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“I need to talk to you.” Staring at her almost blankly, Xochitl thought of Vannah’s,she’ll come around, comment today. “Sure, what’s up?”
“I hate to do this to you, on such short notice but something’s come up and I have to go back to Georgia.”
“Okay? Until when?”
“For good,” she said as Xochitl’s jaw dropped. “I’m transferring back to Georgia State. I’m sure you’ll be able to get a replacement before the new semester starts and summers paid up for me. So, you don’t have to worry about paying my half until the new semester.”
“That’s two weeks from now, Gina.”
“Yeah, but there’s a waiting list to get in these dorms so I’m sure they’ll find someone before then. I gotta finish packing.” Just like all the other times she’d cut their conversations short and left the room, Gina started back to her room. Only this time Xochitl followed her, stopping at her door. “When do you leave?”
Gina glanced up from the suitcase she was packing as Xochitl noticed the room was near bare now and there were boxes stacked up in the corner. “My flights in two hours.” Xochitl’s jaw dropped again. “You’re leaving today?”
“Yeah, this can’t wait. I’ll send for my things in a few days.”
Obviously, the recluse was not about to share a little more about why she was pulling the rug out from under Xochitl’s feet so last minute. Just like that, less than two hours later Gina made her exit barely waving at Xochitl like this wasn’t very likely the last time they’deversee each other. In complete contradiction to her distant and quiet dormmate, Vannah stopped by, hugging Xochitl enthusiastically like she hadn’t just seen her earlier that day. “I got so caught up saying goodbye to you earlier and walking you out, I completely forgotten I’d made extra birria for you to bring home.” She walked in and set the foiled covered tin tray on the table then turned around and whispered. “I made enough for you to share with your roomie.”
“I don’t have one anymore.”
“What?” Vannah glanced at her ex-roommate’s bedroom door. “What happened?” She put her hand on her hip. “Did you finally snap?”
“No.” Xochitl explained what little she knew about Gina’s sudden departure. She slumped her shoulders. “Maybe my mom’s right. Maybe it is my irritable ass that keeps running my dormmates off.” She shrugged when Vannah pouted because the last thing Xochitl had ever wanted even as a chubby girl, was pity. Fromanyone. “But Gina’s right. Getting a replacement shouldn’t be an issue, since there’s a waiting list, I should very easily get a replacement for this fall. I honestly had considered that if things got too awkward with Gina this fall, I might just move into a single room dorm for the winter and finish out this last year there. But it’s too late to do that now for fall.” She groaned plopping down on the sofa. “So now I’ll have to deal with breaking in yetanotherroommate that I’ll likelyhate, for the entire fall semester.Whydidn’t I just move to a one room dorm after hating the first two roomies I got when you moved out?”
Vannah was still pouting sympathetically. “The offer to come live with us still stands, you know.”
Xochitl shook her head. “I already told you, I’m not taking Byron’s nephews and nieces room from them.”
“You’re just as stubborn as Lex—” Vannah stopped midsentence as her face went blank then brightened instantly, and her eyes went wide. “Oh, my God.”
“What?”
“Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!”
The fact that whatever idea had her too easily excitable friend so fired up, came just after mentioning her brother, and now she was tapping at her phone screen, made Xochitl sit up nervously.”
“Vannah, what?”
“This is perfect!” She quickly explained about Lex’s situation, pausing whatever she was doing on her phone to look up at her, and it had Xochitl’s heart instantly racing as Vannah went on quickly. “But he said the coach is pulling strings for him, so even though there’s a waiting list to get in here, the coach could probably make it happen. But I have to tell him ASAP, because you’re right, they’ll get you a replacement like that.” She snapped her fingers as she began tapping the screen again.” I’ve been so worried. You know what his big plan was? To get an Airbnb until he could get in the dorms.” She shook her head as she brought the phone to her ear. “This is perfect and works out for both of you. At least you know you won’t hate your new roomie, and he won’t have to do the Airbnb thing. He said he wasn’t stressing about it, but I know him too well. So, it’s big sis to the rescue!” She crossed her fingers in the air, smiling way too big and excitedly for Xochitl to have the heart to protest. “God, I hope.” Before Xochitl could tackle the phone out of her friend’s hands, Vannah lifted her finger with a big smile. “Taz. Guess what? There might be a way to get you situated in a permanent spot out here this fall, after all.” She did the little dancing in place thing she always did when she was this excited. “But you gotta act fast.”
This would be ahundredtimes worse than having to deal with another bitchy roommate. It was bad enough when Vannah had mentioned Lex was transferring to ESU. Even that, she’d thought waswaytoo close. As much effort as she’d put into avoiding him these past two years, it’d be that much harder to do now that they’d be attending the same school. On top of that, Vannah wanted him to move in with her? This was a nightmare! There was no way Xochitl could let that happen. But how in the world was she supposed to break it to Vannah? Staring at herwaytoo excited best friend go on quickly, Xochitl’s head raced with hopeful thoughts. Lex would also very likely think the situation would be way too awkward, right? Odds were he’d absolutely put a stop to this and keep Xochitl from having to be the bad one.Godshe could only pray.
