“We have to at least let her know how we feel. She deserves that much.”
“She does,” I agreed. “I’ll have to apologize too.”
He laughed. “Yeah, you will.” His face grew long. “We both will.”
The table was quiet for a moment as we both sat there lost in our thoughts. The waiter came by with the check and a couple of boxes, then he returned a bit later with Leandro’s credit card and receipt.
“Should we call?” I asked as we both got up from the table.
Leandro shook his head. “I have a better idea.”
JOURDANNE
I had been at Yale for about a month. Things were going smoothly, and I was finally adjusting to a good schedule and rhythm of how things went. Life was good, but I just couldn’t get my mind off Matt and Leandro. I missed them terribly.
Sitting in class one day I started to daydream about them. It definitely wasn’t the first time I’d done so. I let my eyes wander to the campus yard as I remembered some of our more heated moments. The times in Geneva, the beach vacation, everything was so perfect when I was with them. Of course, I missed the luxury, but more than anything, I missed the guys.
“Miss Applewood?” The professor said my name and pulled me from my daydream.
I shook in my seat, and most of the other students laughed. We were in a lecture hall with stadium-style seating. There were rows and rows of students, but somehow the professor saw me not paying attention.
“Yes?”
She pointed to the board. “Do you have an answer?”
I hated math terribly. I needed some economic courses if I wanted to get my degree in business, so math wasn’t something I could skip. I didn’t dislike numbers, per se, I just wished there weren’t so many calculations.
I tapped my pencil on the small desk before me, and mumbled, “Um,” until the professor rolled her eyes.
“Paying attention is the only way to learn, Miss Applewood,” she scolded.
I nodded, then she turned to another student and asked them to answer. I didn’t dare look away now, but I still had Matt and Leandro on my mind. How could I not? Our relationship was something truly unique, and it was one that most people would frown upon, but I had to admit that I loved them both. And thankfully, I hadn’t had to choose one over the other. We were together for the better part of the summer as a threesome, and everything was perfect. Who cared what other people thought if the ones involved were happy?
The economics class wasn’t one I shared with Leah or Marina. They were off doing other things that morning, but they said they’d meet up with me a little closer to lunch. I was already getting hungry, but it was only ten, and I had another thirty minutes of class. I sat there tapping my pencil as I watched the professor pace back and forth during her lecture. She scribbled bunches of things on the board, and I jotted down some notes to remember. Just before ten-thirty, I got a text. My phone vibrated gently in my pocket, and as the professor swung around to ask her next question, I was very happy she didn’t call on me or see that I was about to pull my phone up under the desk.
Hey, Jourdanne.
It was Matt! As much as I was upset about how we ended things, it was great to be able to speak with him again.
Hey? I wasn’t sure what else to say just yet. Should I be cold like he had been? Or inviting? Because that was what I really wanted, to invite them both right back into my life.
At the same time his reply came through, so did a text from Leah.
Hers read: We’re outside waiting for you. Marina’s starving.
I sent back a smiley face to Leah, then read Matt’s text.
Look out the window.
I fought every urge to turn quick and look, fearing the professor would scold me again. Instead, I lowered my phone back into the book bag pocket, then casually looked toward the window. To my surprise, Matt and Leandro were standing out by a tree waving to me.
I felt a rush of excitement ripple through me. I wanted to bolt right then and there, but the class had five more minutes. I could wait. Besides, the professor had me in her sights again. So, I sat still until she dismissed us, then I gathered my things as quickly as I could and darted for the door. I was a little worried she’d grab me on my way out, but she was occupied by another student.
I rushed outside and down the sidewalk, and just before I could reach Matt and Leandro, Leah stepped in my way.
“Hey, where are you off to in such a hurry?” she laughed. Marina was at her side, pushing up her glasses.