Glow by Molly Bryant

my heart beat thrum.
     
“Come on, we're leaving,” I said.
     
“Um, why?” she asked continuing to dance with some tall-lanky guy.
     
“Maria and I have plans,” I smiled.
     
She gave me a look of shock and what was that expression? Jealousy? “Oh,
really?”
     
“Yes, let's go,” I said as I pulled a whining Maria with me. I kept glancing
behind us to see that Vanessa was following us.
     
When we got outside we are about fifty-feet from the car when I heard...
     
“Vanessa?” a males voice said from behind us.
     
I turned around to see none other than Jordan standing there with one of his
friends.
     
No...no...no. I groaned.
     
“Who is that?” Maria asked me, her voice full of admiration.
     
“That, Maria, is Jordan,” I sighed.
     
“Rawr, he's hot!” she giggled.
     
“You are not helping me, at all,” I rolled my eyes.
     
“Sorry,” she frowned.
     
“Hey, Jordan,” Vanessa smiled then gave him a quick hug. “How are you?”
     
He hugged her back, closing his eyes while doing so. Oh no, this means he's
been thinking about her...
     
“I'm good,” he pulled away then took one of her hands in his. “How are you
feeling? Any better?”
     
“Yeah, I feel great,” she stared into his eyes.
     
“Are you leaving?” he nodded towards Maria and me without breaking eye
contact.
    “Well, yeah, Ben is driving me home, and he is ready... so,” she nodded
slowly. There we go, there's the Vanessa I know. I smiled. “He can just take
my car if you want to give me a ride home later?” she asked him. On second
though; my smile faded quickly.
“Absolutely,” the bastard smirked as he wrapped his arm around her
shoulders.
     
“I'll text you guys tomorrow,” she turned to walk away.
“Vanessa, wait,” I jogged up to her.
     
“What, Ben?” she raised her brows.
     
“Remember what I-” I was going to remind her to be available but never be
available. In other words... don't sleep with the tool!
    “I'm not going to sleep with him, Ben,” she whispered to me. “Have a little
faith in me.” she winked and then walked away. I stood there as Maria kept
telling me, “Come on, let's go,”
I hated standing there on the dark street watching her walk away. Every time,
my heart aches a little bit more...
     
~
    We stopped at a doughnut shop a few blocks away from Estrada's. I got out
of Vanessa's car and locked the doors. I looked up and had seen Maria's tiny
frame walking so fast it looked like she were ready to take off in a full out
sprint in her black mini skirt and boots- her brown curls bounced crazily.
“Maria!” I hollered. She turned to look at me and walked even faster.
     
Oh no you don't...
     
I jogged. “Hey, hey, hey...” I grabbed her arm then stopped her. “You are not
going anywhere,”
     
She groaned. “Ben, I swore to secrecy,” she stomped her boot.
     
“Let's just go inside, have some coffee and talk. That's all...” I smiled. “and if
you don't want to tell me anything, I respect that,”
     
“Really?” she looked at me knowingly.
     
“No,” I shook my head then laughed.
     
“Ben,” she drawled, the potent smell of alcohol graced my face.
     
“Please,” I whispered making eye contact with her. “This is important to me.
You are the only one who can help me, Maria,”
    She stared at me for a long moment. “Ugh, fine...” she rolled her eyes then
quickly walked away from me and into the doughnut shop. I walked in
behind her smiling, I got her...
We grabbed our coffee and took a seat next to the window.
     
I stared at Maria who was sadly twirling her red stir stick around in her
coffee.
     
“What's up?” I asked Maria as I studied her facial expression and I could see
that she was seriously struggling with what to say to me.
     
“I am debating on whether or not I want to talk to you about all of this stuff
with Vanessa,” she shrugged still staring at her coffee.
     
“If you're worried I'll say something, I won't.” and I