Chapter Text
Dina walks, or practically skips, to Syd's locker. She is very excited about this day!
"My, Dina. You look really purple today."
Dina looks happily down at her royal purple sweater. She always wears it on this day.
"Do you know what day it is?" Dina asks, and she can barely contain her excitement.
"Um, March? 16th, I guess."
"And..."
Syd looks at Dina like she's weird, which Dina never minds. Not when it's Syd. "It's not St. Patrick's Day, so I don't know."
"Oh, are you Irish?" Dina hasn't really thought where 'Novak' is from.
"Not that I know of, but I know the date. Kinda. I notice when people celebrate it, anyway. And no one is wearing green excessively and pinching me for not wearing any."
"That's true." Dina can't contain herself anymore and digs into her bag to get a pin to show Syd, "It's St. Urho's Day!"
Syd takes the pin and looks at the grapes and grasshopper, "Saint what?"
Dina points at the pin and repeats, "Saint Urho! Tha patron saint of Finland. Or, well, it's more of a American Finnish thing, but still. Cool, huh?"
Now Syd looks even more confused, "You're Finnish?"
"My Mom's from there," Dina says, slightly defensive. Anyway, we used to celebrate it a bit in my old town, there're more Finns there. I know it's not really a thing here, but I think I look good in purple."
Dina swirls to show of her sweater and when she stops Syd is looking at her with that stare she hasn't figured out yet.
"You do," Syd finally says, and goes back to dig into her locker for something.
"So... do you want to come to my place, drink purple kool aid, eat Finnish meatballs, and hear about how Saint Urho saved Finland's grape harvest?"
"Are Finnish meatballs about the same as Swedish meatballs?"
"Yes, and no. They're better."
Syd laughs, and Dina smiles.
"Alright, I'll come. I just need to let my Mom know first."
"Great! We can meet at the diner after last period."
Just then, the bell rings, and Dina waves to Syd as she quickly makes her way to her own locker for her books.
***
After school, they hang out at Dina's room, drinking the aforementioned kool aid and fries from the diner.
"I didn't know Finland grows grapes," Syd says.
"They don't really. It's too far north, too cold. They do have grasshoppers."
"So, the saint didn't really do what they say he did."
Dina laughs, "Nah, I guess not. But it's a fun story. And it's a really fun day, if you happen to live nearby a Finnish immigrant community. Lots of dancing and food, and Finnish. It's great."
"Do you speak Finnish."
"Some. Like, Heinäsirkka, heinäsirkka, mene täältä hiiteen!. That's what Urho said to get rid of the grasshoppers."
"Unsuccessfully," Syd points out again.
Dina rolls her eyes, "Yeah, yeah."
"Finnish sounds weird," Syd admits.
"It does not! You just aren't used to it. It's a pretty cool language. And pretty."
"If you say so," Syd finishes her kool aid.
"Do you want a refill?"
Syd gets up from the floor, "No, I'm fine. I should probably go. We should do this again next year, though."
"You want to?"
"Yeah. Yo can teach me more Finnish and we can do something."
"Will you wear purple with me?"
"... Okay."
"Yay!" Dina gets up and hugs Syd, who hugs her back awkwardly.
"Thank your Mom for the better-than-Swedish meatballs."
"I will."
After Syd leaves, Dina stays in her room, looking up YouTube videos of past St. Urho celebrations. Sometimes she's sad they moved here, but having Syd as a friend really helps.