I was dying to know what that was about, and how she’d act.
I walked forward, dodged a few rolling bags, and just when I thought I’d avoided an embarrassing scene, Naya put in a star performance. Our eyes met, I smiled at her, and she shrieked as if she’d seen a monster, jumping over the barrier, which I was pretty sure was a crime and which pissed off all of the other passengers, and ran toward me, almost knocking me over as she leaped into my arms. As I made it into the hall, Lana grabbed hold of the two of us.
Naya I understood, but Lana?! We’d never gotten along. So what was going on here? Had I entered a parallel universe when I got out off the plane?
“I can’t believe it,” Naya said, jumping up and down. “Look at you!”
“It’s been an eternity,” Lana added.
“Nice to see you guys, too,” I said, embarrassed because everyone was staring at us.
They both told me I looked amazing—radiantwas the word Naya used—and they wanted to know if I was doing something different with my skin or hair. But there wasn’t much I could say: I’d gotten a tan and I was in better shape, but my ass was still fatter than I’d have liked, my boobs were still too small, I had the same brown eyes and the same brown hair, and I still always had a frown on my face.
“I could say the same about you guys,” I said. And it was true. Naya had cut her blond hair to shoulder length and was wearing a pastel outfit that matched her blue eyes and sharp features. She looked like a little doll. She’d always had style. As for Lana, she’d let her hair grow out and was immaculately made-up, in the same expensive clothes as always. Her smile was more sincere than I was used to, and I had the feeling I had missed everything there, including her.
When I could finally get them off me, I said, “I love reunions as much as the next girl, but how about we catch a cab?”
“No need, Lana drove,” Naya said, grabbing my suitcase and running off. “And wait till you see her car!”
Lana grabbed my arm and told me, “I hope it isn’t weird that I drove here. I was just excited to see you.”
“No worries. I’m glad we’re still friendly.”
She smiled. “Naya’s so excited to have you back… I mean, all of us are. We really felt your absence.”
I didn’t know what to say. As soon as we left the airport, I saw the snow all over the ground. That reminded me of the past Christmas, which I’d spent with my grandmother, Shannon, Owen, and Spencer. I missed them already.
Lana’s car really was luxurious: I felt like a Hollywood star. She didn’t seem to think much of it, though. Naya told me to take the passenger seat,and she kept poking her head between us, begging me to tell her what had been going on. I reminded her that we talked on the phone all the time and that she hadn’t missed out on anything interesting, and Naya blurted out that Lana had asuper-super-hotnew boyfriend.
Lana rolled her eyes, but I could tell she didn’t mind. “He’s not just handsome, he has other qualities, too.”
“Yeah,” Naya responded, “but let’s be honest, his looks are what really count.”
“Well, I’m happy for you,” I assured her. She wanted to know if anything was going on in my love life. I told her with so much work, I hadn’t had time for anything. When the two of them stared at each other and Lana reassured me that they’d find me someone soon, I asked if that should worry me.
“No!” Naya objected. “I’m just saying, you don’t want to waste your youth.”
They caught me up on things around campus, like how Naya’s brother Chris had come out of the closet. He and his parents hadn’t talked for weeks. But then they relented and agreed to meet his boyfriend, and just as they were starting to accept the whole thing, the two guys broke up. Sue was the same, except more stressed out because it was her senior year and she had a capstone project that consumed her every second. Will was enjoying his internship, which he went to after class, and he couldn’t wait to finish school and get an actual job. Naya didn’t say anything about her own schoolwork, but she did go into endless detail about how she’d changed the decorations in her bedroom.
“I baked you some cakes, too! But, uh…”
Lana interrupted her: “You won’t like them unless you enjoy the taste of charcoal.”
“It’s not my fault!” Naya screamed. “That stupid oven won’t obey me!”
I told them I’d cook dinner that night. I’d never had any problems withthe oven. Naya tried to get me not to, saying I was their guest and must be tired from traveling. That reminded me to ask whether the new sofa bed was comfortable, and once again, they exchanged weird glances. Naya told me they hadn’t ordered it yet, and Lana said she’d remind her to tomorrow.
The drive was over in no time. Lana parked on the street, and I looked around nostalgically. The same old shops, the factories in the distance, the broad street, the lights overhead…it wasn’t beautiful, not even with the snow, but I felt at home there, and I had missed it. As soon as I stepped into the lobby, then into the elevator, I was flooded with memories. Lana and Naya were as excited as I was. It was hard to believe I’d been away for so long.
“At last!” Naya exclaimed when we stepped out, removing the keys from her pocket. “I’m so excited for you to move in!”
She opened the door, and as I was taking off my coat and dragging in my suitcase, Naya skipped off into the living room, where I heard Will ask her what had taken so long.
“We brought a little surprise,” she responded, and waved me over. I don’t know what I expected, but it certainly wasn’t the perplexed expressions that greeted me. The living room was the same as always, with its two couches, its two easy chairs, its shelf, its TV and video game consoles, the same old paintings on the wall, and the counter separating it from the little kitchen. Even the scent was the same. All that was missing was Jack. Will and Sue sat there staring at me as if they’d seen a ghost.
“What the…?” Sue asked.
“Surprise!” Naya shouted, with Lana joining in.
