Danny looks around, holding his hands up. The light gleams on his scalp where he’s balding, and his forehead, chin and upper lip appear a bit greasy.
“Rach, please don’t get angry and cause a scene,” he implores nervously. “There’s no reason to go there.”
I shoot daggers at him.
“Yes, because that would be a travesty. Crazy old Rachel causing a scene because the man I’ve been in a committed relationship with for three years is leaving me for someone else!” I try not to raise my voice, but the volume is going up on its own nonetheless.
Danny looks around again, ducking his head.
“For Pete’s sake, Rachel. Can you please keep your voice down? Don’t embarrass me, okay?” He cringes and surveys the restaurant again while cowering behind a well-placed plant. But I don’t care. I sit up straight and stare at him, angry and hurt.
“Who is it?” I demand. “At least tell me which one of our friends you’re screwing behind my back. I can’t believe it,” I spit. “What a bitch.”
Danny shakes his head furiously.
“It’s not like that. You don’t know her, and she’s not a bitch. Lily’s someone I met at work. She’s not one of our friends.”
I roll my eyes.
“And I guess you’re both into computers right? She fixes networks too?”
Danny bites his lip.
“Well, not exactly. She’s a freshman living in the dorms. I went over to help her set up her computer and we got to talking. One thing led to another, and now we want to date exclusively,” he says simply.
I stare at him.
“You must be fucking kidding me.”
Danny shakes his head.
“No, I’m not. Lily’s so sweet, and innocent, and gorgeous too.”
I cut him off.
“You picked up a freshman while you were fixing her computer? Really? Aren’t there work-related rules against that?”
Danny looks hurt now.
“It wasn’t like that, okay? I’m not some older skeeze who hits on undergrads.”
But I cut him off again.
“Are you fucking kidding me? You’re leaving me for an undergrad girl? Of course you’re that dirty old skeeze! You’re thirty years old, and she’s what? Seventeen?”
“Eighteen,” Danny says primly. “So she’s legal.”
I stare at him.
“Well, at least you have the good sense to look embarrassed after saying that to my face.”
He looks frustrated.
“I’m just saying, Rach, that things are different with Lily. She’s got such an amazing perspective on life, and her outlook is really innocent and refreshing.” He scrubs a hand down his face and has the nerve to look irritated.
I stare at him again.
“Wow. Eighteen. Of course her perspective isn’t like yours, you dumbass! She’s a child, Danny. She has no life experience.”
But Danny is stubborn.
“Lily is not a child. She’s a very well-rounded young woman with a great head on her shoulders. In fact, she’s an influencer, and she’s already created a brand, so I’m very proud of her. You know, labels pay her to wear their clothes and she makes real money doing it, even though she’s a student! It’s impressive,” he says, going dreamy for a moment. “And she looks insanely sexy in those outfits too.”
I stare at him. This is a nightmare come true because my boyfriend is actually leaving me for some pretty young thing who lives her life on Instagram. It’s like Friday the 13th come to life, and I tell him so.
“None of that is real, Danny. The internet is fake, and girls use filters all the time to create an image. That’s all it is: an illusion. Plus, once Lily’s grows up, she’s going to be a completely different person.”
But Danny merely shrugs.
“Maybe. Maybe not. All I know is that she’s pretty, sexy, young, and makes good money. I’m sold,” he finishes simply.
I stare at him again, still unable to compute.
“You’re serious. You’re absolutely serious about this. You don’t want to be with me. You want to end a three-year relationship with an adult woman, and instead date an eighteen-year-old undergrad who calls herself a “model” on Instagram.” I stare at him in disbelief, but he merely shrugs.
“Yes, Rachel. You’re making it sound like it’s disgusting and gross, but it’s not. Lily’s the real thing, and I’m in love with her.” I’m surprised at how casually he’s throwing the L-word around, but then, he turns to look at me, his blue gaze nonchalant. “And I like the fact that Lily’s young. I mean, you’re what? Twenty-nine? Thirty? Seriously, you need to think about settling down stat because you’re getting up there. Women have younger sell-by dates than men, you know.”
My eyes feel like they’re going to pop from their sockets as I stare at him with my mouth wide open.
“Until about five minutes ago, I was thinking about settling down with you,” I manage to get out in a garbled voice.
Danny just shrugs.
“Sorry, no dice.” But then he looks out the window and his expression brightens. The boy does a little half-wave, and I turn to see who he’s saying hi to. Immediately, my heart drops. There’s a young girl standing outside, smiling at Danny. She’s thin, blonde, and incredibly alluring with a dress that barely covers her lithe body. By contrast, I’m about forty pounds heavier, and as lumpy as a toad.