Chapter 299: lunch with the girls

Chapter 299: Chapter 299: lunch with the girls

By the time Vivienne joined the girls for lunch, Claire had already filled Amelia and Eleanor in on what had happened the night before.

Anthony had asked Vivienne to reconsider their engagement.

Vivienne had told him about Christopher.

And after everything they had discussed that morning, she had finally admitted to herself that Christopher was the one she genuinely wanted to pursue.

The conversation had naturally moved on from there.

By the time Vivienne sat down, however, she was already checking her phone.

Nothing.

She checked again.

Still nothing from Christopher.

Claire finally reached across the table and pushed it face-down.

"You’re going to wear out the screen."

Vivienne frowned. "I wasn’t checking."

"You were."

"I was just looking at the time."

Amelia raised an eyebrow. "Three times in the last five minutes?"

Vivienne ignored her.

Lunch had been arranged in one of the quieter dining rooms on campus, sunlight spilling through the tall windows. Amelia was already halfway through her meal, Eleanor was calmly picking at hers, and Claire looked far too amused for Vivienne’s liking.

Vivienne lasted perhaps thirty seconds before turning her phone over again.

Nothing.

Still no message from Christopher.

She had sent him an apology last night.

She had told him she enjoyed dinner.

She had wished him sweet dreams.

And he hadn’t replied.

Maybe he hadn’t seen it.

Maybe—

She stopped herself.

No. She was not going to start doing that again.

She put the phone down.

Amelia watched her.

"You’re waiting for Christopher."

Vivienne sighed. "Yes."

"At least you’re honest."

"I’ve always been honest."

Claire gave her a look.

Vivienne amended, "Mostly."

That earned a laugh from Eleanor.

Then Vivienne’s phone buzzed.

Her heart jumped.

She snatched it up.

Not Christopher.

Damian.

She opened the message.

Won our match. We’re having lunch now. Don’t forget yours.

Despite herself, she smiled.

Damian was annoyingly sweet.

She typed a quick reply.

That’s good. I’m having lunch with the girls now. Eat well.

She put the phone down.

Claire had been watching.

"I thought you decided."

Vivienne looked at her. "I am just being polite."

"Of course."

"I am."

Amelia cut in with an amused snort.

"Well, Vivienne doesn’t have to throw away a perfectly good option just because she likes someone else more."

Claire closed her eyes.

"Here we go."

"What?" Amelia said. "I’m being practical."

"Practical?"

"Yes." Amelia gestured toward Vivienne with her fork. "You like Christopher. Fine. But you don’t know what he’s going to say when you actually tell him you want something more."

Vivienne didn’t answer.

"And Damian?" Amelia continued. "You already know him. You get along. He likes you. You like him. Why throw that away before you even know what happens with Christopher?"

Claire stared at her.

"Because if Christopher says yes, Damian is obviously going to be out."

"Obviously," Amelia agreed. "But has Christopher said yes yet?"

Vivienne sighed.

"No."

"Then what’s the rush?"

There was some truth to that.

Vivienne wasn’t changing her mind about Christopher.

She had wanted him from the beginning.

She had been the one reaching out, finding reasons to see him, texting him, asking him to dinner. She had never pretended otherwise.

But perhaps that was the difference.

She didn’t want to keep simply pursuing him and wondering where it would lead.

She wanted to tell him plainly what she wanted.

She wanted to date him.

Not necessarily become boyfriend and girlfriend tomorrow. They barely knew each other.

But she wanted them to actually date—to know that they were both choosing to explore this, rather than leaving everything undefined.

And if Christopher wanted the same thing, then she would end things with Damian.

At least then they would know where they stood.

Eleanor, who had been quiet throughout the exchange, finally looked at her.

"So what do you actually want, Vivienne?"

Vivienne looked down at her plate.

"At first, I didn’t really know."

Amelia listened quietly now.

"I liked Christopher. I really did. But Damian was already there, and I enjoyed being with him too."

Claire nodded.

"And I didn’t want to give either of them up."

"That sounds more like you," Amelia said.

Vivienne gave her a look.

"What?"

"You’ve never exactly been shy about enjoying your options."

Vivienne sighed.

"Fine."

She looked down at her glass.

"I liked having both."

Claire’s expression softened.

"But Christopher became different."

Vivienne nodded.

"I really like him."

There was no hesitation in her voice.

"I want to date him."

Amelia rested her chin in her hand.

"So you’re planning to make Christopher your boyfriend?"

Vivienne blinked.

"Hopefully."

She thought about it for a moment.

"I mean... yes. I want him to be my boyfriend eventually. But I know he might not just agree to that. We barely know each other."

She smiled faintly.

"So I want to start with dating. Properly. Just... knowing that we’re both doing this because we want to see where it goes."

Claire nodded.

"And if he agrees?"

Vivienne didn’t hesitate.

"Then Damian and I are done."

Amelia’s eyebrows lifted.

"That quickly?"

"If Christopher and I are actually dating? Yes."

There was no confusion about that part.

The uncertainty was only whether Christopher would want the same thing.

Amelia leaned back.

"So until then?"

"I don’t make a decision about Damian yet."

Claire looked at her for a moment, then nodded.

"That’s different."

Vivienne smiled faintly.

It was.

She wasn’t keeping Damian around because she wanted to play both sides forever.

She simply wasn’t going to end something before she knew whether there was actually something waiting for her on the other side.

And until she spoke to Christopher, she wouldn’t know.

--

The conversation gradually drifted to other things, and before long, the girls were laughing over some ridiculous story Amelia was telling about one of the boys from the swimming team.

Vivienne relaxed.

For a little while, at least, there were no boys to figure out.

No Christopher.

No Damian.

No Anthony.

Just lunch with her friends.

It wasn’t until they had finished eating and began gathering their things that Amelia suddenly snapped her fingers.

"Oh, by the way."

Claire looked at her. "What?"

"I got invited to a party tomorrow night."

Vivienne looked up.

"A party?"

"Tomorrow evening," Amelia confirmed. "Apparently it’s another Sportsfest thing. Some of the third-years are hosting it."

"Who invited you?" Claire asked.

Amelia grinned.

"The guy named Willian Dean from last night."

Vivienne raised an eyebrow.

"A new one?"

"Well, what can I say?" Amelia laughed. "I’m pretty popular and am quite the catch too."

Claire shook her head.

Amelia looked far too pleased with herself.

"He’s in third year. And he’s cute."

"You’re already interested?" Eleanor asked.

"I can appreciate the invitation."

Vivienne laughed.

"Of course you can."

Amelia turned to her.

"Anyway, I’m going. Claire?"

"Sure."

They both looked at Eleanor.

"I’m not sure yet," Eleanor said. "I don’t know my fencing schedule. If I win, I might still have a match the day after. If I lose, then I’m free."

Amelia winced.

"That’s a terrible way to plan a party."

"It’s a tournament."

"Still."

Then Amelia looked at Vivienne.

"And you?"

Vivienne slung her bag over her shoulder.

"I don’t know."

"Oh, come on."

"I really don’t."

"You’re coming."

Vivienne laughed.

"Fine. Maybe."

"Good enough."

She glanced at the time.

"We should go."

The girls gathered their things, each heading toward their respective events.

Eleanor had fencing.

Claire and Amelia were going toward the swimming events.

Vivienne had her own equestrian schedule to attend to.

The afternoon had already begun.

–

Tbc