THE VAMPIRE AND I

EIGHT

“Look who is back!” said Amanda.

“Just glad the mess is gone,” Victoria said rolling her eyes as she entered the room. It was sparkling clean, no signs that Jennifer had worked there earlier. Amanda was on a mat on the floor doing some yoga while Irene was on the bed reading a novel and jotting in a different book.

Irene smirked, “If I didn’t know you better, I’d say you were hating.”

“Thankfully you do,” Victoria dropped her bag. “Where is Jen?”

“On delivery work. She mentioned you agreed to come to the party.”

“Uh-uh, I didn’t agree. I was coerced and forced.”

“‘I was coerced and forced’” mimicked Amanda. “What else would you have been doing on a Friday night that has no exams in its immediate future.”

“Going out on a dinner with Mike.”

Irene head snapped up from the book she was writing in, “Mike? Oh my goodness, tell me you didn’t cancel.”

“I didn’t,” she sighed. “I postponed.”

Irene eyed her, “You are not trying to make it a double date, are you? I have my dinner date with Mark on Saturday.”

“Eww,” Victoria scrunched up her face, “Who would want to go on a date with you in tow? You’d suck the fun out of it with your ‘I am a redhead so I can be blunt' speech.”

Amanda snickered.

Victoria turned to her, “What?”

“Well, when you were on your soul searching, Irene and Jen got into a fight in the mess hall.”

Victoria turned to Irene wide-eyed, “What? In the mess hall? That’s like half the school,” she turned back to Amanda “What happened? Don’t leave any piece out, Amanda.”

“Well, Irene said something insulting to Jen and when asked to apologize, gave her ‘I am a redhead so I can be blunt’ speech,” Amanda said laughing and Victoria joined.

“First of all,” Irene cut in, “It is not a speech. It is a statement, one that need not to be said even.”

“Oh, please Irene,” said Victoria giggling. “What did Jennifer then do?”

“She said she is a brown girl with curly waves and doesn’t use it as an excuse to act like a bitch.”

“Go Jen,” Victoria said raising up her fist, “That’s my girl.”

“Of course,” grumbled Irene.

“What happened next?”

“Oh, Irene apologized then and both of them put Finn’s wedding on their calendar.”

“Finn. How did dear Finn get into their fight?”

“It was the only thing they both agreed on at the moment so they decided they are going to crash his wedding.”

“Poor Finn. What did that boy ever do to you, Irene?”

“He cheated on me,” said Irene without looking up from her book.

“Poor Irene, she got cheated on by a gay,” said Victoria laughing.

Irene threw a pillow at her, but she just continued to laugh. Amanda just shook her head at the both of them and continued her yoga.

“Never quite knew about what went down with you and Robert last night,” Victoria said to Amanda

when she finally sobered up.

“Oh nothing, we just talked out our issue and I came back to the dorm.”

Victoria frowned, “You came back to the dorm?”

“Yes.”

“To do what?”

“To sleep.”

“Why w-”

“Don’t bother yourself, dear. It is complicated,” Irene said giggling.

“It is only a matter of time before the both of you start to say, ‘Amanda, how do I behave in this kind of situation? Help me please.’”

“You wish,” said Irene.

“I would do anything to avoid Amanda saying ‘I told you so.’”

Jennifer entered the room and clapped, “Hi!”

“Hi. Sold out?” asked Victoria.

“Yeah. Seems that Friday party is going to be a blast,” she sighed tiredly and slumped on the bed.

“Sure, it has been the only thing on students’ lips. No one even knows who is hosting it.”

“Hold up a second,” Victoria said raising her hand. “We are going to a party we do not know the host?”

“It is not unusual,” shrugged Jennifer.

“I am not going.”

“Okay,” said Jennifer. She reached into her bag, brought out a beautiful black dress and held it to Victoria’s face where she sat by the dressing table, “Then you wouldn’t be getting this.”

“Oh my, Jen, don’t do this to me.”

“To go to the party or not?” Irene asked playing the devil’s advocate.

Victoria ran her hands through the dress and shook her head, “To go.”

Amanda laughed, “Typical Victoria, Jennifer gets you every time.”

“She is just being smart,” said Jennifer as she handed Victoria the dress.  

“Whatever. Amanda said you and Irene had a fight.”

Jennifer raised a brow at Irene who shook her head no and then exchanged glances with Amanda, all of which Victoria missed because she was engrossed in the dress.

“We did.” said Jennifer finally. “It was a friendly argument; one we’ve already settled.”

“Unsurprisingly. Thanks Jen,” she said gesturing to the dress.

“You are welcome but it is not free. You are to do my hair for the rest of the year. Take it or leave it.”

“You are such a fraudster. After giving her the dress, you are adding terms and conditions.”

“Thank you, Amanda. Maybe I would leave your own cloth in my bag and sell it tomorrow.”

Victoria giggled, “Such an incentive. Yes, I will do your hair for the rest of my year.”

Irene hooted, “We all know when Vic’s year stops.”

“Jen?”

Jennifer waved her hand as though she was pissed, “Whatever.”

“Can I have mine now?” asked Amanda. She had stopped the yoga and was just sitting on the mat doing a fake meditation.

“You will when you have a date in the foreseeable future.”

“I do, on Saturday. With Robert.”

“If it is for the party, wear jeans,” said Victoria.

“Why do I have you as my friends?”

“Stop the whining,” Irene scolded. “I heard about your Jason’s dream, Vic. I just want you to know that I am here for you anytime you need me.”

“Thanks Irene.”

“He is fine, I am sure of it,” Amanda said firmly.

“Are we all done with making Victoria know we have her back?  I mean, she shouldn’t even be told.”

“I know you have my back too Jennifer, you don’t need to disguise it.”

“Whatever makes you sleep at night, love.”

“You missed Professor Thomas’ class earlier today, Vic. He called the attendance and seemed genuinely surprised that you weren’t in class,” said Irene.

Amanda nodded in affirmation, “He said he noticed you yesterday and is quite surprised to learn you flunk classes.”

“Ouch. He is so judgmental,” chuckled Victoria.

Jennifer smiled, “He teaches Social Psychology, what do you expect?”

“That he would understand that environment has an eighty percent influence in our decisions,” said Victoria.

“Your dream had a hundred percent influence on your decision making today, is that part of the environment?” asked Irene.

“I wouldn’t say no.”

“You wouldn’t say yes either.”

“The environment influenced my dreams alright, at a hundred percent level.”

 “The psychologists say out of sight is out of mind.”

“Exactly. I have not had my home out of sights since I left.”

“You are thousands of miles away from there.”

“I see you every day, Irene. That’s enough to put it in my sight and in my mind.”

“Might be true. That’s why we said make friends or at least get a guy that is not family to keep Jason out of your mind.”

“Like Mike,” Amanda piped in.

“Still won’t make me forget Jason.”

“Why?!” Irene said clearly frustrated. “It’s been three years, you shouldn’t be having nightmares or dreams that mess up your whole day anymore.”

“I see Jennifer every day, Irene. I can’t forget Jason when I see Jennifer every day,” Victoria said. The whole room became quiet. Jennifer acted deaf, she continued to pack her books without stopping. A full minute passed, with the others staring at her with pity in their eyes, before she broke down. She fell to the ground and started to sob.

Her friends flocked to her side and tried to comfort her, “Jen, I am sorry. I should have known.”

“You should have known. You are just so emotionless, Irene,” said Amanda.

“Haven’t there been enough fight for one day?” Victoria asked. “God knows I just want to throw both of you in a pit and just visit you at convenient times.”

Jennifer laughed through her sobs, “You meant throw Irene in a pit. Amanda would kill her if they were together in a pit.”

Irene wagged her tongue, “‘Throw Irene in a pit.’ You girls won’t last a day without me.”

Amanda scoffed and stood up from beside Jennifer, “You are just so full of yourself.”

“I am-”

“Please, do not say ‘I am a redhead’” Jennifer laughingly pleaded. She had tears in her eyes but she was smiling. She knew Jason was safe, it was enough to comfort her, it had to be enough.

“I wanted to say I am Irene so I am full of myself.”

“Wonderfully crafted,” piped Amanda from the mat she had gone back to.

“Trust Irene to spin everything into her favor,” said Jennifer.

Irene looked at her dubiously, “I would say you are done crying and all you needed was just a hug.”  

“I would say the same thing,” said Victoria. She had her head in Jennifer’s laps.

“And I would say you are right.”

“I was so worried I called my mum today,” Victoria said after a minute. “I asked her about Jason.”

The other three exchanged glances that Victoria did not see again this time.

“What did she say?” asked Amanda.

“Nothing, she said they haven’t heard anything. We didn’t talk long, she seemed busy. Come to think of it,” she raised herself up and turned to them, “Alvin also sounded busy the other day. What do you think is going on?”

“Pretty sure it was just coincidence,” answered Jennifer.

“I don’t know. I feel like they are keeping things from me,” she paused for a moment. “Or do you think Jason is back?”

Irene scoffed, “If that had happened, you should know you are the first you mom would call and tell.”

“My dad can be funny sometimes. He would tell her not to tell me and if she asks why, he’d say it’s for my own protection.”

Amanda coughed and cleared her throat.

“Oh, that’s right. Did Robert say anything to you?” Victoria asked Amanda.

“About Jason?” Amanda asked and Victoria nodded yes. “No, he didn’t.”

“Are you satisfied that we are not keeping anything from you now?” Irene asked. “Because I am hungry and I want to eat.”

“Finally, somebody said it,” Jennifer and Irene stood up and moved towards the door.

Victoria stood up too, “Hate to spoil the fun.”

“You coming yoga girl?” asked Victoria.

“Gimme a minute.”