“I wish I could be there with you.”
He laughed and softly kissed her. “I would love that, but I think you’d be bored. It’s, like, eight-to-ten-hour days. The studio is putting me up in a swank hotel, but I have a feeling that I’m going to be so exhausted that I’ll just crash every night.”
“No, you won’t. You’re a night owl.”
“True. Then, I just won’t be productive in the mornings.”
Trihn wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him. “You’re going to be great.”
“I’ll be back before you even know I’m gone.”
“Doubtful.”
“Well, at least you have your model call this week to keep you busy. The fashion show is only a month away. It’ll probably be good to have the extra time to work on your designs.”
“I know you’re trying to be helpful,” she said with a smile, “but nothing is as good as having you here.”
He squeezed her tight and picked her up off the ground, bringing his mouth to her lips. “Man, I’m going to miss you.”
“You should go before I decide not to let you leave at all.”
He planted another kiss on her lips. They lingered there like that for a minute. It was a moment mingled with sadness and happiness. They were both excited for Damon’s future and sad that it was going to take them apart.
Then, he quickly released her and got into his car. She had wanted to go with him to the airport, but he didn’t want her to miss any school and thought that might make it even harder to say good-bye. They had basically been inseparable, and it was going to be hard enough with him going away for those few days.
Trihn sighed and got into her own car. She headed back to her apartment and entered into silence. She hadn’t spent a night here in over a week. She felt bad that she hadn’t seen her friends as much, but she knew they understood and were happy that she’d found a stable relationship.
Trihn slammed the door shut behind her and trudged to her room where she changed for class. As she was walking out of her room, Stacia entered the apartment.
“Hey, stranger!” Stacia said cheerfully.
“Hey yourself. Where have you been all night?”
“As if you’ve been here.”
“Nah, I was with Damon. He left for LA today.”
“That’s so awesome!” Stacia skipped over to where Trihn was and took a seat on the couch. “I can’t believe everything that’s happening for him.”
“Me either. It’s pretty unreal.”
“Definitely. I mean, who knew that going to that concert with Bri would change your life?”
“Change Damon’s life.”
“Well,” Stacia said thoughtfully, “yours, too. Now, he’s going to be gone a lot. And if all goes well—and it’s Chloe Avana, so duh—he’ll be recording albums, going out on tour, and doing promotions all year round!”
Trihn frowned. “Yeah.”
She swallowed hard and tried to remind herself of all the things that Damon had said to her. They would be okay. They could make it.
“That’ll be amazing for him. At least I’ll be around the apartment more,” she said.
“No one blamed you for being gone. Anyway, the apartment has pretty much been empty. Bri has been at Eric’s, and I’ve been with Marshall.” Stacia giggled at the end of her statement.
“So, does that mean that you and Marshall are together now?” Trihn asked. She knew it was always a tough call with Stacia. Her relationship status usually changed from one day to the next.
Stacia shrugged. “I’ll get him there. Right now, he’s in it for the sex.”
“And you?”
“I’m in it for the money.” Stacia winked.
“No, you’re not!” Trihn said, laughing at her friend. She had finally gotten Bryna to see the insanity behind her gold-digging ways. She was bound and determined to get Stacia to see it, too.
“Well, he doesn’t have any money yet, but when he gets drafted next year, he will. And then I’ll join the NFL quarterbacks’ wives club!”
“Is that a real thing?”
“Duh!” Stacia flipped her short blonde hair and relaxed backward on the couch.
“Such high goals you’ve set for yourself.”
“I would take that as a compliment, but I know you’re being sarcastic,” Stacia said. “You’re dating a soon-to-be mega-successful music star. It’s really not any different than a star quarterback.”
Trihn sputtered in disbelief. “Damon was a nobody when we met and started dating!”
“And so is Marshall.”
“A college quarterback at a major university is hardly a nobody.”
“Details, Trihn!”
“Okay,” she said, holding up her hands.
She couldn’t argue Stacia’s logic with her. Stacia had no intention of listening to a word Trihn said.
But Trihn did know one line of conversation that would get Stacia to break out of this bubbly character. “Have you heard from Pace?”
Stacia stiffly sat up and seemed to retreat in on herself. “He’s been around,” she said softly.
“Around like, you’ve been sleeping together? Or around like, he wants to get back together?”