Vannah explained about the picture she’d sent Nena of Byron’s license plate just in case. Then how she called her the moment he left. But said it was just a ride home and she was just playing it safe. Except she hadn’t said anything more to her about Byron. “I’ll never hear the end of it. She already riles me enough about Mat and I’m not even into him.”
“So, how’d you get his number?”
“Oh my God, that’s the best part. I still can’t believe I did it.”
Chuckling at Xochitl’s reaction to the reminder of her throwing up, Vannah explained about Byron’s gym clothes. “I almost didn’t do it. I swear my heart was beating a mile a minute. It’s why I didn’t even think when I mentioned Bad Boys, so I just blurted it out in a way that didn’t really feel like I was asking for his number. More like a way to get in touch so I can get his clothes back to him.”
Feeling her face heat again she told Xochitl about how for a moment she thought he –wasn’t going to give it to her, and she began to back pedal until he started giving it to her.
“Oh, wow so this is perfect.” Xochitl smiled big. “You don’t even have to worry about seeming too eager to contact him, because you can actually admit you wanted to get his clothes back to him as soon as possible. I’ll wash them for you, girl, since it is my puke all over them anyway.” Xochitl groaned and Vannah laughed in response. “What a first impression this guy has of me now. So, all he said was that he saw me with two guys and decided to pull over and rescue me? What if one of them had been my boyfriend or something?”
“A boyfriend would’ve been more worried about taking care of you as wasted as you were. Not being all over you, like the girl inside said that guy was.” Vannah inhaled deeply before exhaling out slowly, feeling a silly smile spread across her face. “It must’ve been obvious you were in trouble and Byron couldn’t just drive by and do nothing about it. That says a lot about him, right? I mean there were tons of other guys around and driving by and none of them saw fit to stop and check on you.”
Xochitl who’d been busy tousling her wet hair with a towel, stopped suddenly, and turned to stare at Vannah mouth agape, but didn’t say anything.
“What?” Vannah asked curiously.
“You think he recognized me?”
Vannah peered at her. “From the times we’ve run across him—”
“No. As the friend of the girl he’s been eyeing for weeks? You think that’s why he stopped?”
Feeling her insides light up suddenly, Vannah shook her head. “Not necessarily—”
“No, that’s gotta be it.” Xochitl took a seat on the bed with Vannah looking excited for the first time since she’d groaned her way out of the shower. “Think about it, Vannah. How many drunk girls did we see stumbling around in the time we were there? How many other drunk girls could he have seen in that slow drive he was on in front of all those frat houses? It can’t just be his thing to go around saving random drunk girls for no reason. You’re the reason he saw fit to stop and check on me.”
Swallowing hard, Vannah stared at Xochitl blankly, trying to calm the butterflies in her belly. “Could be,” she offered softly. “I guess it’s possible.”
“Oh, I know it is,” Xochitl said with such confidence the butterflies in Vannah’s belly swarmed out of control. “Tell you what, text him.”
“What?” Vannah gasped. “No. It’s too soon.”
“No, it’s not. Tell him I asked you to thank him for me.”
Vannah reached for her phone in front of her, pulling it behind her back as if her friend might reach for it and text him herself. “How’s that gonna prove anything?”
“Just do it, please? I really would like to thank him, and I’d rather do it this way than have to face him ever again.”
Bringing the phone around in front of her again cautiously, Vannah glanced down at the screen. Her heart was already racing just thinking about it, but her head was egging her on like it had last night. Be bold, Vannah. You can do this. What’s the big deal? You’re just passing on a much deserved thank you from your very grateful friend.
“Okay.” She scrolled through her texts before she’d chicken out.
Putting the text together quickly, she read it back once out loud. “Morning. Xochitl said she’s very grateful for what you did last night and asked me to thank you for her.”
Xochitl had barely nodded in approval when Vannah hit the send button because she was already having second thoughts.
“I still don’t see how this will prove anything.” Vannah set her phone down in front of her trying to act like her insides weren’t a hot mess now. “All he’s gonna say is you’re welcome or something to that effect.”
As soon as she said it, her phone dinged and Vannah could swear her heart did too.
“That was fast,” Xochitl smirked leaning into Vannah. “Is it him?”
It was, and Vannah’s heart was literally thudding against her chest now. She nodded hitting the text preview, so it opened completely, and read it out loud.
“Crazy I was just about to text you to ask how she was doing. Wow. Took me a second there to figure out that wasn’t a typo. Is that how you spell her name? I would’ve never guessed. Tell her not a problem. She better now?”
“Good, good,” Xochitl said smiling big. “That’s an invitation to respond. Let’s keep this going.”
Vannah tittered more out of nerves than anything. “What should I say?”
“Okay, tell him the truth. I’m hungover big time, but also add that I’m very embarrassed about the whole thing. Make it sound extreme. Oh, I know! Use the word mortified. Say I’m completely mortified.”
“Okay.” Still not sure what this would prove, Vannah begun putting something together. Then once again read it out loud. “Yeah, I said the same thing about her name when I first saw it written but it’s an Aztec name and that’s how you spell it. She’s hung over of course, but otherwise physically she’s fine. Emotionally however, she’s completely mortified.”
Xochitl nodded in approval but lifted her hand up to halt Vannah from sending it immediately like she had the first time. “Can you also do a little damage control and squeeze in that I’ve never been that drunk before in my life.”
Snickering nervously again, Vannah explained why she was certain he knew that already, given his smug attitude about knowing this was her first time away from mommy and daddy. He was likely thinking the same about Xochitl. But she did add the comment and sent the text off quickly.
Once again, his response was a quick one. The butterflies Vannah had been feeling were now accompanied by some major tingling as she read the text out loud again.
“Cool, I’m glad she’s okay. But tell her she shouldn’t be mortified. First time drinkers at frat parties, are susceptible to her outcome. There’s plenty every time.” Vannah stopped to let Xochitl know the word every was in all caps before going on. “No one’s gonna remember her from all the other drunk girls out there last night.”
“Perfect,” Xochitl said bringing her hands to her big smiling mouth and practically squealed. “He walked right into that! That’s exactly what I was hoping he’d say. Well, anything around those lines.”