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Vanessa smile widened, the silver crystals at the creases of her eyes glinting under the sun. The clouds had cleared. “I already know about the group,” she explained. “Two former Haverport alumni are in it, friends of mine.”
“Terry and Pheebs?”
Vanessa grinned. “You know them.”
“I, um…” Jay looked at Rory first before responding. “Yeah, we hang out a lot on campus. They’re actually the ones who convinced me to change my major.”
“Did they also convince you to transfer to the University of Tokyo?”
Jay squinted his eyes at her. “Who are you, witch?”
Vanessa threw her head back and laughed. Rory watched as Jay smiled at Vanessa, her heart squeezing in pure delight. Well…this was an interesting development.
“We’ve been dreaming about it for years,” Vanessa explained. “We game together all the time. If you play with them then we’ve probably streamed together before.”
“Oh my god,” Jay said, palming his forehead. “You’re Kitty Cat.”
Vanessa curtseyed. “At your service.”
“They always talk about you, saying you were the reason they wanted to wait one more year before the move.”
Rory couldn’t help it as she butted into their conversation. “I’m guessing this is why you’re moving to Japan?”
“Ye—yeah,” Jay admitted. “To study game design.”
Vanessa started stepping back as she slid her backpack over her shoulder. “I’ll see you Saturday, Rory?”
“Yes, text me your coffee order—Mel and I will grab you whatever you want.”
She beamed. “Sounds good.” Rory caught her friend winking in Jay’s direction. She twirled, her purple skirt flowing behind her as she strutted to her car.
Jay exhaled.
“You’re in trouble.” Rory chuckled.
“Yeah, no kidding,” Jay bemused. “That was—so hot.”
Rory cackled, and Jay shoved her playfully, the two of them falling into one of their usual fake fist fights like it was the most natural thing in the world. At one point, Jay swung his arm around Rory’s neck as part of his attack, giving her a noogie. She poked his side, causing him to squeal as he cowered back.
They were both panting and laughing as they leaned against the counter.
“So that club you joined back in the fall…” Rory began to ask.
“It was the gamers club,” Jay finished. “I met Terry in one of my classes and he invited me.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I was embarrassed? For so long I’d acted like this person I wasn’t because I thought it would make people like me. Soccer, girls, parties. But then I went to college, and I felt—”
“Lost.”
“Yeah, lost,” he explained. “At first I thought I was just homesick, and that maybe having some kind of tether to home would make me feel better.”
Rory held her breath, realizing where this was going.
“But it just made things worse.”
“I’m sorry,” she breathed.
