CHAPTER 5

My family was celebrating, overjoyed. The living room was scattered with drinks and food. My two brothers were in the corner dancing to some new pop music I had no idea of. The DJ was doing an excellent job. They had every right. I just got sworn as a medical doctor. I should be dancing too.

But I was in a room. I was turning the pages of the letters I wrote after my final exams. They were rich with fun, shock, and surprises. I had to write. I felt someone — I mean you — needed to see med school through a different lens. It was fun and chaotic.

Seven years of up and down. Highs and lows. Assignments and practical. Tests and exams. It was all over. I was finally a doctor. But where did I go from here? I had the best of lives within the four walls of this uni. I rediscovered myself, or maybe reinvented myself, right from orientation day.

My sister came into the room with wine glasses.

"You face looks flat. Aren't you happy?"

"I'm happy, Mira. Just glad it's over."

"What's over?" she asked, looking at what I was reading.

I smiled and looked into her eyes. She had real joy. We burst out laughing together. I was happy too. She didn't care. She wanted to enjoy the moment. But I was enjoying the memories. She left the room and I was alone again. With party noise in the background, I continued with the letters.

Amaye was at the door with a wine bottle.

"Come in," I whispered. Why did I whisper? I had no idea. I took the wine bottle and placed it on the table. She should have brought textbooks, not wine.

"That's my housewarming gift," she said, gesturing to the wine. "Your place is nice."

"Thanks so much," I replied. "I'm still decorating." I went inside to change out of my bathroom robe. I put on something simple — bum shorts and a round neck. Then I sat down in the chair across from her.

"About last night…" she started.

My heart sank. I wasn't supposed to listen. I was supposed to be on FaceTime with Donald, or probably studying. I should gather myself. I listened anyway.

"I didn't mean to…" She paused, looked at me as if expecting me to finish the sentence. I hesitated.

"…It happened so fast," she concluded.

Silence.

"Yeah, it happened so fast. It was all…" I paused too.

Thoughts of how Aydon met this goddess came playing through my head. He told me on the ride to the condo last night. The one that had me shocked. He said he had been bored and wanted to go for a drive. He decided to Uber, and he picked Amaye up in his car. He was smiling when he told me she had been coming from a lesbian party.

Yeah, that was the reason he wasn't surprised. That was the reason he watched with lust. Probably I wasn't the first girl Amaye had fooled with. I should be careful around Cade? No. I should be careful around you also. The whole bunch of you.

"Was that your first time?" she asked confidently. Her voice was firm this time.

"With a girl, yes," I responded, sheepish.

I liked it. I shouldn't. I shouldn't like the feel of her breasts in my palm. I shouldn't like the rush I felt when her fingers pierced my pussy. I was deep in thought again. Moments from last night flashed through.

Another knock.

Are you playing games? Who else this time? Cade? Aydon? Is it an orgy? It can't be. At least not this time. Maybe later. You'll find out.

I got up. Amaye looked relaxed. She just sat there.

I opened the door slowly, not knowing exactly what I was going to see.

"Hey…" Kith said, smiling.

Well, yeah. I had a new friend already. A breath of fresh air from the group. Maybe.

I responded casually. She was one of the few who knew my place. I'd described it while we walked earlier, but I didn't expect her to find it, nor visit that evening.

Kith stepped past me into the living room, then froze when she saw Amaye on the couch.

"Oh my god," Kith said. "You're the girl from the group."

Amaye smiled. "I'm Amaye. Nice to meet you."

"I've heard so much about you guys," Kith said, still standing. "The condo. The cars. Is it true Cade owns the whole building?"

"Something like that," Amaye said.

"And you're dating Aydon, right?" Kith's voice went higher. "I saw him at orientation. He's so… yeah."

Amaye laughed softly. "Yeah. He's something."

Kith finally sat down across from Amaye. I was still standing by the door, trying to process. I thought Kith was going to be my break from the group, and now she was all over Amaye. I didn't like any of it. On second thought, I wondered if the girl group was forming right there and then. Maybe. But I was entangled with one already. I needed to break the flow.

"Erhh… what group are you in for the assignment?" I asked no one in particular. Both of them went silent. "Aydon and I are in the same group," I added as I sat down in an armchair across from them.

We had to talk about studying. We came to study. And study we must. Let's talk about the assignment. I had to change the atmosphere. Kith didn't seem pleased with the change. I didn't care. I would have loved her to be a separate friend. But now a trio was forming.

"Yeah, he told me," Amaye said, smiling. "I haven't met my group members yet."

"I'm in the same group as Aydon," Kith said, leaning forward. Just excited to be part of it.

"So what's the assignment topic?" I asked.

"Histology slides," Kith said. "We have to identify stratified squamous versus simple columnar."

"That's easy," Amaye said. "The nuclei give it away."

"Easy for you," Kith laughed. "I keep mixing up the epithelial layers."

I nodded. "Same. The basement membrane always trips me up."

Amaye leaned back. "Just remember — if it's flat and layered, it's stratified. If it's tall and single file, it's columnar."

I thought about that. Flat and layered. Tall and single file. Probably the professor had mentioned it, but my mind was somewhere else. Amaye might be smart, too. Gosh. Seems she had it all. Brains, beauty, body, boyfriend. She really was a goddess.

"Are you done with the reading?" Kith asked me.

"Not even close."

"Me neither."

Amaye shrugged. "It's just the first week. You'll catch up."

Easy for her to say. She probably had it all figured out.

The conversation went on and on about the medical school odyssey. I was happy it did. I was lost in it. Three girls just discussing academics, studying, and assignments. No drama. Girl trio.

Amaye got a call from someone. Probably Aydon, but she didn't say. She said she had to go. Kith walked out with her, smiling. I wasn't particularly happy about them bonding. Was I jealous? Would she make out with Kith too? OMG. I didn't react. I closed the door after they left and sank into the couch.

I picked up my phone. Yeah, Donald. We had a scheduled FaceTime, and I'd fallen short again. A text from Cade too. I won't say what he wanted, but I replied. I stared at his name on the screen. Cade. The necklace. The night. I didn't want to think about any of it.

You can keep it, Cade.

Sent. Clear and cold. I had been avoiding the thought of that night. It was a great night, soured by the Amaye episode. I should have left my phone in the theater. I shouldn't have stepped out. Then I'd probably still be at the condo now. In his bed maybe.

Now it was time for Donald. I had to move on. I had to focus. Study, Donald, Kith. Yeah, in that order. Kith? Hmm, yeah. She seemed good and friendly, but she was head over heels for the group. I was still okay with that, as long as it didn't get entangled again. I was wrong. Not totally wrong, though.

I FaceTimed Donald. One ring. Two rings.

He finally picked up. Or she picked up.

"Hello."

The thickest British accent I'd ever heard.

And it came from a beautiful blonde, picking up my FaceTime with my boyfriend. Or ex.