’t take your hands off the steering wheel while we’re driving, Ma.” Kalei said.

“We’re at a stoplight, relax.” Mahina said. “You made me lose track of where I was. Oh, right! Girls. So since this is a date with a girl, the first, perhaps the most important piece of advice I have to impart on you is this. Smell good.” Mahina leaned slightly over to sniff.

“Mom, god, gross.” Kalei said.

“And you smell fine!” Mahina said. “You showered and brushed your teeth, that is about half the battle here.”

Kalei fidgeted with her seatbelt. “If you say so.”

“Second, try not to take this so seriously.” Mahina said. “Confidence is key! Just have fun. You inherited my quick wit, you’re charming, you’ll swoon her off her feet in no time.”

“Alright…” Kalei said. “Hey, what would be different if this was guy advice?”

“I have advice if you’re dating those outside the gender binary as well.” Mahina said.

“Mom, please. I was not looking for snark answer there.” Kalei said.

“And when is anyone ever looking for the snark answer?” Mahina asked. “Despite that, we always give the snark answer. It’s in our blood, Kalei.”

“Right, whatever.” Kalei said. She snorted. “You’re kinda funny, not gonna lie.”

“That’s high praise coming from you.” Mahina said. “And my advice is mostly the same for boys, just with more emphasis on the hongus fononguses, if you catch my drift.”

Kalei had to cover her mouth not to laugh too hard. It was a joke from her own mom after all, she couldn’t laugh too hard. “You know, I said hongus fononguses at the sleepover, and my friends hated it.”

“Well, no one’s perfect.” Mahina said.

Shortly after, they arrived at the venue where the concert Nikki invited Kalei to would be held. It was just a small restaurant. Mahina parked by a truck with a trailer on it, as people, possibly from one of the bands that would be playing, unloaded amps and music junk from it and brought it inside. Kalei paused for a second after unbuckling before she got out of the car.

“Should I ask Nikki if she likes hongus fononguses tonight?” Kalei said.

“Not on the first date.” Mahina said.

“Pfft.” Kalei said, beaming.

“There.” Mahina grabbed Kalei’s face. She held her chin and her cheeks together. “See that bright energy you’re letting out right now?”

“Um…yeah?” Kalei said despite her mouth being slightly obstructed by her mother’s grasp.

“Keep that light shining. Your Nikki will be swooning.” Mahina said, letting go. “Text me if you need anything. Love you.”

“Love you too, Ma.” Kalei said.

As her mother drove away, Kalei waited for a second before stepping into the restaurant, feeling much more confident about the night than she had before.

Alright, let’s do this.