Once a Loser Always a Loser

The rest of the week continued with Veronica determined to stick with her plan. One way or another she would overcome what was beginning to feel like an obsession. As soon as she got a chance to, she'd talk to Nellie about this. Nellie was always so wonderful about helping her to see things in a clearer light.

Deciding that her time after work and before she went to the gym would be her time now, she scheduled something for that timeslot every day that week. Tuesday, she went for sushi with her coworker Sylvia, who had raved more than once about the new place that had recently opened up. So Veronica hit her up, and Sylvia agreed to go with her after work. That evening, she managed to cut the goodnight kiss down to half the time they'd spent on it the night before, but it was still just as sizzling.

Wednesday and Thursday, she spent with Derek, but she hadn't planned it that way. Wednesday she agreed to meet him for pizza after work. It was going fine until he asked about the hickey she'd completely forgotten about. Only he didn't refer to it as a hickey; he asked if it was a love bite. Mortified, she'd denied it, though she was certain he didn't buy it. The only explanation she'd offered was, "I don't know what it is, maybe from my seatbelt rubbing against my neck."

Even after she'd changed the subject, she noticed his eyes travel to the very spot several times. One of the times she'd caught him, their eyes met, and even though she'd been in the middle of telling him about not having talked to Nellie in a couple of days, he asked, "So how are things with you and Noah?"

She'd been so stumped she went silent. Her and Noah? His wording alone was a giveaway—he knew. It was just like him to figure something like that out with the smallest of clues.

Feeling a bit defensive, she said things were fine, changed the subject, and said she had to get going.

Then Thursday, she wasn't able to get a hold of Nellie again and had no other prospects in mind. But knowing she didn't want to spend two days in a row with Derek, especially now that she suspected he knew more than he should, she told him she was going to be busy with her camera at the park.

Derek knew exactly what park she loved going to for her photographs. They'd spent many good times there long ago. He showed up with burritos for two and a couple of sodas. They sat at a picnic table, eating and chatting until she noticed he became distracted by a group of teens over at next table behind her.

"Damn troublemakers. I know they're up to no good."

Veronica turned, attempting to be discreet. She didn't even recognize him at first, and it wasn't until their eyes locked, that she realized Hector was among the troublemakers. She smiled at him, even though she felt the air sucked out of her. The corners of his lips lifted slightly, but she saw the way he eyed Derek curiously.

Realizing their school dean was sitting just a table over must've deterred them from hanging out much longer, and they slowly started walking away and out of the park.

"Something wrong?"

Veronica knew her face was probably white. She'd felt the blood drain the moment she saw Hector. It made no sense for her to feel like she'd been doing something behind Noah's back all week. But in a way, she knew she had.

Not once had she mentioned anything to him about the new "her time," not even when she'd gone for sushi with Sylvia. She didn't want it to elicit any questions about what else she'd done and with whom, because even though she told herself she had every right to do whatever and hangout with whomever she wanted to, she didn't want him to know about Derek.

It was just one of those subjects she knew would be incredibly uncomfortable, especially now that their goodnight kisses had begun to feel so much more intimate. She didn't plan on keeping it from him forever, but she figured it would somehow get worked into the conversation eventually. She'd also used his fight as an excuse. It might throw his concentration or something. He had mentioned earlier in the week that Abel and Gio both thought he needed to stay completely focused and not get distracted with anything else that week. She knew this would be a definite distraction. Though initially, her plan hadn't been to hang out with Derek three days out of the week!

"No, nothing's wrong," she said, taking another bite of her burrito.

Derek gave her that famous I-know-when-you're-lying-so-why-do-you-even-bother stare of his. Being a dean, interrogation and knowing exactly when something was amiss in someone's story were his things. He picked up on the smallest telltale signs. She hated that. Not that lying to him had ever been common practice, but even small white lies, like telling him she hadn't bought his birthday gift yet, he could see right through.

"Some of those kids are aspiring boxers too. Noah know them by chance?"

His perceptiveness could get annoying, like now for instance. She knew what he was getting at. "Actually one of them was."

Derek smiled. "I thought that might be the case. So what spooked you?"

"Nothing."

He was right. Why did she even try? Then it hit her. Because it was none of his business—that's why. She sat up a little straighter.

"Roni?"

"What?" Her snippy tone came across loud and clear.

"Is there something going on with you and Noah?"

"No!"

She was too damn quick to answer. He had her, and he knew it, but she'd be damned if she'd admit anything to him.

"Good, because like I said before, he's trouble. If he's still hanging with the likes of those punks, then I'd say he hasn't changed at all: once a loser, always a loser."

That did it. "Can you please stop saying that about him? Not only is he my roommate but he's my good friend now, and I happen to know for a fact that he's not a loser. And like I said before, he's a great guy." She wrapped up what was left of her burrito and put it in the bag Derek had brought it in. "Thanks for the food," she said as she stood. "I gotta go."

Derek stood immediately. "I apologize. You're right. You probably know him better than I do now. It's just that, if you knew what I know about Noah, it might change your mind about him."

Veronica rolled her eyes as she flung the camera strap over her shoulder and gathered her purse and jacket from the bench.

"He got a girl pregnant then dropped out of school and disappeared on her."

Veronica froze for a second before bringing her eyes up to stare at Derek.

"I take it he's never mentioned this to you."

Veronica shook her head, slowly trying to make sense of it. Why would Noah, who knew firsthand what it was like to be parentless, turn his back on his own child? It made no sense. "Did she have it?"

"I don't know. I wasn't directly involved, but it was called to my attention when the girl's mother came in, requesting information on Noah's whereabouts. She was told she'd need a court order for the school to provide her with the information, and she never came back. Soon after that, the girl transferred out, and Noah never came back either."

Veronica searched Derek's face for any signs that he was lying, but there was nothing more than concern, and she'd never known him to be a liar.

"The point is, Roni, you seem so convinced that he's a great guy, but I know better. I'm not trying to put your friends down, okay? I'm just trying to give you a little insight about who you've opened up your home to and asking you to please be careful." He gestured out into the direction where Hector and his friends had headed. "Those guys are nothing but trouble. I deal with their shit almost daily. And you know what they say: 'Birds of a feather . . .'"

She must've looked as stunned as she felt because he asked her if she was okay. She assured him she was, thanked him for the information, and again told him she had to leave.

Noah was one of the most loyal, responsible persons she knew. It was one of the things she loved most about him. The disappointment was so overwhelming she had to fight back the tears.