#and if I tell her I’m afraid she’s gonna call me fat again and ion wanna deal with that and she can just be

[ophie30]

Sitting in the last meeting of the day at Concord Media Corporation ("Number One for you Unbiased, Conservative views"), I can just taste the end of my day, the velvety smooth chocolate frosting of the "I have two days away from you psychos" rainbow cake. I don't even know what this guys is saying. I just know that I have ten minutes to be out of this building, whether he is done or not. The title of the slide changes. "The problem with BLM and How they don't see Dr. King's message." Yeah. I'm leaving now. I raise my hand and tell the producer that I had a previous engagement and ask if I may go home. I already have half my stuff packed when he tells me that Social Media Managers have a meeting tomorrow so I can just leave right now. Damn. Also, technically I didn't lie. My best friend, Ariel, is having a rooftop party with her boyfriend, Nathan, for her permanent gig as a fashion photographer.

Ariel: It's a super small thing, on the roof of Nathan's building, can you make it?

Me: Do I need to bring anything?

Ariel: Your foine self!

My best friend everyone. Apart from her occasional and uncomfortable uses of AAVE, she is one of the kindest people that I know, until you cross her. Or someone she loves. Then only an act of God can save you and I hear that She is busy these days.

Ariel: Also, maybe some of those pinata cupcakes? Green? With the galaxy frosting?

One thing that kills me about her, though, is that she tends to leave these kinds of request until down to the wire, like she is afraid that I would say no. (And I never have, so her behavior is infuriatingly odd.)

Me: Why on earth did you wait until this moment...I'll see what I can do.

I stop at a store to get ingredients I wasn't sure I had, I planned on taking an Uber (taking the train with about four dozen cupcakes would be like asking to take an L) and set out to work. I figure, she's gonna have a few of the acquaintances she met at work, maybe a model or two. And Nathan's a brown guy, so he's bound to know some other people of color. That is the lie I am telling myself and no one will convince me of anything else. I make it home, preheat the oven, turn on some music, set another alarm for when I have to leave before I make the cupcakes and put them in the oven. I take a quick shower, rinsing off the grime, sweat and bigotry of the day before it clogs my pores. I settle on styling my still straightened hair into a high bun, a symbol that tells caucasians, "I am not threatening. I am one of the good ones." I also opt for a floral dress and a cardigan with wedge heels. Once I fill and decorate the cupcakes, I pack them up and put them by the door so I won't forget them. An hour later, I am standing at the edge of Ariel's garden party, horrified by how white and skinny it is. Don't get me wrong, I know that a majority of the attendees were going to be on the lighter side of things. But I didn't know that it was going to be this overwhelmingly caucasian. An acoustic version of All of the Lights plays quietly from the hidden speakers, lots of people in wraps dresses and birkenstocks, beanies, scarves and top knots, meandering through a badly maintained roof garden. Ariel spots me and waves frantically in my direction.

"There you are." She pulls me close to her side and smiles at the couple she was talking to. One of them is Apollo Yisrael, some inflammatory shock jock who gets off on besmirching black women in the name of racial solidarity. The blonde haired, blue eyed lady next to him turns out to be his girlfriend. I shrug off her arm and show her the cupcakes. The squeal that erupts from her calls the attention of everyone to our little corner.

"Gimme, Gimme, Gimme," she moans greedily. Nathan, the ever indulgent, laughs as she grabs one and stuffs half of it in her face, smearing black, purple, blue and pink icing across her face and dropping sprinkles into the cowlneck of her dress. "So good. You guys should try one." She pushes the container to Apollo and his mystery woman.

"No, thanks," she sneers, eying the cakes wearily. "I'm on a diet."

"That's right." Apollo cheers, rubbing his hands together. "My woman likes to take care of her body. Stay fit." The look he gives me is one I am familiar with. It's the disgust of having to be in the same vicinity as what they perceive to be a fat person. I smile kindly at him, my nails digging into the hard plastic of the cupcake holder to keep me from throwing it at him. "But I don't mind-" His hand snaps back when I slam the container shut.

"Where do you want these, dear?" Ariel is so busy making out with her cupcake, she misses the opportunity to school this guy on fat-shaming. Or direct me where to put the cupcakes. "Nathan," I sigh, just as Ariel goes bobbing for sprinkles in his cupcake.

"I'll take them." He grabs the container, allowing me to take one. I slither past all of the god-like beautiful people to find a hole that I can hide in until it is acceptable to leave. I pull out my earbuds and turn on an audiobook take one of the few chairs in the back of the garden. I had just gotten to the point that the heroine cut off the heads of one of the bad guys when Apollo crashes through my solitude. He motions for me to take out my earbuds and I just turn away from him. I then feel it being pulled out of my ear and I react.

"Is there a problem, sir?"

"Ion know," He shoots back. I stand up so that I can look him in the eye. He isn't that tall, he may be two inches taller than my 5'9" frame. "You didn't have to be so rude back there. I said I wanted a cupcake."

"Apologies," I reply with a sarcastic bow to match my voice. "Thought she spoke for both of you. Didn't realize there was a king in my midst."

"Damn straight." What an idiot. I roll my eyes and sit down. "You know, I'm sure Mackenzie could give some weight loss tips if you ask. Maybe she can-"

"No offense sir, but I don't need an opinion on my weight." I replace my earbuds before he could come back with another retort. It didn't feel like too long after that I felt on my shoulder and I was ready to snap. "My guy, isn't your girl -" I stop talking for two reasons. One, King Apollo had left. And two, the person is holding two cupcakes and smiling.

"Sorry to bother you," He apologizes, extending one of the cupcakes to me. "Nathan said that you made these?" I just nod. Just when I thought Nathan just had shitty taste in friends, this guy shows up. This guy was some sort of East Asian, and tall. Like, model tall. "Do you mind if I-" I shake my head, trying to make it as clear as possible that I absolutely did not mind his interruption. I put away my earbuds as he takes a seat on the lounger, as another acoustic song comes on.

"That is not an acoustic version of 'Alright'." The cupcake is halfway to the guy's mouth when he stops, listening, before leaning back in his chair in disbelief.

"Have they been doing this all night?" I just nod, not sure if I am able to use words without profanity or inaudible screeches. "That is...offensive."

"I think it is made worse by the fact that there are a lot of good folk song that they could play."

"Like..." or, at least, that's what I think he's saying; he had a mouth full of Galaxy cupcake at this point.

" John Mayer, Daughter, Rufus Wainright, Ingrid Michael-"

"I get it," he laughs. "I mean, they do have options."

"I mean..." I shrug and he laughs again. I catch the time on my phone. "Shit, I gotta go. It was nice to meet you-"

"Luke." he wipes the remainder of the cupcake on his jeans, offering me his hand.

"Isio." His smile widens, his teeth stained by the cupcake and frosting. "I guess I'll be seeing you around."

#story #pantheon retelling