Page 9 of Scoreless Nights

ChapterFive

Lily

“Dang girl! I didn’t know your parents were loaded! That place is nice.”

“Yeah,” I smiled into the camera after showing Angel around Cruz’s apartment. “Just the one bedroom, but it's got a great view of the ocean.”

It's not like I could show her Cruz’s room. The door was shut and I wasn’t crazy enough to peek my own head in, much less let her have a peek. She wanted to come over and see it personally, but I told her I was leaving for the day.

“So if you’re going to the outlets in Little Havana, let’s have lunch! I have to work tonight, but my shift doesn’t start until five.”

“Yes!” I was so excited to finally get to hug her. I intentionally chose an area she said she was near in hopes we could meet up. If I didn’t go her way, she would eventually head my way, and until I figured out what to do about Cruz, it was safer to initiate the plans. “How about you pick a place, since you know the area. Text me the location and let's plan on meeting at one.”

“Oh my God, Lily, this is insane! I wish Jackie wasn’t working all day, but I know you two will meet soon.”

“Oh we will. But for now, I need to get ready and head out. Wish me luck, hopefully there is a suit for these interviews with my name on it.”

“Better you than me,” she laughed. “I’ll see you in a bit.”

We hung up and I had a huge grin on my face. Even in my six years of college, I never felt like I connected with people the way Angel and I had. She was, without a doubt, my best friend. But it wasn’t lost on me that I had never told Angel and Jackie my biggest secrets. It was intentional, because I had learned that those secrets changed the people around me. Before I confessed, I needed to meet them in person, and get closer to them. I just hoped that when the time came, they loved me enough to understand why I hadn’t been upfront with them.

In the meantime, I had to mitigate the lies, because the more I told, the higher the chances I would lose the only friends I ever had. For example, I didn’t really have to shop for a suit. My mom and I had gone together before I left home and I was already prepared for my interviews. But since I knew Angel worked at a restaurant near the outlets, it worked in my favor to come up with a reason to go over there.

By eleven-thirty, Angel texted me the address to a restaurant, and I searched up places that were around it. I wanted to give myself time to actually shop for a few minutes because it made me feel a little better about my fib.

Little Havana on the west side of Miami, and by the time I got over there, I found an Old Navy and ran in to grab something–anything. I pushed the clearance rack around until I found a tank top that was marked down. Four dollars to prove I really was shopping, was all I could afford.

Once I checked out, I headed straight to the restaurant and immediately saw Angel bouncing on the sidewalk as I pulled into a parking space. She was squealing as if we were fourteen, and I cherished that moment. No one had ever been that happy to see me, especially when I was actually fourteen.

“Angel!” I screamed, getting from my car. I ran into her open arms and pushed the tears that wanted to fall as far down as I could. “This is crazy!”

She pushed me back from her hug to look at me and then pulled me into her arms again. “Girl. You’re gorgeous, and taller than I thought you’d be. Hugging you is surreal.”

When we finally separated, I gave her the same look she had given me and nodded. “You’re shorter than I thought you'd be, and somehow we are the same height.”

“But,” she smiled and raised a finger toward me, “am I also gorgeous?”

“Oh please,” I laughed. “You know damn well you make J-lo look like a gremlin.”

Leading up to meeting one another, we joked around that the screen made us look different and we probably wouldn't recognize each other in person.“I only look this gorgeous through a camera,”Angel had joked with me. But she really was incredibly beautiful.

“Okay let’s eat. You’re going to love this place.”

“Moros?” I read the sign. “Cuban?”

“Miami is crawling with amazing Cuban food. Moros is second best, but Jackie would kill me if we went to Tico’s without her.”

We got settled into a booth, and I let Angel order for me since she insisted I try thepan con lechon. It took us no time to start talking like we always did, and the fear I’d had of her not being real, was washed away as we connected face to face.

Our laughter was nonstop, and we shed a few tears as we talked about how much we had meant to one another over the past few months. When it was time to leave, I hated that I had to go back to Cruz’s, and not home with her. But as we said our goodbyes, a quick text from my mom reminded me that I still had some secrets to handle.

Angel had started walking toward her own car when she stopped and turned back around. “I have a good idea!”

“I’m all ears,” I smiled.

“I know Jackie and I both have to work tomorrow and Monday. Then on Tuesday, you have your first interview, right?” I nodded as her eyes gleamed with ideas. “But on Wednesday, let’s do something fun.”

“Yes! Let's do it. I’m all yours Wednesday.”

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