Page 26 of June (New Orleans #6)

“I s Viv okay?” Caroline asked.

“As far as I know. Why?” Jodie asked back.

They were walking down the candy aisle in the campus convenience store. Caroline didn’t really want anything, but Jodie was all about the peer pressure and had suggested she grab a bag of chips and a few candy bars for later, so Caroline was holding their little basket with Jodie’s stuff and her stuff. Viv had her own basket and was in the drink aisle, picking up some soda.

“She said she was cool about what happened, but she’s been weird,” Caroline said softly.

“Meaning she was cool with walking in on you and your girlfriend having sex?”

“We’d stopped by the time the door opened. She didn’t actually see anything.”

“She hasn’t said anything to me,” Jodie replied and went to grab a bag of gummy worms.

“You hate those things,” Caroline noted.

“Oh, yeah. My bad,” Jodie replied but tossed them into the basket anyway.

“Jodie?”

“Yes?”

“Why are you buying them?”

“Why do you care what kind of candy I buy?”

“I guess I don’t,” Caroline said softly.

“And why do you assume that whatever Viv is feeling right now has anything to do with you? Ego much?”

“Hey,” Caroline said and stopped walking. “What the hell, Jodie? I just asked a question.”

“Just stop making Viv’s moods about you. She has more going on than whatever she used to feel for you , Care.”

Caroline put a hand on Jodie’s forearm and said, “Come here.” She moved them to the next aisle, which was farther away from Viv. “What is going on?”

“Nothing,” Jodie replied.

“Nothing? Are you serious? You look mad at me right now, and I don’t know what I did, Jodie. I just asked if Viv was okay.”

Jodie sighed and replied, “I like her, okay?”

“Huh?”

Jodie leaned in a little and said, “I like her. I like Viv. I have for a while now.”

“What? Really?”

“Yes. She’s beautiful and smart and funny sometimes. We’ve been hanging out a lot recently, in case you haven’t noticed. I like her.”

Caroline nodded and said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“Well, now you do.” Jodie shrugged a shoulder. “And I guess all that time hanging out didn’t mean anything to her because she’s still about you.”

“She said she was over me and that she wanted to ask someone out.”

“She saw you and your new girlfriend having sex, and now she’s acting weird. I don’t think she’s over you. In fact, when we were hanging out the other day before she had to run home, I let it slip what we did that one time.”

“You did what ?” Caroline asked.

“We were talking about, you know, first times and other times, and she asked if I’ve ever been with you. I didn’t want to lie to her, so I told her that it was one time and it wasn’t a big deal. I didn’t even see you naked. It was basically just getting each other off while we made out. She started acting weird then, so I probably should’ve known she was still into you.”

“I’m sorry, Jodie. I don’t know what to do. I don’t like Viv like that. I want Enid.”

“I know. But, apparently, she still wants you.”

“Maybe not,” Caroline said. “It could’ve just been that I was naked with Enid, and we’d used her rug.”

“What?”

“We both kind of knelt on it,” Caroline revealed.

Jodie laughed, and Viv walked into the aisle.

“Hey. Are you guys ready?” she asked.

“Uh… Yeah,” Jodie replied. “I got you those gummy worms you like.”

“Oh. That’s nice of you. Thank you,” Viv said, smiling wide at Jodie before she walked over to them and stood next to Jodie, not Caroline. “I got you that orange banana juice you like,” she added.

“Thank you,” Jodie said with a smile.

Caroline watched their exchange curiously. They were smiling at one another, and it was sweet. She didn’t say anything, though, and the three of them walked to the checkout counter and paid before they walked back to the dorm with their purchases. Caroline walked behind Viv and Jodie and watched them talk and laugh, wondering what was going on there. When they got back to their floor, Jodie went into her room, and Caroline followed Viv to theirs.

“Hey, are you really sure we’re okay? I’m sorry about the whole sex-with-my-girlfriend thing you walked in on.”

“I’m sure,” Viv told her and flopped onto her bed. “I’m over it. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t really want to see it again. But I wasn’t here, and it’s your room, too.”

“Okay,” she replied. “It just seems like you have something on your mind.”

Viv sat up then and said, “I’ve made a decision for the fall semester.”

“What about it?”

“I’m getting that single,” Viv said.

“Huh?”

“The room. I’m getting a single. I got the call yesterday. I had put my name on a waitlist at the beginning of the summer, and someone else decided not to take the room, so it’s mine now.”

“Oh,” Caroline let out and sat in her chair. “Is this because of me and you, or because you want your own room?”

“Mostly the room thing,” Viv replied. “I meant what I said, though, Care: we’re okay. I don’t still have feelings for you. It was weird, seeing you with Enid, but it’s fine. You’re allowed to have sex in your own room. I know you’ve been walking on eggshells with me to try to keep me from getting hurt. I appreciate that. I really do. I’m also ready for my own room. I’ve thought about the apartment thing, but I’ve been in student housing this long. I might as well just do it for all four years. Besides, there might be an RA position available. I’m applying later today, so if I get that, room and board is free, and my mom said she’d put more money in my post-grad fund.”

“What’s that?”

“I’ll need to go to grad school, and I want my Ph.D, at least for now, so if she’s not paying for my dorm expenses, she said they’d just put that money away for me to use however I need. I can’t live in the dorms forever. There aren’t any graduate dorms here, so I’d need an apartment. It could all work out.”

“You’re going to stay here for grad school?” Caroline asked.

“Probably. Even if I don’t, though, I know I’ll want an apartment for grad school. I’ll be ready to cook my own food by then,” Viv said with a little laugh.

“Then, I hope you get the position,” Caroline replied. “I think you’d be a great RA. You’re so level-headed. I know you keep me and Jodie in line a lot.” She chuckled.

Viv blushed a little, and Caroline wondered why for a second before it finally hit her. She smiled and looked away. Viv hadn’t been mad or acting weird around her because she was upset that Caroline had had sex with Enid or had once done that with Jodie. She was mad because Caroline had been with Jodie . Viv didn’t like the fact that Caroline had been with the girl on the floor, whom Viv wanted to ask out.

“How are your gummy worms?” she asked.

“What?” Viv asked back.

“Your candy that Jodie bought you.”

“Oh. I don’t know. They’re still in the bag. Why?”

“No reason,” she said, trying to hide her smile because Viv was blushing even harder now. “I’m going to run to the bathroom. I’ll be right back.”

“Okay,” Viv replied and reached for her book.

Caroline got up and hurried out of the room, leaving the door open like always. Then, she walked down the hall and knocked loudly on Jodie’s door, which was closed.

“Yeah?”

Caroline heard Jodie’s voice, so she opened the door and walked in, closing it quickly behind her.

“I just saw you. What’s up?”

“Ask her out.”

“What?” Jodie asked as she sat up in her bed.

The desks in Jodie’s room were at the ends of the bed, and they didn’t have a TV, but their mini fridge was at the end of Jodie’s desk. Caroline walked farther into the room and sat down in Jodie’s desk chair, wheeling it over closer to her friend.

“Ask Viv out.”

“What are you talking about, Care? She likes you .”

“No, she doesn’t,” Caroline replied. “She likes you .”

“You’re crazy. You’re the one who said she was acting weird after she walked in on you and Enid and after I told her about–”

“You and me? Yeah. I think we both got it wrong.”

Jodie stared at her in confusion.

“Viv was mad at me because I’d had sex with you .”

“I know that. That’s what I–”

“No, because I was with you , Jodie. That’s the expression I was reading on her face that I couldn’t explain. She didn’t really care about Enid. She just didn’t want to touch her underwear.”

“Viv touched Enid’s underwear?”

“No.” Caroline laughed. “I’m telling you, it wasn’t that I was with Enid. She was mad that I’d been with you. You told her about that, like, the day before that. What were you two talking about?”

“I told you. Our first times and stuff.”

“And why were you talking about that?”

“I don’t know. We were just talking, and the fact that we were both single came up. She said something about not being a virgin or anything, and we started talking about that. She asked me about you, and like I said, I didn’t want to lie to her. I really like her.” Jodie paused as she looked down at her hands in her lap. “So, I told her what happened, but that it was just two horny people who like each other as friends but don’t actually want a relationship with one another.”

“She glared at me, Jodie,” Caroline said with a laugh. “I just thought it was because of Enid. I don’t want to hurt Viv, so I–”

“You actually think she likes me?” Jodie asked.

Caroline smiled and said, “You two were so cute in the store earlier. You bought Viv her favorite candy.”

“Yeah, but that’s not a big deal.”

“She bought you that drink you like. I didn’t even know you liked that drink.”

“It’s just juice. Viv and I hung out once, and she saw it in my fridge.”

“She saw it once, and she cared enough to remember? Jodie, that says something. Ask her out.”

“But what if she says no? It’ll be awkward. You two live together, and you’re my best friend.”

“She asked me out twice, and she’s my roommate. Be brave like Viv, Jodie.”

Jodie sighed and said, “Why don’t you focus on Enid, and I’ll worry about whether or not I’m going to ask Viv out. You said she was going to ask some girl out on the floor, so if it’s not you, it’ll be someone else.”

“Idiot, you are the girl,” Caroline said with a big laugh. “She’s been getting to know you way more than she ever has before, right?”

“I guess.”

“And she’s buying your favorite drink and making sure you know that she’s not a virgin for some reason. She asked you questions about your status. Jodie, she likes you.”

“Then, why hasn’t she asked me out?”

“Probably because she’s scared, too, just like you,” she suggested. “But if you’re worried about the whole rooming-with-me thing, don’t. She’s moving into a single when the fall semester starts.”

“Oh,” Jodie let out, sounding disappointed.

“Why do you sound so unhappy about that? It makes things less complicated.”

“Not really.” Jodie shrugged a shoulder. “I think I just realized that I would have no excuse to see her. I’m probably moving into an apartment, maybe with you, but even if we were rooming together in the dorm, she’s getting a single, so I’d have no excuse to just stop in, pretending I’m looking for you when I really just want to hang with her.”

“Wait. How many times have you stopped by pretending you want to hang out with me, and it’s been about Viv?”

“Oh, a lot,” Jodie admitted.

Caroline laughed and asked, “You really, really like her, huh?”

“She’s just so put-together,” Jodie replied and flopped backward onto her bed. “She doesn’t care about any of this college bullshit. She wants to get her degree and graduate so that she can have the career she’s always wanted. There’s no drama with her, Care. She’s also really, really pretty, and I just want to hold her hand and kiss her whenever we walk places.”

Caroline smiled at her friend and said, “Jodie, ask her out. I think she’ll say yes, but if she doesn’t, you two can at least talk and get everything out in the open. If you’re worried about not seeing her because she’s moving into her own room, isn’t it better to talk to her about things now?”

“I guess,” Jodie replied. “But if she says no, you’ll have to start hanging out in here more. I wouldn’t be in your room all the time like I am now.”

“Deal,” Caroline replied. “I told Viv I was going to the bathroom, so I’m going to get back. Do you want me to find an excuse to leave so that you can talk to her?”

“What? No. I need time to plan my speech.”

“Your what ?” Caroline laughed as she stood.

“I need to tell her how I feel.”

“Jodie, if you ask her out, I think she can guess how you feel about her. Just start there. And if she says yes, you can tell her how you feel over dinner or something.”

“Is that what you did with Enid?”

“Kind of, yeah,” she said with a smile.

“That’s going good?” Jodie asked, sitting back up.

“I met her parents this morning, so yeah.”

“But that was just because she lives at home. It wasn’t, like, a real relationship step or anything.”

“Just for that, I’m going to go back to my room and stay there for the rest of the day, so you better catch Viv in the hallway or in the bathroom, brushing her teeth, if you want to ask her out.”

“Hey!” Jodie laughed.

Caroline left, and feeling inspired, she went back to her room, where she found Viv reading, as usual. She picked up her sketchbook and climbed into her bed, stopping briefly on the two sketches of Enid, which made her wish Enid were there with her, before she got to a blank page.

“If you were a diva microwave, would you even give the TV the time of day?” Caroline asked.

“What are you talking about?” Viv asked back.

Caroline laughed and said, “Nothing.”

Then, she messaged Enid the same question. She knew Enid was busy with her group project, so she’d expected to wait for a response, but just a few minutes later, her phone alerted her to a text.

Enid Becker : I think she would give Timmy a chance, but Frank secretly loves Miranda, so he might put up a fight.

Caroline smiled.