Short Fiction: Sunflower Seeds, Iridessa the Fairy, and Captain Hook
A Disney coming of age short story.
I’ve nailed it this time. I know it. The buttered yellows fading into the tangerine orange petals on my dress, the placement of the oversized sunflower seed, the faux daylily headband sitting atop my hazel afro puff, the little yellow flats I found at Justice, and the dark green yarn left over from my moms’ Easter egg hunt. I look just like Iridessa. I know it. Everyone knows it. Right now, I’m just waiting for her to find me.
Tinker Bell glides past me; I pay her no mind. Fawn and Vidia are chasing each other; I don’t notice them anymore than in the tiny amount of space they take up in my peripheral vision. Silvermist sways to the music of the parade, and I decide to give her a quick wave. She’s always been my second favorite fairy, so I acknowledge her for the briefest of moments. Silvermist gestures to my dress in awe, and I smile and nod. Terrence, Clank, and Bobble are all up on the float being boys, loudly goofing off. Ew.
I see her! She’s at the tail end of Tinker Bell’s party. She keeps stopping to high-five all of the other little Black girls who are mesmerized by her, just like I am. Iridessa is complimenting their sunflower seeds, offering up fist bumps, hitting all of the most popular fairy dance moves, and…
