What was that? What was going on with Dee? It was the first time Vy had these questions. He looked at her. At her face. At her curly hair flowing as if she was running. At her hand, holding his. At her feet, little when compared to his, but keeping up with him comfortably. And he smiled.
As they walked out the east gate, Dee felt she might really be hungry after all. She wasn't thinking. Her feet, having gained freedom, took her to the pizza parlour on the east of the university. The computers department was in the south of the university, and so, the pizza parlour wasn't very popular with the department. Plus, the name was just too tacky. The Pizza Parlour. There seemed to be a joke hidden somewhere in there, but the students of the department just couldn't find it.
It was early in the evening. The parlour was rather empty. Dee and Vy had the pick of tables. They picked the one tucked away in the corner. Poured over the menu for a little over ten minutes, deciding on the toppings and the crust. Having given the order, the two sat looking at each other. And Vy finally voiced the doubts.
"It's fine that you didn't see," she answered.
And said no more. While they waited, she laid her head on the clean enough table, with her arm as a pillow, and her eyes looking out the clear glass wall. The busy street was calming. The silence was the perfect canvas upon which to write her own doubts and seek answers. What was wrong with her? Why was she so troubled? Why was she feeling so heavy?
Vy put his hands on the table, and his chin on the clasped hands. He was looking at her. There were clues to be found in her silence, in her eyes turned away, and in the recent memories. He thought back to the start of the series of events. Dee suddenly grabbed him and spoke of being hungry. She held his hand, and dragged him out. They came straight over. And ordered pizza. She really was hungry. But that wasn't exactly it. He looked into his memories again, looking past the two of them. Dee suddenly grabbed him, and spoke of being hungry. Li passed by, walked out. Dee held his hand, and dragged him out. They passed by Li in the hallway. They came straight over. And ordered pizza. Dee really was hungry. And that was it.
"Li was coming over," he muttered to himself, but just loud enough for his voice to make it into her ears.
She turned toward him. Waited for him to continue. Waited for him to break out of his head.
"She was coming to talk to me?" He asked her.
She nodded.
"You saw?" He continued. "That was why."
"Yeah," she said. "Turns out the story is truly inevitable after all. She was coming to talk to you. Maybe ask you out to the pool bar. Have the big talk. Going by what I've seen, today would only strengthen her resolve. Want to bet about when she'll ask you out?"
He couldn't answer. If it really was inevitable, what was he to do? He didn't have long to think over it, because she had a question too.
"I keep wondering. What am I doing in this story of yours and Li's?"
They fell silent, in contemplation. When the pizza was served, it was welcomed hungrily.
Back in the university, Li didn't return to class. Long after Dee and Vy left, Li followed them to the end of the hallway, to the stairs, but didn't descend. She stood staring. Until Moni reached her side, and took her hand.
"What's going on with you?" Moni asked softly.
"I don't know," Li answered. "I said no, didn't I? I wanted him to stay away. I didn't want him speaking to me. I didn't want him. But why do I feel like this? Why do I feel so cramped in here, looking at him and Dee?"
Li was grabbing her chest. Her face showed the pain buried in her eyes.
"You know, any other time, this would be really funny," Moni replied, smiling herself despite the absence of a response from Li. "Yeah. You did say no. But that doesn't mean you can't change your answer. Even if you did, what's stopping you? Dee? Just because everyone's saying they're together, doesn't make it true. They don't know what you do. He asked you out. So, he has feelings for you. Why don't you just talk to him? Fine. Might be difficult here. Among so many people. Ask to meet him outside. The pool bar. In the afternoon. While classes are on. There'll be no one. Just the two of you. Talk. Realise your feelings. Express them. And get together, or whatever. I can already see him leaping with joy."
Li felt calmed by the idea. Yeah, that did sound good. She should just talk with him. It wasn't like they were strangers. She knew him better than probably anyone else. Certainly more than Dee.
"I don't know," Li said slowly. "I can feel her looking at me, like all the time. Dee. Whenever I look their way, whenever I look at him, I see her looking back at me. Even just now, I was going over to talk to him. And she spoke first. Could it be more than just idle talk? Could they really be together?"
"If they are, what does that say about him? You said no. And in a day, he's with Dee."
Li heard what Moni was saying, but couldn't find it in her to believe the words. Vy hadn't called or messaged after that night. All of the holidays. On the first day back, he didn't come over. It was she who went to him. He was sitting with Dee. Comfortably. Happily. That was right. He was with Dee from before they walked into the class. They were always together. Could something have happened in the holidays?
The more she thought, the more questions she had. And she wound up back at the same suggestion. She should just talk to him. She clenched her mental muscles, and strengthened her resolve. Tomorrow, she would do just that. And she wouldn't allow Dee to get in the way.
Stomachs filled with yummy pizza, Dee and Vy were walking home. They had to pass by the south gate. When they were, Annie was walking out. She saw them, and rushed over. It was as if she could smell the pizza in their stomachs.
"You two," Annie said accusingly. "You went out for pizza, without me. You're mean. You're terrible. Just because you're together now, you can't forget me. How can you have pizza without me?"
Annie wouldn't stop ranting any time soon. Among the three, it was she who loved pizza most. Dee and Vy knew that. And so, they felt guilty. Even more so since Dee couldn't tell the truth. In the end, Annie fell silent only when Dee promised to treat her to pizza tomorrow.
"As punishment, it's going to be just you and me," Annie said, splitting Dee and Vy apart. "Dee and me, tomorrow. Vy and me, the day after. Yeah. That's perfect."
The three were laughing. Annie with the joy of pizza. Dee and Vy at Annie's joy.
"Dee, you come in yellow tomorrow," Annie added. "We'll have pizza in yellow. Vy, you come in blue the day after. We'll have pizza in blue."
It made no sense. But no one raised any questions. Annie was making the decisions. Everyone was merely going along.