When Love’s In Fashion

Sascha straightened up, “Look. Elmira. I know things are changing and it’s all scary and sh*t but me and Atalia….man.” She flopped down on the couch, eyes dreaming, “She’s…”

Her voice trailed off and she had a smile on her face. Elmira wasn’t sure she was even aware of it.

“She’s…perfect.” Sascha sprang to her feet and resumed gathering her clothes, “We’re going to Paris. Deal with it.”

“Wow. Ultimatums.”

“Not ultimatums honey. Facts. I’m spreadin’ my wings and flyin’” Sascha spread out her hands to demonstrate.

“But…my mom’s havin’ a dinner party Friday! I was kinda relyin’ on you to come with me.”

“Ask your big and tall. I’m sure he’d go.”

“Yeah well I don’t think we’re there yet. I wanna keep him as far away from my mom as possible.”

“Why? You’re mother’s good people.”

“Yeah but…”

“But what?”

“But Sven is kinda a white guy y’know?”

“So what?”

“I mean he’s a real white, white guy you know? Ain’t nothin’ hood about him at all.”
“You afraid he won’t fit in?”

“I know he won’t.”

“So…what? You gonna hide him forever?”

Elmira shrugged, “It’s a plan.”

Sascha laughed, “The way you guys make googly eyes at each other…? I would not count on that plan.”

“Why not?”

“Because he’s not the kind who’s gonna wanna stay in the closet. I bet he already offered to go with you right?”

Elmira shrugged and Sascha snorted in reply, “Toldja,” she said.

“Is it just me or is this whole situation crazy?”

“Crazier than college?”

“Yeah, much crazier than college. You expect crazy things to happen. Keggers, one night stands…and that’s just you. But this. Meeting some guy…getting so close so fast…it’s real crazy. Goes for you too.” Elmira said throwing a glare at Sascha.

“Maybe it’s something in the air at fashion week,” she said with a shrug, stuffing clothes into a bag, “Whatever it is, I’m gonna go with it.”

“Famous last words.”

Sascha kicked her ankle, “Come on El, don’t be the cowardly lion. Let the witch give you some courage.”

“Oh har har.” Elmira replied.

Sascha finished packing and then she came over to her friend and hugged her.

“In the words of the great philosopher, Kendrick Lamar, ‘we’re gonna be alright’” she said.

Elmira smiled though her heart wasn’t in it.

*****

“Get up, bi*ch, we’re going shopping.”

Sascha blinked blearily and made her body go limp so it was harder for Atalia to pull her up. Atalia looked way too cheerful for – Sascha glanced at the clock – oh, she slept through lunch again.

“Come on, let’s go,” Atalia said, tugging at Sascha’s arm, and Sascha bid her Saturday adieu.

“Are we hitting the duty free shops?” Sascha asked, stubbornly ignoring the luggage Atalia was happily tagging along. “Atalia, we can get better deals in the city.”

Sascha had fallen back asleep the moment she settled into Atalia’s car, after Atalia sleep walked her through washing up and spoon-fed her a few bites of cereal. Somehow, she hadn’t noticed the luggage in the backseat. Or realized that her passport had been missing from her hand luggage. They’d been in Paris for three days while Atalia spoke with suppliers. They were supposed to go down to the South of France to taste wine but Sascha didn’t think they needed passports for that.

“Relax, it’s just Japan. Easy two day trip.”

Sascha stopped in her tracks, back going rigid as the situation finally sunk in.

“Japan?” She didn’t even pack or exchange currency. Granted, she’d pretty much been following Atalia around like some besotted puppy. Okay, she was a besotted puppy, and if Atalia wanted to take her to Japan, then she was going to Japan.

“We have time,” Atalia said soothingly and she was gently rubbing circles into the back of Sascha’s hand while lowering her voice on purpose so Sascha let herself be led to the boarding gates.

And they do have time. Sascha was stuck in that period after grad school, with the slow realization that she was overqualified for entry-level jobs and under-qualified for a proper managerial position.

Atalia had flexible work hours and she was in between projects after completing her summer collection for NYFW. She was taking time off to get some inspiration for her next collection.

When the plane was going down the runway, Atalia laced their fingers together and brought their locked hands up to her lips for a reassuring kiss. “Hey, don’t worry, I’ve got you.”

“Thank you,” Sascha said sincerely. “I love this.”

*****

From the Tokyo Skytree observation deck, they could see past the glittering city below as the city readied itself for a busy night. All those lighted buildings are symbols of someone pulling an all-nighter, and Sascha had never been more grateful to be unemployed.

They spent the day fooling around in Harajuku and Shibuya, taking far too many silly purikuras and hitting up Alcatraz ER, the prison themed restaurant.

“Just to check it out,” Sascha claimed but anyone could see how she lit up when they found out they could stir their drinks with dildos. The va*ina shaped cakes were a bonus.

“Come on, we should take a picture to commemorate,” Atalia urged as she watched Sascha press herself against the sky deck’s glass windows to drink in the darkening skyline. She fumbled in her bag to pull out her phone and tugged Sascha closer.

Sascha obediently struck a quick V, giggling when Atalia leaned forward to nip at her fingers and then steal a quick kiss at the corner of her mouth. The photo came out funny, with Sascha’s face half distorted because she was turning her face away to avoid Atalia’s kiss. They were in public, after all. Who knew how tolerant the Japanese were?

“I almost don’t want to go home,” Sascha sighed, leaning into Atalia’s chest and ignoring the tittering tourists around them.

“Good, because tomorrow we’re going to Taiwan.”

Luckily, the windows of the observation deck were fortified, but if you squinted closely enough, you might have seen the soft imprints of where Sascha pushed Atalia’s face into the glass.

*****

Taiwan was dizzying.

If Sascha was comfortable in the bustling streets of Hongdae, Shi Lin night market caught her off guard with the sheer number of young people pushing around the place.

“Dick waffles.” Atalia pointed out the stall, having a keen eye for these sorts of things.

“We’re stumbling upon a lot of phallic objects in our travels,” Sascha mused but they stood in line anyway. It was pe*is shaped waffles and they never claimed to be the most mature.