This is the sixth part in a series, so if you have not already done so, you might want to read Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, and Part V before continuing.
It was a few days later when I saw Owen at the campus gym. He was wearing earbuds and going hard on one of the treadmills. Rather than try to interrupt him, I decided to use one of the treadmills next to him until he finished. I was debating whether to act surprised to recognize him or let him know I knew he was there when he suddenly turned off his machine and took out his earbuds.
“Hey,” he said. “Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to ignore you when you showed up. I just needed to get that out.”
I had thought he was just running hard to burn calories. I hadn’t realized he was upset. “Is something wrong?”
“Bianca and I got into this huge fight.”
“Really? What about? I mean, if you want to talk about it. Obviously you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
“No, it’s OK. It was kind of about you actually.”
“Did I do something wrong?”
“No, of course not. On the contrary, I think you helped me see Bianca for who she really is.”
I tried to inhale deeply without letting him see me do so. I had to tread very, very carefully here if I was going to play this right. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause problems between you two.”
“You didn’t. I guess the problems were always there. Can you believe she said I was fake?”
“What? You’re the most honest person I know.”
“I know! That’s what everyone says. I’m starting to think she might be the one who’s two faced.”
“Wait. Did she actually call you two faced?”
He nodded, his eyes wide as he looked at me in that way that said, I know! Can you believe it?
“I’m really sorry she said that. But I guess it’s better to know now than later, right?”
“I guess.”
“Well, I’m always here if you want to talk about it.”
“Thanks. I think I just need some time to process. But we should definitely go for coffee sometime, or catch a movie or something.”
I tried to suppress the glow of victory from showing through as I smiled at him and said, “Definitely. I’d like that.”
To be continued…