WOULD YOU RESCUE ME?

40.The Weight of Introductions

The crisp winter air bit at Vanessa's cheeks as she stepped out of the med building, her bag slung haphazardly over one shoulder. The last class before Christmas break had finally ended, but instead of the usual relief that came with the end of term, Vanessa felt a tight knot of nerves twisting in her stomach. Her parents were on a flight to Dublin at this very moment, and she still hadn't told them about Astra—or, for that matter, anything about her life beyond university.

She pulled out her phone, her fingers hesitating over the screen before pressing Astra's contact. Vanessa needed to talk to her, to figure out how to handle this, or at least hear her reassuring voice before heading to the airport. As the phone started ringing, Vanessa lifted her gaze, and there she was.

Astra stood just outside the med building, her golden hair catching the pale winter sunlight. She had one hand in the pocket of her coat and a small, warm smile playing on her lips. Vanessa blinked, momentarily stunned, her heart skipping a beat. "Astra?" she said aloud, her voice carrying more surprise than she intended.

Before she could move, Maya, Cassy, and Amy ran past her, squealing in delight as they reached Astra. "Astra!" Maya called, throwing her arms around her in a tight hug. Cassy and Amy quickly followed, their chatter blending into a chorus of excited greetings.

Vanessa's surprise deepened. Astra had always gotten along with her friends, but she hadn't expected her to be here, outside her building, on the last day of term. Vanessa approached the group more slowly, her lips curving into a small smile despite herself. She finally reached Astra, slipping her hand into hers and leaning up to press a brief kiss to her lips, ignoring the knowing smiles her friends exchanged behind them.

"What are you doing here?" Vanessa asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and warmth.

Astra's green eyes sparkled as she glanced down at her. "My last class of the day got canceled," she explained, "and since tomorrow's Christmas Eve, I thought I'd invite you to come celebrate with my family. You haven't mentioned any plans, and I figured you'd be staying here for the holidays." Her voice was light, but her expression was filled with quiet concern.

Vanessa's smile faltered, her expression shifting into something more hesitant. Astra immediately caught the change, her brows furrowing slightly as she studied Vanessa's face. "What is it?" she asked gently. "What's wrong?"

Vanessa glanced over her shoulder at her friends, who were still chatting amongst themselves, before turning back to Astra. "Come with me," she murmured, pulling her away from the group. She offered a quick wave and a hasty "See you later!" to her friends before leading Astra to a quieter part of campus, her grip on Astra's hand firm but slightly tense.

Once they were far enough away, Vanessa slowed her pace and turned to face Astra, her honey-brown eyes filled with a mix of anxiety and guilt. She took a deep breath, her words coming out in a rush. "My parents are flying in right now. I'm supposed to pick them up at the airport in a couple of hours."

Astra tilted her head, her confusion clear. "Okay... That's great, right? I mean, you'll get to spend Christmas with them."

Vanessa winced slightly, rubbing the back of her neck. "It's not that simple," she admitted. "They don't know about us."

Astra's expression softened with understanding, but there was a flicker of hurt in her eyes. "Vanessa..." she started, her voice quiet.

Vanessa reached out, taking Astra's hands in hers. "It's not because I'm ashamed of us," she said quickly, her voice laced with urgency. "It's just... they don't know about anything. They think I'm still the perfect daughter they sent off to university. They don't know about my friends, or the parties, or... the rest of it." She gestured vaguely, her meaning clear.