FRANCES DOES NOT look happy.
In fact, she looks every emotion other than happy—pained, distressed, angry, confused, the list goes on.
We're standing in the lobby away from the rest of the commotion, and she has her hands on her hips.
"This...this is not what we expected to happen."
"You're telling me," I say, glancing over at Dane.
He's leaning against the back wall, face emotionless as he meets my gaze, hand reaching up to rub at his lip again. The blood's started to dry, crusting over into a small scab, and I find myself wincing.
"You know, when Nick was reading that piece, I was thinking it didn't sound anything like him, but I thought, hey—he's just growing as a writer, this is a good thing. Then all this mess—" Frances rubs her temples like she's having an oncoming headache.
"So what's going to happen?"
"I've been talking to the board, and technically, you and Cleo are the ones who placed first in this competition."
"Okay, so what does that mean?"
"Well, we're still trying to work out the logistics, but we think we may be able to make two scholarships work this year?"
"Wait, what?" His expressionless face falls into surprise.
"Yeah, it's just...it's going to be a whole process, but I'm doing what I can, and so far, I have most of the board with the idea. I think they took a liking to you two. You're quite the performers."
"Hold on. Let me get this straight." Dane holds up his hands. "You guys want to give me and Cleodora full-rides to our dream schools?"
"If everything works out financially—which trust me, it will. I'll make it if I have to. You two deserve it, especially with what you've had to put up with, with Nick."
"No fucking way."
A smile starts to grow on Frances' face, as she steps forward, pulling me into a hug first then Dane. "You two are going to do great things, believe me." The smile stays as she watches us for a few seconds like a proud mother before putting her hands back on her hips. "Now let me get back to the meeting room. We have a lot to settle right now.
Oh, and make sure you two keep your phones on!"
Her shoes clack on the tile as she makes her way back inside, giving way to Ruby and Marty who are hovering outside watching us. They sprint over as soon as she disappears through the doorway.
"Okay, what the hell just happened?" Ruby's the first one to talk. "Nick's gotta be unhinged. I've never seen something like that. Lying right through his teeth."
"And he kept going even when he knew he was caught," Marty butts in, shaking his head. "Fucking ridiculous."
"Yeah, then he tried to sic security on me like I was the crazy one," I join in, also shaking my head.
"They better be getting him out of the hotel room right now." Dane sighs. "If I see him again, I'll be the one swinging."
"Oh god. I almost forgot about that. Hopefully he doesn't try to take anymore of your stuff," Ruby says, wincing.
"Really reassuring, Ruby."
"Look, I said hopefully he doesn't."
"There's everyone!"
Anaya, Julia, and Reece flock into the lobby next, quickly joining the circle.
"Dane, are you good?" Reece is eyeing him like he was just in a street fight instead of knocked around by a thin blond noodle.
"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks. Just a cut."
I raise my eyebrows, surprised to see him acting like a normal person in front of my friends.
I guess tragedy really brings people together.
"Okay, awesome. When I saw the way he swung, I was thinking it was over for you."
"I mean, it's Nick. It wouldn't have been that bad. Let's be honest with ourselves."
Anaya snorts, "You got a point there."
"So you two wrote those poems?" The question comes out of left field from Ruby.
"Yeah, did you miss the whole exposé?" is my sarcastic response.
"So were they about each other?"
A chorus of oohs breaks out around the group, and I feel my body heat up.
"Why do you guys care?"
"That's a yes," Julia chimes in, breaking into laughter with the rest of the group. "You guys saw the way Cleo tried to fight Nick."
My mouth drops open, indignant by how fast they'd gone from being concerned to clowning us.
"She could've taken him out 100%" Ruby rolls her eyes. "Let's be real."
"Not exactly the encouragement I'm looking for, but I guess I'll take it."
"I'm proud of you, Cleo," Ruby suddenly says, pulling me in for a hug. "You deserve this scholarship and everything else good in this world. I couldn't have asked for a better roommate."
"Really?"
"Mhm."
"Aw, wait, let me in there," Anaya says, wrapping her arms around us.
I laugh as Julia and Reece join in next, Marty piling on last.
Dane watches from outside, arms crossed and eyebrows raised as my friends continue to hype me up and recall fun times. By the end of the super long hug, I can feel tears rolling down my cheeks.
"We're getting celebratory dinner," Marty announces to the group. "I'll pick the place."
There's a collective groan again, but this time, I know it's not genuine. It's never been genuine.
Dane smiles at me just barely as I emerge from the tangle of limbs, reaching up a hand to tuck my hair behind my ear, snort at the eyeliner around my eyes. "You look terrible."
"Shut up, Doggy."
The smile grows wider at the jab before I grab his hand, pulling him after me behind my friends as they start down the hallway.
"Where are you going?"
"I don't know. Whatever shitty restaurant Marty decides to take us this time."
"I've never taken us to a shitty restaurant before," Marty calls from the front of the line, turning around to show me his middle finger.
"What about that one—"
"Shut up, Ruby. They were just having an off day," is his argument.
I snicker at the defensiveness in his tone, relishing in this moment.
Right here, right now. When everything's far from perfect, but possibly as close as I'm going to get.
With people I care about and people who care about me.
And it feels good.
***
hehe 🤭