Not Even Close (A New Generation) by Elizabeth Reyes (sight word books .txt) 📕

sheglanced down at the screen in her lap. “That’s Nena. I’ll text her back later.But in case you talk to her, I don’t want her knowing anything about Byron.”

Vannah explained about the picture she’d sent Nena of Byron’slicense plate just in case. Then how she called her the moment he left. But saidit was just a ride home and she was just playing it safe. Except she hadn’tsaid anything more to her about Byron. “I’ll never hear the end of it. Shealready riles me enough about Mat and I’m not even into him.”

“So, how’d you get his number?”

“Oh my God, that’s the best part. I still can’t believe I didit.”

Chuckling at Xochitl’s reaction to the reminder of her throwingup, Vannah explained about Byron’s gym clothes. “I almost didn’t do it. I swearmy heart was beating a mile a minute. It’s why I didn’t even think when Imentioned Bad Boys, so I just blurted it out in a way that didn’t really feellike I was asking for his number. More like a way to get in touch so I can gethis clothes back to him.”

Feeling her face heat again she told Xochitl about how for amoment she thought he –wasn’t going to give it to her, and she began to back pedaluntil he started giving it to her.

“Oh, wow so this is perfect.” Xochitl smiled big. “You don’t evenhave to worry about seeming too eager to contact him, because you can actuallyadmit you wanted to get his clothes back to him as soon as possible. I’ll washthem for you, girl, since it is my puke all over them anyway.” Xochitl groanedand Vannah laughed in response. “What a first impression this guy has of me now.So, all he said was that he saw me with two guys and decided to pull over andrescue me? What if one of them had been my boyfriend or something?”

“A boyfriend would’ve been more worried about taking care of youas wasted as you were. Not being all over you, like the girl inside said thatguy was.” Vannah inhaled deeply before exhaling out slowly, feeling a sillysmile spread across her face. “It must’ve been obvious you were in trouble andByron couldn’t just drive by and do nothing about it. That says a lot abouthim, right? I mean there were tons of other guys around and driving by and noneof them saw fit to stop and check on you.”

Xochitl who’d been busy tousling her wet hair with a towel,stopped suddenly, and turned to stare at Vannah mouth agape, but didn’t sayanything.

“What?” Vannah asked curiously.

“You think he recognized me?”

Vannah peered at her. “From the times we’ve run across him—”

“No. As the friend of the girl he’s been eyeing for weeks?You think that’s why he stopped?”

Feeling her insides light up suddenly, Vannah shook her head.“Not necessarily—”

“No, that’s gotta be it.” Xochitl took a seat on the bedwith Vannah looking excited for the first time since she’d groaned her way outof the shower. “Think about it, Vannah. How many drunk girls did we see stumblingaround in the time we were there? How many other drunk girls could he haveseen in that slow drive he was on in front of all those frat houses? It can’tjust be his thing to go around saving random drunk girls for no reason. You’rethe reason he saw fit to stop and check on me.”

Swallowing hard, Vannah stared at Xochitl blankly, trying to calmthe butterflies in her belly. “Could be,” she offered softly. “I guess it’spossible.”

“Oh, I know it is,” Xochitl said with such confidence the butterfliesin Vannah’s belly swarmed out of control. “Tell you what, text him.”

“What?” Vannah gasped. “No. It’s too soon.”

“No, it’s not. Tell him I asked you to thank him for me.”

Vannah reached for her phone in front of her, pulling it behindher back as if her friend might reach for it and text him herself. “How’s that gonnaprove anything?”

“Just do it, please? I really would like to thank him, and I’drather do it this way than have to face him ever again.”

Bringing the phone around in front of her again cautiously,Vannah glanced down at the screen. Her heart was already racing just thinkingabout it, but her head was egging her on like it had last night. Be bold,Vannah. You can do this. What’s the big deal? You’re just passing on a muchdeserved thank you from your very grateful friend.

“Okay.” She scrolled through her texts before she’d chicken out.

Putting the text together quickly, she read it back once outloud. “Morning. Xochitl said she’s very grateful for what you did last nightand asked me to thank you for her.”

  Xochitl had barely nodded in approval when Vannah hit the sendbutton because she was already having second thoughts.

“I still don’t see how this will prove anything.” Vannah set herphone down in front of her trying to act like her insides weren’t a hot messnow. “All he’s gonna say is you’re welcome or something to that effect.”

As soon as she said it, her phone dinged and Vannah could swearher heart did too.

“That was fast,” Xochitl smirked leaning into Vannah. “Is ithim?”

It was, and Vannah’s heart was literally thudding against herchest now. She nodded hitting the text preview, so it opened completely, andread it out loud.

“Crazy I was just about to text you to ask how she was doing. Wow.Took me a second there to figure out that wasn’t a typo. Is that how you spellher name? I would’ve never guessed. Tell her not a problem. She better now?”

“Good, good,” Xochitl said smiling big. “That’s an invitation torespond. Let’s keep this going.”

Vannah tittered more out of nerves than anything. “What should Isay?”

“Okay, tell him the truth. I’m hungover big time, but also addthat I’m very embarrassed about the whole thing. Make it sound extreme.Oh, I know! Use the word mortified. Say I’m completely mortified.”

“Okay.” Still not sure what this would prove, Vannah begunputting something together. Then once again read it out loud. “Yeah, I said thesame thing about her name when I first saw it written but it’s