Page 15 of Collision
“I was running late this morning and I didn’t realize I had put on—” Tiffany raises a hand to shush me.
“Are you telling me that you walked around campus all day in your pajamas?”
I nod, resigned to my own carelessness.
“Oh God, what am I going to do with you?” She pinches the bridge of her nose, shaking her head.
“I know, I know,” I admit with a guilty look and my hands raised in surrender. Travis struggles to hold back a laugh, and even Alex, who this morning had completely glossed over my unusual fashion choices, seems amused. “Okay, okay. Stop staring at me, and let’s go line up for trays. I’m starving.”
When I return to the table with the full tray, I catch sight of Leila sitting alone a few feet away from us. She senses my gaze, and we exchange smiles. I feel bad, seeing her alone; it is just the second day, and I guess she has yet to settle in. So I invite her to join us with a beckoning wave.
Leila smiles again but, as soon as she notices that Travis is also at the table, she turns gloomy and shakes her head “no.” Another weird reaction to Travis. One—or both—of them are hiding something from me, but what is it?
“…right, Nessy? Nessy?” My boyfriend’s calm voice brings me back to reality.
“What?” I ask, confused, when I realize I have everyone’s eyes on me.
“Did you hear what we told you?” asks Tiffany.
“No, sorry, my mind was elsewhere,” I attempt to justify myself, hoping no one will ask questions.
“What were you thinking about?” Alex, my dear old pal, asks innocently.
“Nothing, nothing important,” I reply, forcing a chuckle.
Travis looks around suspiciously, as though trying to figure out what or who had distracted me, but he doesn’t seem to spot anything.
“We were talking about Friday’s party at Carol’s house,” Tiffany continues. “Trav will be there too.”
Oh, the party.
“Alex, will you be there?” I ask, though it sounds more like a plea for help than a genuine question.
“I’m hanging out with Stella, remember?”
“Stella? Who’sStella?” asks Tiffany, intrigued.
“His girlfriend,” I reply, giving Alex’s shoulder a teasing squeeze.
“Wow, Smith finally found a girlfriend,” Travis taunts him and earns himself a dirty look from me before wisely deciding to shut his mouth.
“Why have I never heard of this Stella?” urges Tiffany impishly as she strokes the rim of her glass with a finger.
“Because it just happened, and she’s not from Corvallis. I met her this summer in Santa Barbara,” Alex explains.
“Hey, why don’t you bring Stella to the party?” I suggest, clinging to the last glimmer of hope.
“Let’s just say, I have other plans,” Alex replies with a smile that speaks volumes.
“Oh, I see. Are you planning to be lovebirds all weekend?”
“Don’t use that silly word,” he exclaims, embarrassed.
“What word?” I pretend not to understand. “Lovebirds?”
“Stop it,” he begs, giving me his pleading face.
“Lovebirds, lovebirds.”
