Chapter 8: Thursday Morning, 6:45AM

Ugh. This is gonna be a long day. Alaina shut the door of her car and trudged towards the main entrance of the school, lugging her bag over her shoulder. I just want it to be the weekend already. Then I won’t have to see him anymore for a couple days, and I can stop thinking about this whole thing. Maybe. Hopefully. Fuck.

The faculty lot, despite being adjacent to the school and much closer than the student lot, seemed impossibly far from the building that she reluctantly approached. Maybe I can just get to my afternoon classes really quickly and not have to see them together again? I don’t usually see Laura or Will in the halls, so maybe I can just avoid them. Yeah, that should work. I hope.

Alaina sighed. I feel really bad about what happened with Ay. She said she was okay, but she fell over pretty hard. I hope she’s not hurt or anything before her race this weekend! She stayed for a couple more hours and kept saying it was okay, but...

She pursed her lips. I should probably give her some space. That must have been really weird. And I’ve been so needy lately, too. She has to focus on her running if she wants to do well at the NSAF Nationals with Ken in a couple months.

She pulled open the front door. Deborah gave her a mock salute like always but remained otherwise engrossed in the radio broadcast from her earpiece.

Alaina plodded towards her locker. She turned a corner and nearly ran into a wall.

Then the wall backed up. “Oh, uh, hey, you okay? Damn, you really do get in at the crack of dawn, just like Will said.”

She looked up. Isn’t that Will’s friend? What was his name? Vinnie? Ugh, just what I needed this morning. Will probably sent him to tell me to steer clear. “I’m fine,” she responded, suddenly feeling even more lethargic. She stepped around him and reached her locker, where she fiddled with the dial of her combination lock.

“Um, look, I know we don’t know each other that well,” said Vinnie. He rubbed his nose. “Damn, this is gonna be awkward, isn’t it. I—”

“You came because Will wanted me to get lost now that he’s got a girlfriend again, right?” asked Alaina. She finished depositing her books into the locker and shoved her bag into the bottom. She leaned against the frame of her locker but didn’t look up. “Message received. You can go.”

“What? No. Wow, you really are kinda scary like he said. But Will didn’t send me here. Will doesn’t send people anywhere. I’m here because I wanted to talk to you. It’s about Will. But probably not like you’re thinking?”

Alaina looked up. About Will, but not like I’m thinking? What the fuck?

“Will’s ... He’s acting kinda weird. No, he’s acting really weird. Not like himself. And I’d know; I’m his best friend.” Vinnie leaned his huge frame against the locker next to him, still towering over the short girl. “But you know that already, so I’m not gonna bore you,” he continued. “I came here to plead on his behalf, because something’s going on and I don’t want him to get depressed when he snaps out of it. Whenever that is.”

“Will’s been acting weird, you say?” Alaina said, her expression radiating skepticism. “And what makes you say that? Did you go clubbing last night and he failed to pick up a movie star?” she asked in a mocking voice.

“Wow, no need to be such an asshole about it,” said Vinnie. He frowned down at her. “But we did go out last night. To a jazz club. It was supposed to be a double date with a girl I like. And from how you’re acting today, I can say that he told me yesterday morning he was gonna bring you. As his date. Because he likes you.”

Alaina sagged against her locker. “He’s got a funny way of showing it,” she muttered.

“Yeah, tell me about it. That’s part of what I mean though. Last night he was so ... He was inconsiderate. You two know each other pretty well after the past few days, yeah? Can you imagine Will being intentionally inconsiderate to his best friend? He lives at my fucking house, for fuck’s sake.”

It was her turn to frown. That ... That really doesn’t sound like him at all. “What do you mean, inconsiderate?”

“Well,” Vinnie said, taking a deep breath, “it started like this...”

Vinnie sat next to his new girlfriend Rita. The band on stage was blazing through a high-tempo swing piece, their trombone player waving his horn back and forth at the edge of the stage as he moved his slide through a climactic solo. He chanced a look down at the brunette seated next to him and caught her peeking at him.

She smiled back, happy to have been caught, and leaned her head against his arm. Her fingers were drumming against the table in time with the beat of the tune, matching the bobbing of Vinnie’s head.

In a word, everything was going great. Vinnie had taken advantage of his new VIP status at Sky to park his beat up old SUV in the city; Dominic had treated it like a top-of-the-line sports car and whisked it away with the same smile he’d given Daniel on Friday, instantly brightening Vinnie’s mood and helping to dispel some of the butterflies that were forming at the prospect of his first date with Rita.

They’d met up nearby for an early dinner at a cheap taco place that Rita suggested after messaging and calling each other almost nonstop since the previous Friday. He’d worn khakis and a dark red dress shirt. She’d come in ... Well, she’d worn some kind of red dress with a short, poofy skirt and a modest neckline that made her look amazing. He’d thought his heart was going to explode when she came up to him and gave him a hug.

Vinnie had been shy at first, intimidated by how pretty she was and not wanting to say the wrong thing—or seem like he was moving too quickly. Rita had been reassuringly bashful as well, the nineteen year-old blushing and fumbling her words almost as much as he had.

It turned out that neither of them had dated much, with Rita having just broken up with her long-term boyfriend over the winter break, a decent-sounding guy who she’d been with for the past three years. The long distance relationship hadn’t worked for either of them, and they’d parted as friends, continuing to keep in touch.

Vinnie had only dated one girl the previous year, and only for a few months. His breakup had been less friendly, with the girl tearfully shouting at him that he didn’t spend enough time with her. He’d tried to explain that he gave her as much time as he could with his commitment to football and athletics, but it hadn’t been enough for her. It was never enough, and Vinnie had been cut loose despite his protestations.

Rita was comforting after he shared, however, and they’d bonded even more deeply, finding that they had more in common than they knew. Rita wasn’t in any athletics programs, but she still went to the gym regularly to keep in shape after having gotten into the habit with her old boyfriend. She also loved football.

She’d been ecstatic at the invitation to come to the jazz club, too. Vinnie had been hesitant to broach it over the phone, feeling like it was more of a niche interest, but she surprised him again: she’d played saxophone for years in high school and was a fellow music-lover.

Then came the big confession: Vinnie grudgingly admitted that it wasn’t just his mom and sister who liked watching soap operas. Rita had laughed as he spoke passionately about his favorite actors and storylines, but she’d finally relented and agreed to sit down and try watching one with him. As long as it wasn’t in her dorm where anyone could see.

He’d stared into her green eyes over dessert, and she’d stared back into his. They considered skipping the jazz club entirely to go back to her dorm room, but neither of them was quite willing to end the night so soon.

“Get to the fucking point already,” Alaina growled.

“Hold on, I’m setting the scene,” said Vinnie. “Man, I bet you don’t like soaps either,” he grumbled.

And so they sat in the club, her cuddled up against him in their side of a booth while the band started a slower, softer number, waiting for Will and Alaina to arrive.

Vinnie and Rita had talked about the other couple at length over the past few days, with him continuing to speculate about what was going on, and her contributing a similar viewpoint. They’d both agreed that it was a cute story and were eager to see it play out in real life.

“What the fuck do you mean, ‘you talked about us a lot on the phone’?” Alaina hissed. “Is my life a fucking soap opera to you?”

“Look, you wanna hear the story or not?”

Alaina rolled her eyes and nodded.

“Okay, then shut up and lemme talk.” Vinnie glowered down at her. “You cut me off again and I’m out of here. I figured I’d try, but Will’s the one who likes you, not me. If you wanna ruin things for yourself, that’s your problem. Got it?”

Alaina nodded, not trusting herself to speak again.

“Will just came in,” said Vinnie, catching sight of his friend. His face wrinkled in confusion. “Uh...”

Rita raised her head and looked in the direction he was staring. “I thought you said Alaina was shorter? And had reddish hair? That girl is gorgeous.”

“That’s ... That’s not Alaina,” said Vinnie. “Why is she here?”

Rita leaned in, looking over his shoulder. “Who is she? Some kind of model or something?”

Vinnie rubbed his nose, struggling to find an explanation for the current situation. “That’s Laura. Will’s ex girlfriend. I don’t know what’s going on, but, um, things might get kinda weird? I’m really sorry in advance, he said he was bringing Alaina...” He looked over at Rita with a worried expression.

“Vinnie, it’s not your fault what someone else does, right?” whispered Rita. She rubbed his arm. “Besides, isn’t this just like one of your soaps?” Her eyes twinkled. “What would happen next? Alaina bursts in crying and says she’s pregnant?”

He struggled to avoid breaking into loud, raucous laughter. “Maybe,” he whispered back. “Or maybe Laura holds up her hand and there’s a giant diamond on it and now—”

“Hi, Vinnie! Long time no see!” said Laura as she reached their table, a giant smile lighting up her face. She hugged Will’s arm, glancing up at him briefly. “This is a really cool place! I’m not a big jazz person, but Will likes it, don’t you, babe?” she tugged on his arm slightly, and he leaned down to give her a peck on the lips.

Vinnie looked down at Rita, who matched his awkward gaze. They still had yet to kiss.

“You look like you wanna say something,” remarked Vinnie.

Alaina’s lips were pressed together tightly. “You really expect me to believe that you, one of Will’s friends, were on a date with a girl you met at a club last week, who you talked to all week on the phone, but you still hadn’t kissed yet?” That’s not really what I wanted to ask, but I don’t think I could ask that...

The football star looked away, suddenly shy. “Look, I’m not a big party and club kinda guy like Daniel or Don, and I’m not ... Well, nobody’s like Will. I didn’t wanna go too fast for Rita. I really, really like her, okay?”

That’s ... Really adorable. Alaina’s expression softened. Slightly. Infinitesimally. “Cute.” She said. “You end up getting that kiss by the end of the night?”

“Well,” Vinnie began.

Will had sat down first in the other side of the booth, settling on the end of the bench.

Then Laura had sat across him on his lap, perching perfectly in her black, low-cut mini dress, her long, sculpted legs hanging off the end of the bench. She leaned back against Will’s steadying hand, and her right arm came up. Her hand dragged across the far side of his face, compelling him to turn to her, and she leaned in and delivered a scorching kiss.

Vinnie goggled, then glanced down at Rita in horror. The university freshman was riveted.

“Hey, Vin,” said Will when the lovebirds finally separated. “Sorry we’re a little late.”

“It’s my fault,” said Laura. She pouted. “I kept telling Will that this dress wouldn’t be classy enough if we were meeting up with his best friend for a double date at a fancy club, and he finally had to convince me that it looked good enough for tonight.”

“Laura, you look amazing all the time,” said Will, grinning at her. “You know you do.”

She blushed lightly.

“Are you a model?” Rita blurted out. “Your skin is so clear!”

Laura looked up at Will and smiled coyly before facing the other girl. “I have done some modeling. I’d offer to show you some of the photos, but Will hasn’t seen them yet and they’re a bit ... Risqué.” She shifted slightly on his lap, and his other arm came around to cover hers on her lap.

“That’s so cool!” Rita gushed. “I mean, my first thought was that you must be a model, because you’re so pretty, but I wasn’t sure if I should ask...” she trailed off, embarrassed.

The band started playing another low-tempo piece. A waiter stopped by to take beverage orders.

“Vinnie,” said Laura after a period of silence at the table, “and Rita, too. I just wanted to say I’m really sorry for showing up out of the blue like this.” Her expression and tone were both apologetic. “I know ... Well, Will said he was planning to bring a friend of his, but now that we’re back together I thought it would be nice to catch up, and to meet this girl that Will said you were so interested in, Vinnie!” Her gaze shifted worriedly between the other couple. “Um, I hope it’s not awkward that I’m here? I mean,” she nibbled at her lip and looked up at Will. “Maybe this was a bad idea. I can go out and catch a cab if you want—”

“No, no,” Vinnie interjected. “It’s fine, it’s fine, don’t worry about it.”

Will shot him a grateful look.

“It’s good to see you again, too, Laura,” said Vinnie, still trying to catch up.

The gorgeous girl’s bright smile returned.

“Um, how have you been?” he continued, trying out a grin of his own. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”

The corners of her lips dipped fractionally, and her hands clutched at Will’s. “I’ve been...” She paused, and then her lips quirked back upwards. “Well, you know how breakups can be, I’m sure. But now that’s done with and I couldn’t be better!” She stroked Will’s hand lovingly.

The conversation had begun to flow more regularly around the table after the night’s awkward start. Vinnie was hesitant and a little stiff at first, but he was eventually swept along by Rita’s presence and Laura’s never-ending supply of positivity and found himself talking and laughing along.

The night was going smoothly again after a brief blip. Vinnie still found the situation awkward—Laura and Will would pause periodically to gaze into each others’ eyes, or to give each other quick kisses—but Rita was having a good time so he went along with it, afraid to do anything that might jeopardize her fun.

Time passed.

Then it got weird again.

“ ... And so I finally leaned over the tall divider of my study cubicle—unable to imagine a guy who could sit there for so many weeks without even taking a peek at the girl he’d been quietly flirting with—and Will was sitting there with his eyes closed, leaning back in his chair. He didn’t even have anything he was working on, he’d just been coming because he liked talking to me!” Laura gave her boyfriend a doe-eyed look. He leaned down, and their lips locked in a soft, sweet kiss.

“That’s so cute!” said Rita. She looked up at Vinnie. “Did you hear that story before? Now that’s a soap opera-level storyline.” She leaned against his arm again, letting out a happy sigh as she watched the couple on the other side of the table continue their closed-mouth kiss.

“Oh my,” said Laura after a moment. She covered her mouth with her hand, looking over at them and then back up at Will. “I think...” she nibbled on her lip. “I need to take care of something. Be back in a minute!” She tilted herself gracefully off Will’s lap and onto her feet, her heels clicking as they touched the ground.

She didn’t let go of his left hand, however, continuing to tug on it as she began to slowly walk away.

Will didn’t give Vinnie or Rita another glance, rising to follow after his girlfriend.

Vinnie and Rita stared after the couple, then looked at each other.

“You don’t think...” said Rita in an incredulous voice as the pair disappeared under signs pointing the way to the bathrooms.

“No, Will wouldn’t do something like that,” Vinnie shook his head, looking back towards where his friend had gone.

After another minute, he said. “He knows this is our first date; he wouldn’t wanna do anything that might pressure us.”

Rita looked up at him, an unreadable expression on her face. “And what kind of pressure would them hooking up in a bathroom put on us?”

Vinnie panicked and became tongue-tied, unable to figure out the right answer. So he stayed silent.

Rita giggled. “You’re cute,” she said, a coquettish smile forming on her lips.

He stared.

“I’m really sorry about that,” said Laura, her face flushed as a relaxed-looking Will pulled her along behind him. She reached down and took a sip of her iced tea, swishing it around in her mouth before swallowing.

Neither of them made any motion to sit back down.

“Um,” Laura said, running her thumb over Will’s. She looked up at Will, then down at Vinnie and Rita.

“I think we’re going to head out,” announced Will, looking back at Laura before giving his friend a grin.

Vinnie glanced down at his phone. It was still very early; they’d only been at the club for an hour or two.

Laura gave him an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, we got...” she pressed her lips together, then looked up at Will again. “It was nice seeing you again, Vinnie, and it was lovely to meet you, Rita. You take care of her, okay, Vinnie?”

“Okay, uh, sure,” said Vinnie, overwhelmed by the reality of the situation.

“Laura, it was so much fun talking to you!” said Rita excitedly. “We should do this again sometime!”

Laura’s smile bloomed even more brightly. “Yeah, I’d—” she looked up at Will, and he smiled back at her. “I’d like that a lot,” she said, giving Rita a smile like a solar flare. “Okay, we should go.”

And they did.

Vinnie stared after the tall couple as they hastened their way towards the exit, stopping briefly at the bar on the way out where Will gestured at their table.

“So, are you going to take care of me?” Rita asked, her tone grabbing his attention.

“Am I what?” he asked, worried that she was upset.

“Are you ... Oh, whatever.” She leaned up and pressed her lips against his, giving him a tender kiss. She sat back down after a moment and licked her lips, continuing to stare up at him.

Vinnie got the hint. He bent over for another, longer, deeper kiss. When they parted again, both of them were breathing harder.

“Vinnie, I don’t want you to think I’m the kind of girl who will put out for just any guy on the first date, okay?” she gave him a meaningful look, rubbing his arm again. “I’m not that kind of girl. Understand?”