Page 31
Story: Meet Me on Love Street
Once we have the approval for the festival, we need to hit the ground running since we only have a little over a month to plan it.
On Saturday, I put up a post in the BOA member group that the Love on Love Street Festival is happening, and anyone interested in volunteering for the planning committee can sign up below, and anyone available today should come to a meeting at seven thirty tonight at LoveBug.
I text Cara immediately after posting. She doesn’t always check the BOA forums, so I want her to know about the meeting.
Cara: I saw that the festival is on! Congratulations! I’m not sure I can come tonight, but you know I’ll help plan. Tell me what to do and I’ll do it.
Sana: No worries! I know the meeting was last minute. Plans with Hannah tonight?
Cara: We’re going for hot pot with my parents. I’m nervous…
Wow. Cara’s parents can be pretty strict, and I know they weren’t happy about Cara and Hannah being so serious while in high school because they wanted Cara to focus on her education.
Hopefully her parents support them more now.
I’m also hoping Cara only misses this one meeting—I still feel a bit bitter that she skipped out on Miles and me so many times when we were working on the proposal.
Sana: Okay! I’ll message you tomorrow to tell you what you missed. Good luck!
Me, Miles, Julie and Ajit, April, Grant, Alain from the bistro, and Ben from the empanada shop show up to the festival planning meeting.
Cara, Jenn, and a few others also sign up to help out but weren’t able to come tonight.
The first thing the committee does is decide on a committee chair.
Almost everyone agrees that Miles and I should be cochairs, since we were the ones who put together the proposal and because we already have a relationship with the city councillor.
After going over some basics, Miles and I start delegating tasks. Surprisingly, the adults in the room seem pretty okay with a couple of teenagers telling them what to do, but when we start talking about the proposal, things get heated.
“I really don’t like this section about outside vendors,” Alain says. “If we bring in others, they will compete with the Love Street businesses.”
Miles shakes his head. “Love Street can’t be so insular,” he says. “It has to evolve with the outer community. We should welcome outside vendors to our festival—from Gerrard and beyond.”
Did he really call Love Street insular ?
I look at Miles. I’d thought I understood him better after prom last night.
That we understood each other better. And I don’t think I’m being delusional or it’s wishful thinking because of the huge crush I have on the guy—but it felt like we really connected .
But we haven’t talked since last night, and he’s barely looked at me during this meeting.
Earlier today he posted a picture on his Instagram of himself eating a Jamaican beef patty, and I commented with the emoji of a chili pepper, then a fire emoji.
Because… he looked hot in the picture, and that’s what I do when a friend posts a hot picture, no matter who it is.
But Miles didn’t respond. Or even heart the comment.
Right now he’s sounding more like the Miles I first met than my cute friend. Miles says Love Street has to evolve , but to me, Love Street evolving means losing everything we have here. It means people losing their businesses. Or jobs. Or homes.
“But the point of the festival is to help Love Street businesses,” April says. “Why would we bring in vendors that will take our customers?”
“Bringing in other vendors for the festival will get more people to come, which in the long run will help Love Street,” Miles says. “What do the rest of you think?”
The door to LoveBug opens then, breaking the tension. It’s Cara. She looks… dejected.
“Sorry I’m late,” she says as she slides into the chair next to me. I raise one eyebrow at her, questioning, and she gives me a look that says she’ll talk to me about it later.
The conversation continues, and we eventually decide not to approve an outside vendor that would directly compete with a Love Street business.
So, no florists, dog groomers, or empanada shops.
We assign some duties like who will put together the list of the rental equipment we’ll need and who will find performers willing to perform for free.
Eventually, when everyone has a job to do, we wrap up the meeting.
Everyone seems excited and committed to the project, but that argument about vendors has reminded me of what’s at stake here.
This festival is going to be a ton of fun, but that’s not why we’re doing it.
Love Street is struggling and needs this boost.
I hang back a bit after everyone leaves the café to talk to Cara. “What happened to dinner with your parents?” I ask her. “Did Hannah cancel?”
Cara gives me an annoyed expression. “Why do you assume it’s Hannah who canceled?”
I exhale. I made that assumption because Hannah doesn’t seem to enjoy Cara’s friends, so I assume it’s the same with Cara’s family.
“Well, was it?” I press. Cara doesn’t say anything, just crosses her arms and looks at the floor. Last time I dropped the subject, not wanting to push Cara, but I’m seeing a pattern now. “Cara… do you think, I don’t know. Do you think maybe Hannah is being a bit controlling with you?”
Cara looks at me then, annoyed. “Not this again. Seriously?”
“I mean, she likes you to dress a certain way, doesn’t like hanging out with your friends, and cancels when you have plans with your parents. If you need to talk—”
Cara rolls her eyes. “God, Sana, why do you have to insert yourself into everyone’s life? First matchmaking, and now you’re butting in where you’re not needed.”
I blink. That stung, and I’m not sure what to say. I’m not inserting myself into her life. I’m being her friend. “I’m only asking because I care about you.”
But Cara doesn’t seem to notice, or care, that I’m hurt.
“You haven’t had a relationship longer than what…
two months?” She scoffs. “You really are a naive child sometimes. Reading romance novels doesn’t make you a romance expert.
How about you stop armchair analyzing everyone else’s relationships and maybe start focusing on yourself? ”
I swallow. Cara is trying to hurt me. Does she actually believe I’m naive enough to think that books and movies have made me an expert on romance? “I’m not armchair analyzing. I’m just worried that you’re not seeing what’s clearly in front of you.”
Cara rolls her eyes. “Well, you don’t need to worry. I am quite capable of seeing my own relationship, considering it’s mine .” And with that, she leaves the café.
I stand there for a few seconds, too shaken up to move.
Cara has never said anything like that to me before.
Does she really think I unnecessarily butt into other people’s lives?
Maybe I should have stayed out of her relationship.
I know she’s head over heels for Hannah, but I don’t think Hannah is treating her well.
Cara deserves to be treasured, not cast aside.
But now I’m the hurt one. Cara has been such a great friend since we started working together, and I’m afraid I’ve lost that friend because I stuck my nose where it wasn’t wanted. I take a breath and pick up my purse. I may as well go home.
When I walk out of LoveBug, Miles is right outside the door, waiting for me. He looks concerned.
“You okay, Sana? Cara just ran out of here and didn’t even acknowledge me.”
I shake my head. “Yeah, we… Never mind.” I really don’t want to tell him that Cara called me a naive child. I feel terrible. “What’s up?”
“My bike is locked on your balcony. I thought we could walk together.”
I really want to be alone right now, but since we’re going to the same place, I don’t have much of a choice.
“Are you free to go to City Hall with me next week?” he asks as he walks next to me. “Su Lin wants to have a meeting with just the two of us.”
“Why?”
“She says she wants to put faces to the names of the kids who made the proposal. I said I’d check with you and send her assistant some possible times, but I told her you’re in high school so it will have to be outside of business hours.”
“I don’t have a lot of free time,” I say. “I basically have two part-time jobs, remember?”
He frowns. “We could probably do it before your shift starts one day—it wouldn’t be a long meeting. Tuesday at five would work for me.”
“I think I’m at Cosmic that night, but I’ll ask Jenn,” I say. It’s hard to concentrate after having a huge fight with my friend.
“Are you okay, Sana?” Miles asks, looking at me with concern in his eyes. “Something did happen between you and Cara, right?”
I sigh. “Yeah, I guess. I kind of asked her if Hannah was being controlling, and Cara told me to butt out of her life. She was… mean.”
“Ugh. That sucks . Why do you think Hannah is controlling?”
“She’s just…” I sigh. “Cara was different before Hannah got here. She dressed differently, she never blew off our plans, and…” I sound so self-absorbed.
Of course she’s going to wear what her girlfriend likes and spend more time with her than me.
“Cara said I don’t know a thing about relationships because I’ve never been in a serious one. ”
“Ouch,” Miles says. After our conversation last night, he knows it’s a sore spot for me.
We’re at the flower shop by then, and I follow him around to the back of my apartment and up the balcony stairs.
It’s pretty dark on the balcony—looks like Mom forgot to turn the back light on.
She’s on-site at a wedding tonight but left a light on inside that’s casting a dim glow through the sliding door.
When Miles gets to his bike, he suddenly turns to me instead of unlocking it.
In the low light, I can’t make out his expression.
Why is he looking at me like that for so long? Is he going to say something?
Finally, I can’t take it anymore. This is awkward. “Did you forget your lock combination?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “I just wanted to say, I don’t know Cara or Hannah well enough to comment on their relationship, but Cara is your friend. I think… I hope she’ll realize that you said it because you’re concerned about her.”
I nod. “I hope so. I… I just don’t understand why she’d be so nasty to me. It’s not like her. I hope she’s okay.”
“People can be a little irrational when they’re stressed,” he suggests. “You could have touched a nerve. But Cara knows you. She knows you care a lot about the people around you.”
“Thanks.” I exhale. “I should apologize for sticking my nose in her business. It’s not worth losing a friend.”
He smiles. “And she may need you when she is ready to talk,” he says, leaning against the railing just a foot away from me.
My eyes have adjusted to the dim light by now, so I can see that he’s looking at me intensely, like always. But there’s something else in his gaze. Amusement. He looks happy. “I wanted to ask you something else… D-did…?” He stutters. “I mean did you have a good prom night?”
I nod, my bad mood melting away thanks to his smile. “It was great. Thanks to you. And that cake.” I take a deep breath in, smelling the dirt from the house plants Mom was transplanting earlier and the faint floral scent that always surrounds the flower shop. And Miles.
We keep looking at each other, and it feels like we’re back on the dance floor at my prom.
He’s always looking at me like this. I feel like I could stare into his brown eyes forever.
I have no idea what’s going on right now, but I don’t think I’m imagining it.
Something is crackling between us, and I’m almost positive he’s feeling it too.
My skin is tingling, and my heart is racing, and it takes actual effort not to swoon like a historical romance heroine.
Miles takes a step closer, and everything that isn’t Miles Desai in front of me blurs to nothing.
He lets out a shaky breath while looking into my eyes. “I had a slick line I was going to use now,” he says quietly. “But I can’t remember it.”
I chuckle softly. How is this guy so adorable? “What were you going to do after saying the line?” I ask.
“This,” he says. And then he puts his soft hand on my cheek, leans down, and kisses me on the lips.
Right there on my dark balcony in front of his bike and Mom’s extra plant pots, Miles kisses me.
Is this really happening? It takes too many moments for me to process it.
To process how strong yet soft his hand on my face feels.
Or how soft his lips are. Or how, up close, he smells faintly of rain, on top of the cardamom scent.
Eventually my brain catches up and screams at me that this is Miles! His lips are on mine! The lips I have been obsessing over since the first time I saw him at LoveBug.
I don’t think I’ve… Actually, scratch that. I know I’ve never felt like this before. Ever . My skin feels like it’s on fire, and my heart is pounding, and when he starts to pull away, I can’t help it. I move even closer. I put a hand behind his neck and pull him down to me… And I kiss him back.
Both his arms wrap around me as the kiss deepens.
The skin behind his neck is soft and smooth.
His hands are pressing my soft sweater into my skin.
I get my own hands into that silky hair, and it feels so good running my fingers through it.
It’s like we’re the only ones in the world—like this is what was always supposed to happen.
This might be the best kiss I’ve ever had.
It’s over before I want it to be. Miles’s arms drop to his side, and I already miss when they were around me.
I exhale. His eyes are a little glazed over, and the smile on his face is downright sultry.
I feel like I was just hit by a truck and like I had a taste of the best caramel crunch cake in the world.
“Wow,” I say. I blow out a long breath. “Now I really wish I knew what you were going to say.”
He laughs softly, then turns to unlock his bike. I want to ask him, what did that mean? Why did he kiss me? But I’m still a little shaken up.
I step out of his way when he pulls his bike off the bike rack. He starts climbing down the wood stairs off my balcony. When he gets to the bottom, he looks at me. He’s so… gorgeous. His eyes are so striking.
“Sleep well, Sana,” he says. His voice sounds a little raspy. Like he isn’t really thinking straight either.
I nod. “You too. I’ll let you know about Tuesday.”
“Okay. Bye.” He gets on his bike and rides away. And I stand there, leaning on the railing for a while before I’m able to walk into my apartment on my wobbly legs.
Table of Contents
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