By the end of the day, she was down to less than five percent battery life on her phone. She’d even turned the damn thing off for a better part of the day to preserve as much battery life as possible. After sending Xochitl a text to let her know she was at the on-campus coffee shop waiting for her, then sending Byron a text to tell him she loved him, she turned it back off again.
“Oh, my God I’m starving,” Xochitl said as she took the seat across the booth from Vannah. “They have sandwiches and pastries here.”
“I’m feeling more like a big fat burger or a nice deep-dish pizza.”
“Well, if you wanna walk clear across campus to the food court, you’re on your own. I don’t have time.” Vannah sipped her coffee. “I still have this paper I have to turn in at the lab.”
“My life,” Xochitl said staring at something behind Vannah. “It never fails when I’m craving something. What are the odds the GrubHub girl would be delivering both burgers and a pizza right here, right now?”
Already smiling at her friend’s irritation, Vannah turned to see what she was talking about. Almost at the same moment, both her and Irma did a double take when they recognized each other. If it weren’t for the distinct pale red hair Vannah might not have, but there was no missing it and clearly the girl recognized her.
“You know her?” Xochitl asked as soon as Vannah turned back to her coffee.
“Not really, but I know of her.”
“She keeps looking over here,” Xochitl said glancing behind Vannah casually, before sipping her coffee. “Who is she?”
“A not so pleasant blast from the past. Remember the girl I told you showed up at Byron’s way back.” Xochitl’s brows furrowed in question. “The night we had dinner with my parents?”
Xochitl’s eyes went wide as her eyes glanced behind Vannah again. “Well, shit I think she’s coming over here.”
“You’re kidding me.”
“Nope. Here she comes.” Xochitl took another sip of her coffee. “Don’t worry, girl. I got your back.”
If Vannah’s head wasn’t racing, trying to make sense of why this girl would want to approach her, Vannah might’ve laughed at that.
“Hey,” Vannah’s heart spiked at the sight of the girl at their booth. “You might not remember me—”
“I do,” Vannah said lifting her chin sitting up a little straighter.
“I, uh . . .” Irma cleared her throat nervously. “Not sure if you’re still hanging with Byron but if you are, I was just wondering if maybe you could ask him if I left an earring at his place. I spent the night at his place the night before I saw you there with him. It’s expensive and not even mine. I’ve tried to reach out but . . .”
Vannah wasn’t even paying attention anymore. Byron had slept with this girl the night before he took Vannah back to his house, after having dinner with her parents? That text he’d sent about having plans with someone else had been true. He’d slept with this girl after the week they’d had when he said he’d never connected so quickly to any other girl.
“. . . teardrop shape. I didn’t even realize I lost it until days later. I can’t afford to replace it and would’ve just stopped by the shop, but uh, Byron said something about a restraining order, and I can’t risk that.”
Not wanting to look at this girl for even another second and risk envisioning her wrapped around Byron, Vannah refrained from shuddering before nodding. “I’ll ask him.”
Irma nodded and turned to Xochitl with a weak smile before turning back to Vannah. “Thank you.”
The moment she was far enough away Xochitl reached her hand across the table and touched Vannah’s. “I don’t buy for a second that she didn’t know you’re still with him, and this wasn’t just her way of retaliating the fact that she’d been rejected that night because of you. You said she was pissed when she saw you, right? Earring my ass—”
“We did find an earring that day.” Vannah had left that part out when she’d told Xochitl about the incident because she’d felt too pathetic having let him off the hook so easily. Her friend started to say something about it possibly being a coincidence. “It was a teardrop shape, and it was in his bed, Soch. We found it because he’d wanted to change the sheets before we laid down in it.” Vannah thought about how nervous he’d seemed that day. “He’d probably been nervous about what else I might notice or find in those sheets.”
The very thought nauseated Vannah now, as she felt her eyes flood suddenly. Irma was the date he’d texted her about and then sent her packing when she showed up because his plans had suddenly changed. No wonder the girl had been so mad that night.
“Okay, okay” Xochitl tapped Vannah’s hand. “Let’s say she did spend the night with him that night. Technically you two weren’t even exclusive then, remember? And, and, and that would be the night he thought he’d seen you making out with someone else.” Xochitl tilted her head raising her brows at Vannah. “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.” Her brows furrowed as if to think about that, then shook her head. “Anyway, for all he knew at the time he wasn’t doing anything worse that what he thought you’d possibly done. In any case, if it bothers you that much, do what your mother always tells you too. Talk to him. Talk it out.”
Done discussing this and wanting nothing more but to hear his voice now, Vannah got her things and they both started out. Xochitl had a point. This was something that happened long before things were official between them and he’d been upfront and honest about his busy past. She’d even gotten plenty of proof about it those first few weeks. She wasn’t sure why this felt like such a slap in the face. But like when she’d first gotten that awful text from him back then, it was making her emotional now. Why did she even care? Everything was so different now. So perfect and she believed him with all her heart when he said he loved her. She just needed to hear him say it again.
“I thought you were going to the lab to turn in your paper?” Xochitl said when they passed it, and Vannah kept walking with her in the direction of the parking lot.
“I need to go pick up my charger from our dorm before heading home to my parents,” Vannah explained pulling her phone out and turning it on. “I left my spare at Byron’s.”
They exchanged glances when they walked by Ms. Thang and the guy she was obviously having an affair with now. “I can’t believe her,” Xochitl whispered then turned to Vannah before walking off in the direction of her next class. “Listen, seriously, Vannah. If this whole thing with that girl really bothers you, talk to him. Ask him about it and hash it out but I really don’t think you should let it ruin what you have with him. You said more than once you wouldn’t be holding his past against him and technically it’s what this girl is. The guy told his family he’d marry you tomorrow, for crying out loud. You two are too good together.”
Her friend leaned in and hugged her. Vannah pouted as she pulled away still feeling stupidly emotional. “I will.” She lifted her phone. “Don’t think I have enough juice to get through a whole conversation until I get home and charge this, but I will.”