Chapter 5
“You what?” Zoe’s brown eyes widened in confusion. “Did you say new musical?”
“Yes. And I want you to design the costumes,” he repeated slowly, as if she hadn’t heard him correctly the first time.
“What does a big-shot director want with a lingerie designer?”
“You’re more than a lingerie designer. And I’m not a big shot. Not yet anyway.” He shrugged as if he hadn’t received rave
reviews in the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times for his work.
“You’ll be on Broadway soon enough,” Zoe said with conviction.
She believed this because she had been following his career even though she’d actively avoided him since graduation. It’d
been easier to ignore Derek’s texts when she’d been so raw and vulnerable after changing majors at the last minute and barely
graduating on time.
“So you’re still keeping tabs on me.” He couldn’t keep a wide smile from forming on his face. She hadn’t forgotten about him
all these years or given up on theater.
“My mom keeps me apprised of your accomplishments,” Zoe replied nonchalantly, but the corner of her lips curved up in a half-smile.
“I swear she has a Google alert set up for you.”
“Seriously? How are C? H ? ng and Chú Minh?”
“Same. Loud and nosy as ever.”
They laughed. He’d defended himself from her mom’s onslaught of questions whenever he’d come to DC during school breaks. No matter how much Zoe begged her to stop, her mom interrogated him about everything, from growing up with a single mom to how people in New York could work in all that snow.
“If you want to say hi, she’s working in the restaurant today. I can give you directions.”
“Z, you’re killing me here. I’m not ready to get back in the car.”
“If you can find Ph?-Ever 75, then you can find Something Cheeky.”
“That’s right! You’re in Eden Center now. What’s it like working so close to your parents?”
“Mom and I have learned to give each other space. Literally and figuratively.”
“So you picked a location on the opposite side of the shopping center on purpose?”
“It was the best space for my boutique, which just happened to be far away from my parents.”
“How fortunate,” he said and chuckled.
“I got a sweet deal on it thanks to a new pilot program there for AAPI business owners. We’re trying to get it recognized
as a historic site.”
“Whoa. I wish my hometown had something like Eden Center. We had hole-in-the-wall places that catered to non-Asian tastebuds.”
Sadness flashed across his face so quickly that she almost missed it. “The program sounds super cool.”
“But you’re not here to talk about a strip mall’s history. Tell me about this musical.” Zoe sipped her new drink slowly. It’d
be embarrassing if she choked on this one, too.
“It’s brand-new and Prestige Repertory is producing the world premiere. Which was why I went looking for your award-winning
shop.”
“You’re laying it on thick. How did you know?”
“You’re not the only one whom your mom keeps informed.”
“What did I tell you? Nosy and meddling.” She smiled as she shook her head indulgently. “Between her and my aunts, they have my life figured out.”
“You’re lucky to have so many family members who care about you,” he said wistfully.
She’d stuck her foot in her mouth. Derek’s mom had raised him on her own. Whenever they watched movies with huge, loud Asian
families, jealousy flared inside him. Every time he’d come with her to DC during school breaks, he’d handled all her aunts,
uncles, and cousins with ease.
“I know.” Zoe stirred her boba with the neon pink straw. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s okay. I love my mom. And I have my theater family in the city. We misfits have to stick together.”
“I’m sorry,” Zoe said so softly he almost missed it. Her shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry I never tried to mend things between
us.”
“We’re doing it now.” He leaned in closer to her. Not that he had to move far in their tight space.
“I meant to text you once I had a handle on my life. But I was working long hours apprenticing with my fashion mentor and
then I opened the boutique. The longer I went without, the worse I felt. Then you got famous.” She clamped her mouth shut
to stop babbling.
“Theater famous means not at all. Unless you’re Lin-Manuel,” he half-joked. “It’s not like people recognize me on the subway.”
“I didn’t want you to think that I texted out of the blue because you’re a big deal now. I’d never abuse our friendship in
order to name-drop you.”
“Z, I would never think that. Not after all we’ve been through in undergrad.”
“I know that, but it’d feel like that to me.”
“Would you feel better if we act out the scenario that’s playing in your head? I can improv some not-so-pleasant feelings against you. Maybe if you stomp on my foot.” He set his right foot in front of him.
“Still a Method actor, I see.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m not going to hurt you to make myself feel better.”
“Well, I found you first. Which means you’re not taking advantage of me. Better?”
She shrugged but a smile crept on her face. He tapped her shoe with his until she looked up. Derek tapped her shoe again and
stuck out his tongue.
“Stop it.” Zoe laughed and lightly kicked him in return. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you— us . It’s been too long. How about a hug?” Derek opened his arms.
Zoe had to take only a short step to fall into his hug. He wrapped his arm around her torso and lifted her off the ground
with barely any effort.
“You’re lucky we’re not outside where I could spin you around,” he whispered.
His low voice tickled her ear and a flutter ran through her abdomen. Zoe froze for a second but relaxed when he squeezed her
harder. She only imagined that flutter.
“Put me down!” Zoe laughed. “You’re nuts.”
He gently set her back on the ground. His entire body tingled from their embrace.
Suddenly the corner felt too constricting, too small, for the two of them.
“Do you miss it?” he blurted out. “Theater.”
Zoe opened her mouth and closed it. She pressed her lips together and shrugged. He didn’t push her to answer. Instead he took a long swallow of his boba and chewed on his popping bubbles. His glasses slid down his nose. She wrapped both hands around her drink to keep herself from pushing them back up.
“My team and I constructed the costumes for a production of Lysistrata last month,” Zoe confessed. “I’d forgotten how much fun it was.”
“That’s perfect, because I’m working on a new production. From scratch.” Derek’s face brightened. “I’ll finally have something
I can call my own.”
“That sounds really cool, Derek. It’s here in the DMV?” She’d never seen him this excited about a production.
He opened his mouth but stopped when his phone buzzed. He held out a finger for her to wait before pulling out his phone.
“Crap. I’m sorry to cut this short, but I’m going to be late for an important meeting downtown.” He slid his phone back into
his pocket.
“Next time don’t get lost,” she teased.
“So there will be a next time.” He flashed a grin. “How about dinner tomorrow so I can properly tell you about the show?”
“I’d love that. But don’t leave me hanging until tomorrow. How about a hint?”
“Remember what we used to dream about out on the roof of our college apartment?”
“ T?m Cám ?” Zoe whispered, as if speaking it too loudly would jinx it.
Whenever their theater classes felt too western or too white-centric, she and Derek would fantasize about their imaginary
production of the Vietnamese fairy tale. But it’d been all talk. A fantasy that grounded them in who they were and where they
came from.
“I’m doing it.” He waved his hands excitedly. “We’re doing a Vietnamese Cinderella rock musical.”
“We?” Zoe’s mouth hung open. “But it was a silly game we played.”
“It’s real, Z.”
“Real,” she whispered, wondering if she should pinch herself to make sure she’d heard him correctly.
“Yes.” He grabbed her hand. “You didn’t think I’d do it without you? I want you to design costumes for our musical.”
“Me? Shouldn’t you hire someone with actual experience?” Zoe shook her head quickly. “I’ve never designed anything outside
of college. And you know how that went.”
“Our professor was an ass,” Derek replied a little too loudly. “He’s a has-been actor who got off on his power.”
Zoe nodded in agreement.
“Zoe, this is our time to shine.” Derek grabbed both her shoulders and looked directly into her eyes.
His fingers twitched as a tremor ran through her body. The hairs on her arms stood up as goose bumps spread across it. As
much as she was protesting, excitement pulsed through her body.
“You don’t have to decide right this minute,” he continued. “I’ll fill you in tomorrow.”
“Okay” was all she managed to say.
“Everything shall be revealed tomorrow night.” He hugged her again. “If I don’t leave now, I’ll be late.”
He left the café as abruptly as he’d reentered her life. But not before reawakening the dream she’d given up so long ago.
Zoe ignored TJ’s attempt to get her attention as a multitude of feelings unspooled inside her. What if this was her second
chance to become a real costume designer?