Vera's POV
"Leah?" I walk out of the bathroom.
"Yes dear?" Leah's voice is overwhelmed by crunching. I find her in the living room perched in an armchair cuddled up with her textbooks. She sets her bag of doritos down to give me her undivided attention.
"I haven't had my period for a while now.."
"I thought that's normal for you."
"Yeah... but not for this long."
"Well, we all know you're not pregnant."
I roll my eyes.
"Thanks Leah."
"I didn't mean it like that! I mean, you know, since you can't have babies and all."
I walk back to my room and lay sprawl out on my bed. It's officially been one week since I have seen or spoken to Colin. It's honestly been the worst week of my life, I can't even lie to myself. It took everything in me to resist the urge to text him, or call him, but I did it. The hardest part of all is having to see him on tv, or plastered on billboards whenever we go downtown.
My phone rings on the nightstand and I reach over to grab it. Mecca's calling. I hesitate with my thumb hovering over the answer button.
"Hello?" I answer quietly. I hadn't talked to Becca since I'd stormed off on her after finding out she knew about the sex tape.
"Vera?"
"Yeah."
"Vera...sweetie, I'm so sorry. I know you're upset with me and I wanted to give you time to yourself. I've been asking Leah about you, and I'm just worried! Are you okay?"
What do you think Becca? I had to watch a sex tape of my FIANCE fucking two girls and beating a man senseless. Yes, I'm jolly good. What do you care?
"Becca, I'm fine. I really am."
"Oh that is so good to hear!"
"Look, I'm sorry for storming out on you the way I did. It was rude and I feel like a jerk about it," I finger the sheets on my bed, feeling terrible about the way I left Becca. Even though she irritated the hell out of me, and withheld that kind of information, she has always been there for me and Leah. And I'm sure she had her reasons for not telling me.
"Vera, you don't even have to apologize about anything. I should have been up front with you."
"No, I don't blame you for not telling me, Colin should've."
"He's been through a lot Vera, he's had a difficult life. He really just wanted to leave it behind, especially when he met you."
Hearing his name made my stomach curl up. Colin.
"He should have told me."
"I know, I know. He's...really broken up about everything. He isn't showing it, but I know him. His spirit is broken. He doesn't hold his head up high, he's quiet..it's not like him."
Well, that makes two of us.
"Anyway, I was calling because I wanted to let you know that your internship is still open, if you're open to still working here."
"Becca...No..."
"Okay, okay, I just figured I'd try. I really enjoy working with you Vera! And you're so good at what you do!"
"I love working with you too, but I don't think I could work there anymore." I can't handle being that close to Colin. Definitely not.
"Alright, well, I'm not sure if Leah told you, but we're having a gala at the convention center downtown this weekend, and I wanted to formally invite you."
"Uhhh..."
"Just mull it over! You don't even have to talk to Colin or anything of that sort, I just want you to be there with me. You've been such a great help to me."
"I'll think about it," although my voice is a dead giveaway that there is no way in hell I'm going within 100 feet of the damn gala.
"Ok sweetheart, I have to go now, so just shoot me a text if you and Leah decide to come and I'll have you both on the list."
"Ok."
I shuffle to the living room directly in front of Leah.
"How come you didn't tell me anything about the gala?"
"What gala?" Leah's nose is in one of her textbooks.
"You know what I'm talking about Leah."
"Oh, that one. Well, there's a gala this weekend, and Aunty Becca wants us to go," she says, not looking up from her textbook.
"Why didn't you tell me!?"
"Girl, I forgot. You know how much stuff I have to memorize for school lately!"
"I don't know if I can handle going."
"Vera. You have to get out there. It's the least you could do! Do it for Aunty Becca, for me. We'll just go enjoy ourselves!" Leah puts her textbook down.
"Besides, if you don't want to go alone, you could take Cam's chocolate chip peanut butter mocha latte self," Leah licks her lips.
"I'll think about it."
"You can think about it all you want girl, we're goin," Leah says with finality, closing her textbook.
I let out a groan before falling onto the opposite couch, wishing I could sink away into the cushions and disappear forever.