3: 3
3
Just as I'd expected, my moment of hesitation.
Once again, it made me the thorn in everyone's eye.
Myrtle Chavez was the first to lay into me.
"I have to say, Ada, don't push it too far!"
"Out of everyone here, you're the only one who can't get along with the group!"
The looks the others turned on me weren't kind either.
Teresa smiled and said,
"Forget it, forget it. Ada's my best friend. I don't hold it against her."
"That's not okay!" Myrtle seemed set on me now, and she called out, "Teresa, stay out of this. You may not hold it against her, but the rest of us can't just let it slide!"
She pointed at me and raised her voice.
"Ada, get up. Now."
With everyone's blaming eyes on me, I had no choice but to stand.
Myrtle looked thoroughly pleased with herself. "Pick up your glass, fill it with whiskey, down it in one go, and apologize to the class president!"
I waved my hands quickly.
"I can't drink whiskey. I don't know how."
"I don't care whether you can or not!"
Myrtle didn't waste a breath on it. She marched over to the guys' table, grabbed a bottle of whiskey, filled my glass to the brim, and shoved it into my hand.
"Drink!"
The others took up the chant.
"Drink!"
I had no choice but to grit my teeth through it.
The whiskey scorched all the way down my throat.
But I had to get it down.
Only then did the mood ease.
Myrtle still couldn't resist needling me. "I'll let it go this time. Next time you pull this, the penalty's a whole bottle!"
I said nothing and glanced down at my phone.
The waiter brought the bill.
Teresa took one look. Eighty-eight hundred for the two tables.
Her brow creased slightly, and she smiled around at everyone.
"Everybody sit tight a minute. I'm going to go settle up."
"Ada, stop looking at your phone. Come out with me for a second. There's something I want to tell you."
So I followed her out.
Teresa led me to the register.
Before she could open her mouth, I asked,
"Teresa, this isn't going to be the card-limit thing again, is it? You need me to cover it?"
Teresa gave an awkward laugh.
"Of course not."
"I, I just had something urgent come up during the day, and I spent all my cash. Cover it for me first, and I'll pay you back tomorrow for sure."
I let out a long sigh.
"Fine. I'll trust you one more time."
As the party was breaking up, Timothy Gilbert came over to me and asked,
"Ada, what does the class president keep pulling you outside to do every time she settles the bill?"
I looked at Timothy and gave a faint smile.
Timothy frowned.
"Don't tell me she makes you pay every single time?"
I said quietly,
"She said she'd pay me back tomorrow."
Understanding settled over Timothy's face, and he gave me a long look.
"Then make sure you go get your money from her tomorrow."
"Right, you've been drinking. Let me drive you home?"
I thought about it for a moment and didn't refuse.
The next day, I waited until eight in the evening.
Teresa's end stayed just as quiet as always.
Every other time, I'd been too embarrassed to call and press her, but this was already the umpteenth time.
I dialed her number.
"Teresa, how come you still haven't paid me back? Didn't you say you'd have it back to me today?"
Teresa still seemed to be asleep, her voice thick and groggy.
"What's the rush over a little money like that? It's not like I'm not going to pay you back. You're acting like some collections agency. Isn't that a bit much?"
I asked again,
"Then what about my car? Surely you can at least give that back?"
Disgust crept into Teresa's voice.
"Ada, you're being ridiculous now! It's just some crummy car, isn't it? You're acting like I'm never giving it back!"
"The car's downstairs at my place. Come get it yourself. I still need to sleep, so quit bothering me!"
She snapped at me for a while, then hung up.
I stared at my phone, at a total loss.
As if I were some unforgivable criminal.
When I got to the door of Teresa's building and was just about to knock, I saw the car keys tossed carelessly on the ground by her door.
Like a piece of trash somebody had thrown out without a second thought.
