by Nia Arthurs
Winnie follows grudgingly behind.
I turn on my heels. “I’m sorry? Is there something else you forgot to kick me out of?”
“Don’t be so dramatic.” Winnie scoffs. She’s got her hair pasted back in a high bun so I can read the disdain on every inch of her face. “This isn’t personal. We explained why we got a new roommate.”
“Did I complain?”
Winnie adjusts the strap of her Prada purse. “Since when did you hold grudges?”
She’s kidding right? “Is that your apology?”
“I said sorry last time.”
“Gwen…” Britney grabs my hand and swings it. Between the two of them, she seems the most sincere. “We don’t want to fight.”
My stomach growls. Loudly. I was supposed to grab a bite once I arrived on campus, but I bumped into Britney and Winnie before I could do that.
Yay me.
“Didn’t you eat before you left home this morning?” Britney asks, eyebrows slanting together.
I shake her hold. “There was nothing available so I thought I’d eat here.”
Winnie speaks in a curt tone. “Why? Your mom didn’t feel like making pancakes and bacon for her princess?”
I stare at my best friend in disbelief. “What is your problem?”
“Winnie,” Britney warns in a quiet voice.
“Oh? Did I offend you, Gwen?”
Britney winces. “Forgive her. She’s in a bad mood because her parents are—”
“Stop blabbing my business, Brit.” Winnie sneers. “Let’s just go.”
Britney jumps in front of Winnie to keep her in place. Her black hair swishes over her pale cheeks. “I’m not blabbing. This is Gwen. She’s one of us.”
“You think Gwen—with her perfect parents and doting brother—would understand anything about broken families?”
“Broken fam…” A rock drops in my stomach. “Winnie, are your parents getting divorced?”
Tears fill her eyes. She clutches her notebooks to her chest, struggling to maintain her steely expression. “They told me this morning.”
A gasp tears from my lips. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry.” She sniffs. “This is a good thing. They hated living in the same house anyway. It was only a matter of time before they put me out of my misery and separated for good.”
“Is there anything I can do?” I ask, my resentment forgotten. Winnie’s parents constantly fought in front of her, in front of us, and in public. It didn’t matter. She grew up hearing both sides badmouth each other.
“We were going to the cafeteria,” Britney says. “Why don’t we all eat together?”
I eye Winnie. It’s up to her. “I’m in.”
“Fine.” She sniffs. “But no mention of my parents’ divorce. I just want to pretend that I’m adopted or something.”
Britney giggles. “Deal.”
We walk side by side. Cayo is known for it’s mountains, and the majestic hills glower behind the fog in the distance. Balen University is filled with groomed trees, grassy lawns and enough flowers to fill a botanical garden. As we walk, it feels like we’re on vacation.
Which is a bald-faced lie.
Winnie scrunches her nose and turns to me. “Now that I think about it… what time did you have to leave home to get to school this early?”
“Yeah.” Britney glances at her diamond watch. “You hate waking up before eight and driving. How did you do both?”
“Well… I didn’t.”
Britney tilts her head, light brown eyes gleaming with confusion. “What do you mean?”
“I found a house in Belmopan.”
“Are you kidding?” Winnie laughs. Her eyes are still shimmering from her tears, but now they’re filled with light. “You got a house all to yourself? What strings did your parents have to pull to do that?”
“You see…” Britney pouts. “I knew we should have found a place in Belmopan instead of moving into an apartment with a bunch of other people.”
“Weren’t you the one who insisted on the apartment since it would be ‘more fun’?” I remind her.
“Gwen, that was ages ago.”
“Good morning, ladies.” A male voice rumbles.
I glance up and lock eyes with Brock Henderson. The sunlight glistens over his dark skin and shaved head. His white smile is dazzling.
Winnie tosses her hair over her shoulder. “Get lost, Brock.”
Britney and I hang our heads in shame as we pass the football player.
I know Winnie’s having a hard time, but geez.
“What did he do to you?” I ask, glancing behind me. Brock is still staring at Winnie.
“Brock’s waaay too clingy. Just because we hooked up a few times, he thinks he owns me.”
It looked like he was trying to say good morning, but what do I know? Winnie’s the one who messed with him.
“I’m not interested in little boys like Brock anymore,” Winnie says, her eyes narrowing in determination. “I want a man.”
“You can’t get any manlier than Brock.” Britney counts off on her fingers. “He’s hot. The captain of the football team. Rich. Hot. Did I mention he’s hot?”
“Many times.” I assure her. My mind flits to Danny. As it’s done for the millionth time since I returned to Belize.
All Daniel Kwan has to do is walk into a room and every heterosexual female in a five-mile radius locks on him.
Frankly, it’s annoying liking someone that attractive.
“I want someone with ambition,” Winnie says.
Danny.
“I want someone with a good heart. Someone who’ll want me for more than just a night or two and then toss me like last week’s garbage.”
Danny.
“I want someone older.”
“What about hot?” Britney suggests.
“Duh.” Winnie arches an eyebrow. “I want someone like…”
Danny.
“Danny,” she says.
My eyes widen and my head whips around, but I don’t stop walking. I end up bouncing into one of the ornate cement benches that litter the quad. My body lops forward. Pain ricochets through my leg. My face smacks the concrete.
“Gwen!” Britney yells.
Winnie totters toward me. I get an eyeful of her zebra-print heels before she stoops and offers a hand. “Are you okay?”
Classy, Gwen. Classy.
“I’m fine.” I sit up and rub my forehead. Thankfully, the quad isn’t too crowded this early in the morning, but shame snakes its way into my chest anyway.
“You should be more careful.” Britney hauls on my arm and gasps. “Look! You got scraped.”
I dip my chin to my chest to stare at my elbow. The skin is banged up and ashy. “At least it’s not bleeding.”
Winnie brushes off my hands and then snorts. “That was hilarious.”
“Winnie!” Britney scolds, but her lip twitches too. “I’m sorry, Gwen. I don’t mean to laugh. It’s just… you should have seen yourself.”
“Yeah. Yeah.” I wipe my pants and keep my head down. Tears burn the back of my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. I’m more humiliated than hurt and crying will only make things worse.
Together, we rush into the cafeteria. The din of conversation is overwhelming. I’m glad when Britney volunteers to go order for us instead of forcing me to join the line of students waiting to purchase food.
Winnie slides into the seat next to me. Her scent, something sweet and heavy, fills the air. She bats her thick eyelashes. “What do you think about Danny?”
“Me?”
She nods, her dangly earrings sparkling against her dark skin.
“I don’t think about Danny.” I lie through my teeth. “Before you ask again, I won’t help you date him.”
Winnie flings herself back into her chair. “Why not? It’s not like I can ask your brother. He stopped talking to me ever since that misunderstanding at your eighteenth birthday party—”
“Wha
t misunderstanding?” I whisper, too scandalized to speak the words loudly. “You got drunk and tried to sleep with him.”
Winnie cracks an icy smile. “You promised never to bring that up again, remember?”
“Win, I love you, but I’m not going to serve Danny up on a silver platter. If you want him, you’ll have to talk to him by yourself.”
Winnie’s expression turns thunderous. “Why are you so defensive? It’s not like I plan on biting him.” She pauses and tilts her head. “Actually, I do…”
“That’s enough,” I hiss.
Winnie studies me with such focus I squirm. She leans over. “Gwen, do you have feelings for Danny?”
Britney bounces back to the table at that moment, saving me from having to answer. “Here are your stuffed jacks, ladies.” She glances at me. “So tell us more about this house you’re renting, Gwen. Are guests allowed?”
“Yeah…”
I’m glad Britney changed the subject and threw Winnie off the scent.
The truth remains hidden.
I’m safe. For now.
12 Danny
“You want to have a party at the house tonight?” I tug the phone around to my other ear. The file I was perusing before Gwen called flutters to the glossy surface of my desk.
“It won’t be a wild one. I swear. It’ll be a few friends from Balen University. Maybe a few girls from Cayo. Win and Britney want to throw me a housewarming party, and they won’t take no for an answer.”
I fold my arms over my chest. “Why do I get the feeling you want me to say no though?”
There’s a sudden silence. Looks like I guessed right.
“Gwen, just tell them you’re not interested and you don’t like hosting parties in the first place.” I slide a document across the desk and study it, waiting to hear her answer.
“It’s not that simple.”
“N-o.” I sound it out for her. “It’s quite easy.”
“You’ve met Win. You know how intense she gets when she wants something.”
A memory of Winnie’s suction-tight grip sends a shudder through my body. “Unfortunately, I do. But that’s no excuse.”
“Says the guy who can’t tell his family no if he tried.”
“That’s different. They’re my elders. Winnie and Britney are just friends. And not good ones in my opinion.”
“Didn’t ask for your opinion,” she says teasingly.
“Do what you want. I have no problem with a housewarming party.”
“You’re no help.”
I picture her pouting face and smile. “You’ll thank me later.”
“Don’t hold your breath.” She sighs. “How are things going with Aiden and Melissa?”
“Your brother’s been running around Belize City catering to Melissa’s every whim. Sometimes I wonder if she’s using her ‘pregnancy cravings’ as an excuse to boss him around. Yesterday, she asked for a bag of craboo.”
“They’re not even in season.”
“Exactly.”
It’s hilarious to watch, but I can’t imagine how annoyed Aiden feels every time Melissa calls. He doesn’t like her in a romantic way, and her behavior isn’t helping. I wonder how their relationship will fare after the baby is born.
Gwen tsks into the phone. “My parents still aren’t talking to him. Dad says that Mom won’t welcome him home any time soon. He’s hoping the baby will soften her up.”
“I hate that this is tearing your family apart.”
“It could be worse. At least there’s hope Mom will come around. Miracles happen everyday, right?”
I shuffle my documents, holding the cell phone between my cheek and my ear. “Right.”
“You sound busy. Are you at work?”
“We’re opening a new store in Belmopan so it’s crunch time, but everything that can go wrong seems to be doing that today.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to call when you’re so busy.”
Her words jolt me from my multitasking. I drop the papers again and scramble to hold my cell phone. “You’re not disturbing me.”
The mess on my desk says differently, but I ignore it.
“Are you… sure?”
“Yeah.” Talking to Gwen just made my day 100% better. I won’t give that up easily. “How was your first week?”
“Torture. Because I overloaded, I had to stuff classes back to back so I barely have time for lunch.”
“Why’d you do that?” I plant my elbows on my desk. “You need to eat.”
“I need to graduate. That’s the only way this nightmare will end.”
“Don’t skip out on lunch or I’ll drive all the way up there just to feed you.”
“Speaking of food,” Gwen clears her throat and whispers, “Thank you.”
“For what? If it’s the house, I already told you. It’s fine.” I lean back in my chair.
“Not the house. For the Delight you left in my fridge last Saturday. And the note. It was so sweet.”
“D-Delight?”
“It meant a lot to me.” Sincerity rings from her voice.
What is Gwen talking about?
“Danny? You still there?”
“Yeah. Um… you’re welcome.”
She chuckles. “Alright, you’re not even listening anymore.”
“I am. It’s just—”
“It’s fine. I know how to take a hint.” She pauses. “Listen… if you happen to be in Belmopan anytime tonight, feel free to drop by. It should be fun.”
“Won’t it be weird having a guy at your party?”
“A guy?” She laughs and the sultry sound temporarily distracts me from what she says next. “Guys will be there. Winnie wanted to invite the football team.”
“Excuse me?”
“Of course I told her she could only bring the top three hottest, most well-behaved players.”
“Hottest?”
“Could you hold a minute, Danny? Winnie’s coming.” Something rustles in the background. “I’ll be right there!” I hear her breathing before she says, “I have to go. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Wait, but—” The dial tone clicks in my ear.
My hand drops limply to the desk. The cellphone clatters to the surface. Why did I get the impression Gwen’s party would be girls-only? I should have known that wasn’t the case.
So how many men were we talking here? Ten? Twenty?
I should have told her no.
My fingers slide around my collar and tug. A prickly sensation climbs from the pit of my stomach and rises to my neck.
“Danny?” My sister knocks on the door and then pokes her head in.
The sight of her forces me to brush Gwen from mind and focus on work. “Hey, Em.”
“I brought the Belmopan building contract.” Emily lifts a stack of files, her silky hair falling around her shoulders. Her eyes are smaller than mine and more slanted. Pink lips pucker into a frown. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Em, would you say football players are attractive?”
“Football players? Like soccer players?” She steps fully into the room and scratches her chin with a slender hand. “Why are you asking?”
I rub my neck. “Would you just answer the question?”
“Alright. Geez, you don’t have to shout.” Emily shrugs. “I don’t know a lot of football players, but I’d assume they’re nice-looking. Most girls are into athletic types—broad shoulders, fit calves. Manly men, you know? David Beckham types.”
I dig into my temples, picturing Gwen and a bunch of David Beckhams dancing around her. “No!”
Emily jumps. “Danny, what is wrong with you?”
“It’s… nothing.”
“I don’t even want to know.” Emily slaps a stack of folders on my desk. They immediately topple over. “Richie says he’s working on the inventory that’s stuck in customs. I’m going to Belmopan tomorrow to meet the contractor, but I need these plans completed before I do.”
I shoot up so fa
st my chair skitters into the wall. “I’ll meet the contractor.”
“Why?” Emily blinks slowly.
“Because…” I tap my fingers against my leg, eyes bouncing around for an answer. “Doesn’t Jenifer have a ballet recital on Sunday? You should be with her so she can prepare.”
“Tomorrow’s Saturday so I’m free.”
“Still.”
Emily narrows her eyes until they become tiny slits below her brows. “You and Richie have been acting weird lately. Is something going on?”
“Richie?” I lean against the desk and try to look casual. “What did he do?”
“He called last Saturday. He was frantic. Asking about the kind of dessert girls would like. I said Delight, of course.”
“Of course.” I agree with a bob of my head.
“Richie wanted to meet the contractor too. I had to remind him of his tux fitting this evening before he gave up.”
So Richie was the one who gave Gwen that ice cream bar? I groan as the moments from last week pull together to form a disturbing picture.
Richie wanted to ‘use the bathroom’ when I stopped at the gas station last week. Then he insisted on returning to Gwen’s place after questioning the cleanliness of the public toilet.
I thought he was just being fussy. Was he planning on leaving Gwen the gift all along?
“Danny, why are you getting red?” Emily slaps her hand on the edge of my desk. “Is something going on that you’re both not telling me?”
I force myself to smile. “Where is Richie right now?”
“In his office. But Danny… hey! Are you just gonna leave like that?”
“Sorry, Em!” I yank on the door, but stop to speak over my shoulder. “I’m going to Belmopan tonight anyway so just leave the blueprints with me. I’ll talk to the contractor.”
“Danny!”
I close the door on her protests and stalk down the corridor.
Our offices are located above a warehouse. Emily, Richie, and I work behind the scenes to expand the company while maintaining all existing branches.
Richie’s office is two doors down from mine. I burst in, not even bothering to knock.
Richie leaps out of his seat, clutching a hand to his chest. “Danny? What the hell, man?”
I slam the door shut. “Did you give Gwen chocolate when we went back to her house Saturday?”