Page 60 of Not Another Yesterday
“Oh good,” I say, a smile breaking across my face.
Vada’s in town this weekend and she and Tori talked me into going to a party with them in Greenwich tonight. It’s an NYU party, and Vada has already announced she intends to “find some yummy frat guy to go home with” tonight.
When I asked her about Brady, she just shrugged. “We’re in this sort of on-again, off-again relationship.”
“And right now you’re off?” I checked while Tori laughed.
“Exactly,” Vada said.
I’m looking forward to having Tori and potentially Ronan at the party with us tonight, not least to act as a buffer to Vada’s prowling.
“You’ll come to this party with us, then?” I ask Ronan. I brought it up last weekend, but that was before our fight and before Shane got sick.
Ronan’s deep exhale through the phone tells me that’s a big fat no. “I’m sorry, baby, I don’t think I can swing it. With Shane sick last week, I’ve done fuck-all for school. I need to catch up tonight; I really want to spend the day with you tomorrow without having to worry about reading a million pages or some shit,” Ronan sighs.
It’s a perfectly valid reason. But that doesn’t stop the hollow feeling that settles in my chest.
“Okay,” I sigh.
We’re quiet for a few seconds. I really wanted to see him tonight, to reconnect after this past week. We’re in desperate need of connection, both physical and emotional. We need to talk.
“I’m sorry baby,” Ronan says. “But at least you’ll get to enjoy a girls’ night. And then tomorrow it’ll be you and me, okay? Maybe think of something you want to do. Unless you just want to stay in bed with me. Won’t say no to that,” he says mischievously.
“Okay,” I say again.
“Who’s driving tonight?”
“Vada. She’s going to pick up Tori, then me.”
“And this party is where again?”
I give him the address and details about where Vada, Tori, and I will be spending our evening.
“Be safe,” he finally says.
“I will, Daddy.”
I giggle when I hear Ronan groan.
“You know what, that may be Shane’s kink—at least from what I’ve involuntarily overheard—but it’snotone of mine.”
“I bet I can make anything your kink if I try hard enough.”
Ronan chuckles, but I hear the distance in it. We’re laughing, but we’re still not okay. Not really. And I’m not sure how much longer we can pretend we are.
***
As promised, Vada and Tori stop by to pick me up at seven-thirty.
“Ooh, look at you and your red lip,” I say to Vada when I slide into the backseat of her car.
Vada cranes her neck to look into her rearview mirror, dabbing her pouty, bright-red lips together. “Yeah, well, studies have shown that men are attracted to red. Red dresses, red lipstick. Sluts for red.”
Tori laughs. “Can confirm. Shane goes absolutely nuts when I put on red lipstick.” She turns in her seat. “Hey, when are you officially starting your R.A. position?”
My Intro to Psychology professor from last semester had two open research assistant positions, and when classes started up again earlier this month I decided to apply. I didn’t really expect to get it, given the rather large applicant pool, but was happily surprised when I received a call from Professor Meyers on Thursday.
When I told my mom I was actually offered the job, she did her familiar happy jig, then gushed about her own time as a psychology research assistant while an undergrad at Duke. “It really solidified my interest in the field, setting me up to pursue my medical degree. And it was ideal as far as jobs go. Super flexible hours—you could work on the evenings when Ran works. All you really need to worry about is getting your hours in and your research done. What an incredible opportunity, Kitty.”
