The One With Tito Martin’s African Fanbase

I’m in a high school math class with Miss Weinstein. For extra credit, she tells us some kind of math riddle and tells us to write the answer on a piece of paper. I missed the first half of what she said and have no idea what the answer could be. I look at Renee, who’s doing hers in front of me, and see that she’s doing some kind of long division. I decide to give up. As people finish theirs, I take their papers so I can pass the whole pile up and it won’t look like I didn’t write anything. Later on, I find out that the answer was 17 and that we were supposed to figure this out based on it being a prime number. When the class ends, I leave feeling embarrassed. I see Mr. Ross in the hallway and make some kind of weird inside joke to him. Laughing, I turn the corner and see Brandon Barrientos (a guy I was friends with in middle school). I remember that we were supposed to meet somewhere yesterday and that I never showed up. I dramatically cover my mouth with both hands and say, “I am so so so sorry! I tried to call you to tell you I wouldn’t make it, but I didn’t have your number!” I’m practically in tears when he says, “Hold your arms out like this.” He demonstrates by extending his arms away from his body a bit, and I copy him. He scoops me up in a hug and starts running around until I’m cracking up. I think about how he hasn’t changed since middle school … I’m at some kind of Marvel movie with Blake and Renee. In it, Jean Grey (who isn’t played by Famke Janssen or Sophie Turner) — as the Phoenix — goes off on some kind of weird monologue about how she was pregnant before. Her eyes start to turn different colors and her hair floats around her head as if she’s under water. I see a bunch of other X-Men characters being suspended in the air, and then asteroids stuck in place around a large planet. I say, “There’s no gravity!” At some point, the movie stops for some sort of intermission. Thinking this movie is a disaster, I start teasing Blake (who always wants us to watch Marvel movies in real life). I look to my left and see a family of African people in traditional dress. They say something to me about Tito Martin and I realize they were at the Pia Toscano-Daniel Emmet show that he sang at. They start asking me about him and I’m tickled by the fact that they were there. As I chat with them, I see my mom and dad — who are very dressed up — walking up the stairs of the theater. I think about telling my mom to come over but then worry that she’ll be rude and elitist like she often is with Tito Martin’s fans. When I lean back into my seat, Renee says something about finding a “white reaction” video to Tito Martin’s singing and I tell her that there aren’t any. Somehow, I end up sitting in the row behind the African family with my mom, who makes some kind of rude comment about “the red dots they have on their noses” (they’re now Indian with bindis on their foreheads). I desperately hope they can’t hear us … I’m at an indoor pool with Renee and a guy we apparently know. My mom walks in with my phone and tells me that my “girlfriend” texted me. I somehow know she means Alex. When she hands me my phone, I see that she’s changed the name of a group chat I’m in with Jordyn to, “Texts with Jordyn.” I say, “Did you really go through my phone like I’m 14 years old?” Renee, the guy, and I all laugh. I hold on to a step in the pool with my feet and let myself float on my back while covering my bump with my hands … I’m at a table somewhere with Renee, Sarah, Robby, and Savannah Knight. Savannah says something about how she hasn’t seen Sarah in “25 months.” I think about how this is over two years and remember that the other day, Sarah, Renee, and I were trying to figure out if Robby and Savannah were separated (in real life). At some point, Savannah leaves the room and Sarah reveals that she’s actually the one to blame for their relationship issues. Robby starts telling us about the “sexist” things she’s done and why start to understand why things aren’t working between them … I’m in the backseat of a car driving through Winston Trails when I notice an orange apartment building (it looks like Renee’s before it was painted). I start texting Jordyn about some kind of conference Pastor Scott is having and speculate that it has something to do with Phillip’s infidelity.