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

an Aztec nameand that’s how you spell it. She’s hung over of course, but otherwisephysically she’s fine. Emotionally however, she’s completely mortified.”

Xochitl nodded in approval but lifted her hand up to halt Vannahfrom sending it immediately like she had the first time. “Can you also do alittle damage control and squeeze in that I’ve never been that drunk before inmy life.”

Snickering nervously again, Vannah explained why she was certain heknew that already, given his smug attitude about knowing this was her firsttime away from mommy and daddy. He was likely thinking the same about Xochitl.But she did add the comment and sent the text off quickly.

Once again, his response was a quick one. The butterflies Vannah hadbeen feeling were now accompanied by some major tingling as she read the textout loud again.

“Cool, I’m glad she’s okay. But tell her she shouldn’t be mortified.First time drinkers at frat parties, are susceptible to her outcome. There’splenty every time.” Vannah stopped to let Xochitl know the word every wasin all caps before going on. “No one’s gonna remember her from all the otherdrunk girls out there last night.”

“Perfect,” Xochitl said bringing her hands to her big smilingmouth and practically squealed. “He walked right into that! That’s exactly whatI was hoping he’d say. Well, anything around those lines.”

Peering at her for a second, Vannah glanced back down and rereadthe text trying to figure out what she meant.

“Okay, okay,” Xochitl stood up and started pacing the room.“Write back agreeing with him that I shouldn’t be mortified. Tell him you toldme the same thing and then add something casual about how thankful you are thatof all the drunk girls he could’ve helped out, he chose to help me.” Xochitl stoppedsharply and turned to Vannah. “Scratch that. Scratch that. Don’t say he choseme. Might make it too obvious what you’re implying. We want him to offeran explanation as to why I was the lucky one he decided to save out of all theother drunk girls out there last night.”

On top of all the madness going on in Vannah’s belly, she couldfeel it tightening up now. This felt sort of sneaky. Kind of mean like theywere setting him up to be forced to confess he’d stopped because of Vannah. Butthen maybe he deserved it. He’d been pretty smug with her last night for aminute there.

“Instead,” Xochitl went on without a hitch. “Keep the part aboutagreeing with him that I shouldn’t be mortified. But tell him you told me Imust’ve had an angel on my shoulder to have been there at the perfect time forhim to observe what was going on. Because if you think about it, Vannah, itreally is the truth. Regardless of why he decided to help me out, hewouldn’t have had the choice to make, had the timing not been perfect, right?”

Gulping, Vannah nodded feeling better about putting it this wayinstead of the first. She read it off to Xochitl before hitting send again.

This time he didn’t respond right away. Xochitl went about herbusiness of finishing drying her hair and started putting on makeup. She wenton about how completely convinced she was that Byron had only stopped becausehe’d recognized her as Vannah’s friend.

Ignoring the tightening knot in her belly with each excruciatingsecond that went on and her phone remained silent, Vannah pretended to listento Xochitl’s every word. Truth was, she was already wondering as perceptive—notto mention annoyed as Byron had been about her lying—had he picked up on whatshe might be implying and maybe he was now annoyed by that too? Would he be rude?It’d already been established he could be intense as hell.

Her phone dinging made her flinch. Xochitl turned to hermid-sentence with those excitable eyes. “Is that him?”

“Um-hmm.” Vanna clicked on the text and braced herself as sheread it out loud. “Yeah, luck or something was on her side for sure. I almostdidn’t stop. Those guys yelling down from the window is what got me to pullover.”

Glancing up when Xochitl sucked in a quick breath, Vannah wasjust in time to see her shudder. “Okay, duly noted. I will never drinklike that again. Hell . . .” She touched her head with a groan. “The way I feelnow, I may never drink again period. I feel like absolute shit. If it weren’tfor my aunt being in town today and having already committed to meeting her forbreakfast, I’d stay in bed all day.”

That reminded Vannah that Nena would be passing through againtoday like she had days prior. She and her friend had stopped by on their wayto Santa Barbra a few days before. They were headed back home today, and Nenawanted to stop by and meet Vannah again for a late lunch.

“So, what do I say?” Vannah was on her feet now because shewanted to get to that laundry before getting ready to meet with Nena.

“I still say his stopping had everything to do with you. But justreiterate how lucky I was that he did and that again I’m very grateful for it.Don’t tell him this but we’ll have to get him a little something, aside fromhis clean clothes as a token of our gratitude. Just let me think on it becauseit’s gotta be something good. Something kinda cutesy and personal, that shows alittle more effort than a Starbucks gift card or something. And it’s gotta beobvious it’s more from you than me.”

Xochitl winked as she walked back into the bathroom. “Kinda cutesy?”Vannah whispered as she glanced down at her phone feeling her stomach stiffen. “Andpersonal?”

Trying her best not to overthink it, Vannah decided to getstarted on the laundry and call Nena back. Nothing beat talking to her sisterto get her mind off of things. Especially since she’d already decided shewasn’t mentioning Byron to Nena unless she absolutely had to.

Nine

Best Decision or Huge Mistake?

Byron

To his surprise but even more unexpected, his disappointment,Byron hadn’t heard back from Vannah since Saturday morning. After their shortback and forth about her and her friend’s appreciation for what he’d done, shehadn’t texted him again. Since she had mentioned