Not Even Close (A New Generation) by Elizabeth Reyes (books to read in a lifetime txt) 📗

Once off the phone with her sister and all the laundry shewouldn’t be hanging was in the dryer, she tapped her phone screen, and headedback to her dorm room with her basket of clothes. She started hanging the stuffshe never put in the dryer on hangers around her dorm room.

While her parents had insisted on paying for a bigger fancier apartmentthat would’ve been far more expensive than her dorm, Vannah wasn’t having it. Herparents were paying enough for her tuition since she hadn’t qualified for anytuition aide and despite the scholarship she’d earned, it didn’t covereverything. Besides, she’d always known her mom had met her lifelong bestfriend in college when they’d been assigned to the same dorm. Her mother hadagreed this might be a missed opportunity. Worst case scenario if she got stuckwith a roomie who she was just too incompatible with, she could always requesta change. “Give it a chance though, baby,” her mom had encouraged. “It’ll takesome time to get used to living with a total stranger. I almost didn’t last wewere so different, but I’m so glad I did.”

In the end they did spring for the larger dorm, though it wasn’tmuch bigger than a two-bedroom apartment, it was still much bigger than some ofthe ones she’d been privy to when she first took the orientation tour.

So far, it appeared she’d lucked out with her roomie. At firstwhen Vannah had seen the name of her roommate on her paperwork for the dorm, she’dalmost fainted. Xochitl Eztli. What in the world?  Vannah had neverheard of either first or last name and she hadn’t the faintest how to pronounceboth. She had no idea what nationality the roomie she’d be paired up with was, butthe school being in the heart of Los Angeles she’d assumed the likelihood it’dbe someone Hispanic like herself. Though after doing a quick google search shefound out it was an Aztec name which meant she was most likely Hispanic, andhow to pronounce the first name—Soh-chee. She practiced quite a bitbefore that first introduction and held her breath when she responded to Xochitl’sfirst question as she reached out her hand that first day they met at the dorm.“Yes, I’m Vannah. You must be Soh-chee.”

Her timid roommate smiled big nodding as if surprised Vannah hadgotten it right. Later that evening after both pairs of their overbearingparents had finally left their dorm, they’d laughed about their parents beingso similarly over-the-top when it came to them. Like Vannah, Xochitl was the firstof her brood to leave for college and was also far more reserved and timid thanmost other girls on campus seemed to be.

Xochitl’s first impression of Vannah? “I figured you wereHispanic because of your last name but if I’d had to go just based on yourlooks and blonde hair, I would’ve thought you definitely had some güera inyou.”

Vannah had laughed and explained her whole life she and hersister had gotten similar comments. Especially growing up in southernCalifornia and spending so much time on the beach. In the summer theirnaturally light highlights would get so light they often surprised people whodidn’t know any better when they explained they were one-hundred percentMexican American.

She was just explaining to Xochitl how she’d finally mastered thelaundromat app and how cool it was, when her roommate got a text that had hergasping and bringing her hand over her mouth.

“What is it?” Vannah asked alarmed.

Xochitl looked up shaking her head and softening her expression.“Just gossip but it’s juicy. Ms. Thang down at the lab. I told you shewas doing more than just flirting with that guy she’s always flipping her hairfor and batting her lashes at.”

Vannah’s eyes went wide as she rushed over and peered over her friend’sshoulder. Ms. Thang was actually Mrs. Diaz one of theadministrators who ran the study lab on campus. She was married but forever flirtingoutrageously with one of the students in particular. Xochitl was convinced theywere having an affair.

“So, what happened?”

“It’s from Annette,” Xochitl glanced up at Vannah all wide eyedbefore reading the text out loud to Vannah. “Mrs. Diaz’s husband showed up andthey had a near screaming match in the parking lot. It got so bad security wascalled and her husband was asked to leave before they called the cops.”

Vannah’s jaw dropped. “He must be on to her.”

Holding a finger up Xochitl nodded looking even more excited asshe read more. “I got it on video, but my phone keeps saying it’s too big tosend I’m gonna try to send it in parts. It got pretty crazy. I wonder how hefound out.” Tapping away quickly Xochitl text something back then looked up atVannah and shook her head. “I can’t believe she’d be so blatant about it. Imean we’ve all noticed. How did she think it’d not get back to her husband? That’sjust asking for it.”

She explained it’s what she’d responded to Annette. “My mom’s alwayssaid, you’re messing with fire if you decide to sneak around like that,” Vannahsaid in full agreement with Xochitl. “No matter how easygoing a man is you justnever know how he’ll react to something like that. I’ve seen the photo of themon her desk and he looks almost nerdy. Tall, skinny and wears glasses.”

“Those are the worst kind,” Xochitl chuckled. “The ones that lookall innocent.”

They were still in the middle of discussing it when another text withthe first part of the video came through. Vannah quickly huddled around herroomie. It wasn’t a very good quality video. It was dark and taken from a far.You could barely tell it was a man and a woman arguing and despite them beingloud, you couldn’t make out much of what they were saying.

“Did she just call him insane?” Vannah asked.

Xochitl nodded with a scoff. “What else is she gonna do, besidesdeny, deny, deny?”

They watched all three videos that came through and Xochitlsuggested she forward them to Nena for their YouTube channel. “If she labels itwith something juicy enough like, wife caught cheating, you guys mightget a lot of hits.”

Vannah agreed. She’d gone back to talking about the laundromatapp when