AllFreeNovel
Share Us
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’mveryembarrassed about the whole thing. Make it sound extreme. Oh, I know! Use the word mortified. Say I’mcompletelymortified.”
“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 frommommy 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 wordeverywas 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.”
Peering at her for a second, Vannah glanced back down and reread the text trying to figure out what she meant.
“Okay, okay,” Xochitl stood up and started pacing the room. “Write back agreeing with him that I shouldn’t be mortified. Tell him you told me the same thing and then add something casual about how thankful you are that of all the drunk girls he could’ve helped out, he chose to help me.” Xochitl stopped sharply and turned to Vannah. “Scratch that. Scratch that. Don’t say he chose me. Might make it too obvious what you’re implying. We wanthimto offer an explanation as to why I was the lucky one he decided to save out ofallthe other drunk girls out there last night.”
On top of all the madness going on in Vannah’s belly, she could feel it tightening up now. This felt sort of sneaky. Kind of mean like they were setting him up to be forced to confess he’d stopped because of Vannah. But then maybe he deserved it. He’d been pretty smug with her last night for a minute there.
“Instead,” Xochitl went on without a hitch. “Keep the part about agreeing with him that I shouldn’t be mortified. But tell him you told me I must’ve had an angel on my shoulder to have been there at the perfect time for him to observe what was going on. Because if you think about it, Vannah, it really is the truth. Regardless ofwhyhe decided to help me out, he wouldn’t have had the choice to make, had the timing not been perfect, right?”
Gulping, Vannah nodded feeling better about putting it this way instead of the first. She read it off to Xochitl before hitting send again.
This time he didn’t respond right away. Xochitl went about her business of finishing drying her hair and started putting on makeup. She went on about how completely convinced she was that Byron had only stopped because he’d recognized her as Vannah’s friend.
Ignoring the tightening knot in her belly with each excruciating second that went on and her phone remained silent, Vannah pretended to listen to Xochitl’s every word. Truth was, she was already wondering as perceptive—not to mention annoyed as Byron had been about her lying—had he picked up on what she might be implying and maybe he was now annoyed by that too? Would he be rude? It’d already been established he could be intense as hell.
Her phone dinging made her flinch. Xochitl turned to her mid-sentence with those excitable eyes. “Is that him?”
“Um-hmm.” Vanna clicked on the text and braced herself as she read it out loud. “Yeah, luck or something was on her side for sure. I almost didn’t stop. Those guys yelling down from the window is what got me to pull over.”
Glancing up when Xochitl sucked in a quick breath, Vannah was just in time to see her shudder. “Okay, duly noted. I willneverdrink like that again. Hell . . .” She touched her head with a groan. “The way I feel now, I may never drink again period. I feel like absolute shit. If it weren’t for my aunt being in town today and having already committed to meeting her for breakfast, I’d stay in bed all day.”
That reminded Vannah that Nena would be passing through again today like she had days prior. She and her friend had stopped by on their way to Santa Barbra a few days before. They were headed back home today, and Nena wanted to stop by and meet Vannah again for a late lunch.
“So, what do I say?” Vannah was on her feet now because she wanted to get to that laundry before getting ready to meet with Nena.
“I still say his stopping had everything to do with you. But just reiterate how lucky I was that he did and that again I’m very grateful for it. Don’t tell him this but we’ll have to get him a little something, aside from his clean clothes as a token of our gratitude. Just let me think on it because it’s gotta be something good. Something kinda cutesy and personal, that shows a little more effort than a Starbucks gift card or something. And it’s gotta be obvious it’s more from you than me.”
Xochitl winked as she walked back into the bathroom. “Kinda cutesy?” Vannah whispered as she glanced down at her phone feeling her stomach stiffen. “And personal?”
Trying her best not to overthink it, Vannah decided to get started on the laundry and call Nena back. Nothing beat talking to her sister to get her mind off of things. Especially since she’d already decided she wasn’t mentioning Byron to Nena unless she absolutely had to.
