The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From The Tree

Twenty Six

Vinetria needed to focus. So what did she do when she woke up on Tuesday morning? She got ready. She took a long shower, put on actual jeans, and a t-shirt so she could go to school. Yeah she had online classes but she wanted to take advantage of her University. Use the library, attend workshops, there are recreational facilities, and other support services that she didn't take advantage of. When she went to Vanderford to complete her undergrad, it felt like she lived on campus. She would get to school at 9 am, attend classes, hang out in the library, get lunch in the commons, buy snacks at the student store, go to office hours, and study groups, and go to the school gym.

Wait, why was she paying for a gym membership when she could just attend the one at school for free?

She'll worry about that later. Right now she's surrounded by rows of glowing desk lamps and the hum of computers. She sits at a table with her laptop open, highlighters scattered, headphones in. She's focused, typing furiously until her phone buzzes. A text from Harry. She doesn't open it right away, but she glances at the time, calculates Tokyo's time difference in her head, and smirks softly. With a sigh, she shakes her head and forces herself back to the essay.

[10:11 am, her time]

Harry: Hey pretty lady, just landed.

When she finally did respond, she couldn't help but smile at the nickname and send back a quick response that she was glad he made it safely.

For the rest of the time she was in the library, she'd occasionally find herself staring at her phone, rereading Harry's last text before forcing herself back to work.

-

A quirky solo routine that Vinetria developed; throwing on sweats at 11pm, driving to the same ice cream shop that stays open until midnight, and chatting with the tired cashier who starts to remember her order.

Salted caramel brownie in a waffle cone and a cup of ice water.

Neon lights flicker above the little shop, casting a retro glow. A couple of teenagers laugh loudly as they pass her, and she smiles to herself. She licks the side of the cone as the ice cream starts to drip, scrolling through her phone gallery where she's saved a candid picture Harry once sent her. Sometimes she eats in her car, people watching, and wonders what Harry's doing across the world.

Wonders what ice cream flavor he would get.

He'd probably get something like vanilla with sprinkles or rocky road.

-

[4:42 pm, her time]

Harry: Not as beautiful as the one I left behind.

*attachment photo of a sunrise*

Vinetria rolls her eyes so hard she nearly hurts herself. She doesn't know what to reply to the cheesy comment. So instead, she scrolls on Instagram and comes across a photo on Nyla's spam account. She forgot to unfollow this one after the breakup. So when she sees it, it's a bit of a jumpscare.

It's a photo of Theodore and Nyla on a picnic in the park watching the sunset. Paint bruises, sandwiches, fruit trays, and flowers. She captioned it: He's so thoughtful. So she's guessing he planned the date.

Funny, when he was with her, she always was the one initiating romantic gestures. Now, it seemed like he was happily putting in the effort for someone he actually liked.

Well, good riddance, Vinetria thought as she hit the unfollow button and locked her phone.

-

Her mother's voice trails behind her as Vinetria balances paperwork, a tote bag, and her matcha. She's tasked with delivering pieces to one of her mother's colleagues two hours away.