to drive a Mercedes and he’s going to drive a BMW. I’m going to sell houses, and he’s going to be a rock star.”
Nicole giggles. “Well, I’m going to go to college at Harvard and be someone respectable like my daddy wants me to be.”
“Why do you want to go to Harvard?”
“Because my mom and daddy want me to. They’ve been putting money in the bank since I was a baby so that I can go there. It’s where important people go, and my daddy wants me to be important. He says I have to be the best in school before I can go there. And I have to be a good person that everyone will like and listen to.”
“But you don’t ever say anything in school,” I say, confused.
“I guess I haven’t found anything really important to say yet.”
“My mom and dad tell me they want me to be happy. Besides, college is so far away. I can’t think about that.”
“But don’t you get married
after
college?” Nicole points out.
“Yeah, but that’s just pretend,” I defend, feeling light-headed from hanging upside down for so long. “Except I
am
going to make Cal my boyfriend this year.”
Chapter Seven
I peek out of one eye, undecided whether I really want to be awake. It’s after two in the afternoon. Then I remember Nyelle and roll over. She’s not here. All that’s left are my sweatshirt and sweatpants folded neatly on top of the pillow.
I sit up when I hear a cabinet door shut.
“Nyelle?” I call out. I listen. There’s footsteps, but no answer. “Nyelle?”
“Who?” It’s Eric. I let out a heavy breath. She left. I’m not surprised, but I can still feel the weight of disappointment in my chest.
“Forget it.”
Eric pokes his head in my room. “What happened to you last night? Did you leave with that cute brunette I saw you talking to?”
I yawn, twisting to stretch my back. “No. I met up with another girl and ended up nearly drowning in a frozen lake.”
Eric laughs. “What?”
“Yeah, it’s funny now,” I admit. “But it wasn’t when it was happening.” I give him the abbreviated version. And he laughs louder.
“Who is this girl?” he asks, still chuckling.
“That’s what I’m trying to find out,” I reply, eyeing the stack of clothes on my bed.
* * *
Nyelle’s avoiding me again. Or at least that’s what I’ve convinced myself. She left without a word, and I haven’t seen her in four days. Now I’m sitting on the couch at Bean Buzz, bouncing my knee and rubbing my hands together with my eyes trained on the door, hoping she’ll show up. I didn’t say what time I’d meet her here today. I just said Thursday. Maybe I screwed up.
I’d wait here all day for her except I can’t be late for class. I have a midterm. I pull my phone out of my pocket to check the time again. There’s a message across my screen.
JADE: WANT TO SEE ME THIS WEEKEND?
I try not to judge girls by their text messages. I’ve learned that tone can get lost in translation. Still, it says a lot when the girl texts first. It’s bold.
I’m tempted to ignore the message, but decide it might distract me from the anxiety in my stomach that’s about to swallow me whole. And I have an easy out since Rae’s flying in tonight.
ME: I HAVE A FRIEND VISITING THIS WEEKEND.
JADE: SO… DITCH HIM.
I shake my head. What? There’s not much to misinterpret about that statement.
ME: NOT MY STYLE. HOW ABOUT AFTER BREAK?
JADE: AW! THAT SEEMS TOO FAR AWAY.
JADE: IS YOUR FRIEND A GUY OR A GIRL?
I hesitate. Maybe I should have ignored her text. Insecurity is not attractive. Jade and I didn’t talk much the night we met, and regardless of intention, there are warning signs in the few texts she’s sent. I must take too long to respond, because she texts again.
JADE: NO WORRIES. I’LL SEE YOU AFTER BREAK. HAVE FUN THIS WEEKEND.
She redeems herself. Or tries to anyway.
ME: YOU TOO. I’LL TEXT YOU WHEN I GET BACK.
I know I shouldn’t have sent the text because I have no intention of
Nicole giggles. “Well, I’m going to go to college at Harvard and be someone respectable like my daddy wants me to be.”
“Why do you want to go to Harvard?”
“Because my mom and daddy want me to. They’ve been putting money in the bank since I was a baby so that I can go there. It’s where important people go, and my daddy wants me to be important. He says I have to be the best in school before I can go there. And I have to be a good person that everyone will like and listen to.”
“But you don’t ever say anything in school,” I say, confused.
“I guess I haven’t found anything really important to say yet.”
“My mom and dad tell me they want me to be happy. Besides, college is so far away. I can’t think about that.”
“But don’t you get married
after
college?” Nicole points out.
“Yeah, but that’s just pretend,” I defend, feeling light-headed from hanging upside down for so long. “Except I
am
going to make Cal my boyfriend this year.”
Chapter Seven
I peek out of one eye, undecided whether I really want to be awake. It’s after two in the afternoon. Then I remember Nyelle and roll over. She’s not here. All that’s left are my sweatshirt and sweatpants folded neatly on top of the pillow.
I sit up when I hear a cabinet door shut.
“Nyelle?” I call out. I listen. There’s footsteps, but no answer. “Nyelle?”
“Who?” It’s Eric. I let out a heavy breath. She left. I’m not surprised, but I can still feel the weight of disappointment in my chest.
“Forget it.”
Eric pokes his head in my room. “What happened to you last night? Did you leave with that cute brunette I saw you talking to?”
I yawn, twisting to stretch my back. “No. I met up with another girl and ended up nearly drowning in a frozen lake.”
Eric laughs. “What?”
“Yeah, it’s funny now,” I admit. “But it wasn’t when it was happening.” I give him the abbreviated version. And he laughs louder.
“Who is this girl?” he asks, still chuckling.
“That’s what I’m trying to find out,” I reply, eyeing the stack of clothes on my bed.
* * *
Nyelle’s avoiding me again. Or at least that’s what I’ve convinced myself. She left without a word, and I haven’t seen her in four days. Now I’m sitting on the couch at Bean Buzz, bouncing my knee and rubbing my hands together with my eyes trained on the door, hoping she’ll show up. I didn’t say what time I’d meet her here today. I just said Thursday. Maybe I screwed up.
I’d wait here all day for her except I can’t be late for class. I have a midterm. I pull my phone out of my pocket to check the time again. There’s a message across my screen.
JADE: WANT TO SEE ME THIS WEEKEND?
I try not to judge girls by their text messages. I’ve learned that tone can get lost in translation. Still, it says a lot when the girl texts first. It’s bold.
I’m tempted to ignore the message, but decide it might distract me from the anxiety in my stomach that’s about to swallow me whole. And I have an easy out since Rae’s flying in tonight.
ME: I HAVE A FRIEND VISITING THIS WEEKEND.
JADE: SO… DITCH HIM.
I shake my head. What? There’s not much to misinterpret about that statement.
ME: NOT MY STYLE. HOW ABOUT AFTER BREAK?
JADE: AW! THAT SEEMS TOO FAR AWAY.
JADE: IS YOUR FRIEND A GUY OR A GIRL?
I hesitate. Maybe I should have ignored her text. Insecurity is not attractive. Jade and I didn’t talk much the night we met, and regardless of intention, there are warning signs in the few texts she’s sent. I must take too long to respond, because she texts again.
JADE: NO WORRIES. I’LL SEE YOU AFTER BREAK. HAVE FUN THIS WEEKEND.
She redeems herself. Or tries to anyway.
ME: YOU TOO. I’LL TEXT YOU WHEN I GET BACK.
I know I shouldn’t have sent the text because I have no intention of
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