"So how is college?" I asked Monika, taking a sip from my large mug of espresso.
"There's so much work sometimes, but I'm still having a lot of fun," she answered, flicking through her phone to check the messages she missed during the movie.
Although there were many annoying things about this childhood friend of mine, one thing I gave her credit for was that she put her phone away in the cinema.
Yes, my expectation of her was so low that even that very basic courtesy counted as a good thing about her.
"Did you like the movie?" I asked the girl again as she kept her eyes on the phone screen.
"Nah."
At least she was honest. I didn't know why I bothered. We'd just watched a special screening of A Clockwork Orange at an artsy cinema that I frequented. The movie with its penchant for ultraviolence was as far from Monika's taste as it could get, but she did indulge me sometimes.
I guess it's only fair that she does that for me too.
We sat without talking as the rattle and chatter of others in the cafe filled the gap between us.
Work.
She called going to college and studying 'work.' I thought about taking a jab at it but let it pass. It did bother me a bit though that she was taking a little longer than usual to check her phone. It was the first time we'd seen each other in two weeks after all.
Not that I really wanted to talk to her or anything.
"Oh, look, Blaire—"
Finally, Monika lifted her head and looked at me, or rather, she thrust her phone to my face to show me something.
"What is it?"
"Jesse and Jake are dating again."
The girl enthused.
"Again?"
I never cared to count. They got together and broke up and got together again at least three times this year, and made sure everyone knew about it each time too.
"Heh, I knew they were always made for each other."
Monika grinned.
"Last time they broke up you said you knew they'd never work out."
I reminded her.
"Yes, but I still thought they were meant for each other."
"How does that even work?"
"Love works in mysterious ways."
Indeed it does.
Not that I'd know anything about it.
I took another sip of the espresso. It was bitter. Just the way I liked it.
After another two minutes of fiddling with her phone, Monika finally put it away, placed both her palms on the table and asked me:
"So, how is your band doing?"
"We have a gig next Friday."
"Aw, that really sucks!"
"Huh?"
"I can't make it."
"I didn't ask you to come."
"But you wanted me to."
Fuck off.
This time I took my phone out and checked the time—8:40 PM.
"I'm really sorry, Blaire."
"You don't need to be."
I took out a cigarette and tapped the table a few times with its filter, holding it upside down.
Monika kept her eyes fixed on mine, her blue-gray eyes glistening with pity and guilt.
I didn't like that look.
"Oh, fine. So why can't you come?" I asked her.
"Adrian is coming to visit."
I instantly flinched upon hearing the name. Adrian was our mutual friend that I one-sidedly hated.
In secret, of course.
"What for? It's still semester time."
"I don't know… Apparently he's thinking about quitting college."
The idiot graduated high school together with us. He was stupidly good at his studies and managed to get into a prestigious university in a city far away from here, for which I was glad. I thought I'd seen the last of him.
"What's wrong with him?"
"You know, colleges can be very stressful," Monika said, spoken like a wise woman in higher education who hasn't tasted the work life in society yet.
"I wouldn't know. And I don't want to know."
I was one of the few students from my year who didn't go to college after graduating. I simply had no interest in spending any more years studying and I had other dreams in life I wanted to pursue.
I pretended— I mean, I really didn't care earlier—but now that I learned Monika was missing my gig to see Adrian I was mildly bothered.
"So you guys are meeting up on that day?"
"Yeah, I was going to ask you to come as well but, well… you have to perform that night."
I was trying to make it as a musician. Every gig was important. The more gigs we play at more clubs, the better exposure we'll get, which will hopefully help us build some semblance of a fan base.
"Oh, why don't I bring him to your gig? Then we can all meet together."
Monika suggested.
"Hell, no."
I shot it down a bit too quickly.
"Eh? Why not?"
Because I don't want the stupid fuck ruining my big night — I thought.
"You guys probably just want to talk and catch up and stuff. It's fine by me that you don't come. I didn't invite you in the first place anyway."
Monika pouted, tapped her phone screen to check the time, and said:
"I will tell him you said hello."
"I didn't."
"But I will tell him you did."
I said nothing, picked up the bill and walked to the counter to pay, rubbing the cigarette in my hand with my fingertips.
Stupid girl.
You are always like this.