Fourteen
Tibby was trying not to meet Brand's eye. She wasn't quite sure why, but she felt differently about him this morning. Was it the text he had sent her last night? Maybe. But why did she feel so, well, funny?
It didn't matter, because Brand was trying to avoid her eyes, too. He had woken up ready to meet her in the dining hall as a different man, a new man, but when he had seen her come in with Mills, across the hall, dressed in sweatpants and a varsity top, carrying her tray of cereal and a soy latte, his stomach had done a somersault.
He was sitting alone, as he often found himself at mealtimes. Jas had been late getting up after going to bed exhausted, and now he was rushing to get showered and dressed. Students at St Croix were not required to eat anything in particular at breakfast, but they still had to show up.
Mills scanned the room as she waited for the school barista to prepare her triple shot venti non-fat vanilla latte. She had a pounding headache and her throat felt like a Pharaoh's flip-flop after all the vodka and cigarettes. She took her coffee and passed right by the various breakfast foods on offer. The smell of the eggs and bacon made her want to throw up.
She couldn't see Jas anywhere. What the fuck? She thought to herself. This is getting to be ridiculous. He avoids me all day yesterday, he won't answer my messages, and now he's not even at breakfast. He's got some serious explaining to do. She caught up to Tibby and they found a place at the end of a table on the other side of the hall from Brand. As she sat, Mills noticed Jas coming in, hurriedly, his hair still wet from his shower. He glanced around until he saw who he was looking for, then he headed over to Mills and Tibby.
"Milly, can I talk to you for a minute." He stood at the end of the table. He looked tired, but happy to see her. Mills could smell his cologne, and it made her feel warm and safe, but she was still mad at him.
"Uh, sure. Go ahead. It's a free country."
"What?" Jas was taken aback.
"I'm all ears, Jas." She took a sip from her coffee, and it started to work wonders on her headache.
"W-well, maybe in private?"
"Why don't you just text me?" Mills felt stronger with every sip of coffee she took. Jas's heart skipped a beat. Did she know?
"Milly? What's going on? I just want to talk to you for a minute. Can we go outside?"
"We're all friends here, right Tib?." Mills said, looking at Tibby, but Tibby was peering over her shoulder and trying to see if Brand was looking at her. She didn't even answer.
Mills sighed and looked back at Jas. He looked confused and hurt, and Mills was suddenly filled with a surge of pity for him. She hadn't meant to be cruel, she just wanted him to know that she was kind of pissed at him.
"Okay, sure. Let's go over there." She stood up. Tibby looked horrified.
"Where are you going? You can't leave me on my own!"
"I'll be right back. Jas just wants to talk for a minute. Stay here, seriously. I'll just be a minute."
"But..." Tibby watched Mills get up and cross over to an empty table with Jas. She felt isolated. She was desperate to check and see if Brand was looking at her, but now, if she looked up, she would look like she had been abandoned by her friends. What a disaster. Still, she wasn't nervous about meeting Etienne Girard any more. That was something at least. But now she was obsessing over Brand!
"What was that all about?" Jas asked, reaching over the table and touching Mills on the hand.
"Where were you last night, and why didn't you answer your phone?" She pouted.
"I'm sorry, Mills, really." Jas tried to take her hand in his, but she made a hard fist and kept it still on top of the table.
"Well?"
"I had something to do. I needed to see someone and figure something out."
"Figure what out?" Mills stared in his eyes.
"Just some business. It's not about us, I promise."
"So why couldn't you just text me back? I was wondering all night where you were. What kind of business?"
"I was busy, I'm sorry. I know it sounds pathetic. I wasn't trying to ignore you."
"What kind of business?" Mills asked again.
"Just something for a friend. A favor, really." Jas looked down.
"A friend? A girlfriend?"
"A girl. Yes. Not a girlfriend, though."
"You were with a girl all night?" Mills noticed her voice getting louder, and the rest of the noise in the room was fading out. This always happened right before she started to cry. She could feel her breath getting short, and the tears were about to arrive.
"I can't believe you ignored my phone calls because you were out with a girl all night." She barely managed to get the words out.
"Not all night. I had to meet her to sort this stuff out. Seriously, it's nothing."
"Is it all sorted out yet?" Mills lowered her voice again. It certainly seemed like Jas was hiding something. Maybe I should give him a break, though, she thought.
"Not quite. I need to meet her again today. I have to give her something. Then it's all done with."
"I thought we were going to be together today." Mills relaxed her fist back into a hand again and placed it next to Jas's hand. He took it, then looked at Mills for a moment before the answer came to him. He visibly relaxed.
"We are. I'm going to get us a room at the Imperial, tonight." He smiled. Mills's face lit up. The welling tears retreated.
"How are we going to get out together? I don't have permission to be out this weekend."
"So call your dad and tell him to call school and get you permission. He did it a couple times last year, right?"
"Yes, but those times I was going to stay with Tibby. Her mom arranged it. She picked us up and everything."
"Can you make something up?" Jas asked. There was a pause, then Mills smiled at him.
"Wait. Tibby's mom is going to be at Mirabelle, the restaurant at the Imperial, this evening." She paused. It was almost too perfect. The Imperial; how many girls got to do it the first time with a guy like Jas, in a place like The Imperial? It was going to be magical; a night to remember.
"Sure, I can make something up."
Days Of St Croix Page 14