The Freshman

sixteen : last call

I stared at Chris, mouth open in surprise. "Chris, I... I don't know what to say. What happened to you and Becca?"

"I was over at the Kappa house, making plans with Becca for the big Hartfeld Formal dance this weekend, and it suddenly dawned on me... I don't want to go with her. I want to go with you."

"I... I see."

"I'm done running away from what I really feel. I'm ready now. Ready to be with the one person I care about the most. What do you say? Can we try this again? The dance is this weekend, and I don't exactly have a date now...

"Okay, wait. Slow down. This is a lot to process at two in the morning." I set my bag on the floor and sat down on the couch. He followed. "Why did you even date her? Did you like her? I mean, I thought you didn't want me because you weren't ready, or something... I'm just so confused."

"Me too. I thought if I dated her then it would give you a chance to move on. I thought I wasn't ready. I thought I would've ran, or wouldn't be able to give you what you needed."

"But you would've been fine with using Becca?"

"Look. I know I screwed up. I didn't handle it well, and I still ended up hurting someone. But we shouldn't let that ruin what we had. What we have."

"Okay, wow. I need time to think. I'm not saying no... it's just..."

"I understand. But I don't mind waiting, Mia, because you're worth it. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Chris walked out into the hall and disappeared into his room, leaving my head pounding.

...

The next day, I was standing outside Vasquez's office with James

"You sure you want to do this?" He asked me. 

"Of course not. But I have to. It's time for Enrique Vasquez and I to have a serious chat."

"You need backup?"

"I think this is something I need to do alone."

"I think you're doing the right thing. Good luck in there."

"Thanks, James."

I marched in, head held high and shoulders set back, trying to feel more confident and intimidating than I really was.

Vasquez smiled upon seeing me. "There you are... good. I've got your next assignment all ready for you."

"Actually, there's something we need to talk about first. Gabriela."

"Gabriela?"

"Yeah. Gabriela. Your daughter, with whom I just had an interesting conversation."

"You contacted my daughter?! How could you possibly think you have any right to do that? Now you listen to me..."

"No, you listen!" He stopped talking, taken aback by my outburst. Truth be told, I was too. "I'm an adult. That means I can talk to whoever I want. Whenever I want. "

"An adult. What a laugh. That very statement proves your childishness. Truly growing up means considering things more in depth. Thinking before you act."

"Or maybe you should think a little less and do a little more. Like actually trying to go visit your daughter. She told me all about you. How you used her life story to write your book... And she told me you'd do the same to me!"

"All I've ever written is the truth. I shine a light on people. Sometimes, they see parts of themselves in my work. Shadows they wish were hidden. But you always knew that was our arrangement."