Marvin's Ex

Cordelia

Work is draining. Three people have already yelled at me today for getting their orders wrong, and I'm kind of humiliated. It's not my fault. Well, yeah, it sort of is. But I've only been working here for a few weeks, and I'm still trying to find my way around.

My mood immediately brightens when I spot Charlotte walk in. I met Charlotte the other week, and she hasn't been in here much, but when she is, we have a great time. I'm not sure what it is that connects us exactly, but we relate to each other so well. We shared our coming out stories last time she was here, and found out we both liked Arctic Monkeys. So basically, we're soulmates.

She doesn't see me, because she's on her phone and all the way at the end of the line. I want to speed up the process before my shift ends so we get a chance to talk again. It's not like I have a crush on her or anything, it's just that I think she's charming. Okay, she's really charming. And she's so compassionate. I mean, a doctor? I couldn't do that. I'm more interested in cooking and working with food. Not, like, people.

Chill out, Cordelia. You guys are just friends. And you haven't even known one another for that long, anyway. Just cool it.

"Hey, Cordelia!" Charlotte greets me warmly as she approaches the counter. I've been too busy thinking to notice that the line's moved up, and I almost drop the cup of hot coffee I'm holding.

"Hi!" I exclaim in a shrill tone. I turn away quickly and curse myself under my breath.

Charlotte doesn't seem to notice, or at least doesn't show it. "I'll have my usual," she says, and I can tell she's waiting to see if I remember it. The good thing is, I do. Normally I hate when customers ask for their usual, but Charlotte's is the one I've completely memorized. So I nod and start making it while simultaneously trying to strike up a conversation.

"How's school going?" I ask her. "I don't think I've seen you around there yet. Maybe we should meet up so we don't always have to talk while I'm making coffee."

Charlotte grins. "Good idea. I think I have some time off tomorrow. We should go for lunch or something."

"Sounds great." I try not to show how excited I am that we're finally going out together. Well, obviously not going out, but we're spending some time together at least. I hand her her coffee with a smile and she takes it, pays, says goodbye, and leaves.

Great. Great, Cordelia. You didn't screw that one up. I bite my lip to keep from smiling any wider and go back to preparing other people's orders.

Marvin

I'm still trying to think of what to do about Trina. I'm pretty sure she didn't see me and Whizzer that day in the hall, so I could possibly go on avoiding her for four years and she won't know I ever went here.

But that's not the case. That's never the case.

I'm just trying to find a study room that isn't occupied so I can actually get some work done, since my dorm is always filled with the sounds of my neighbors and Whizzer's place always has him or Cordelia wandering around. I find one and sit down at the table, glancing around to see who else is in the room. Nobody I know. I'm probably going to need to get to know most of these students if I'm spending my entire college experience with them, but I don't want to.

I just want to study, no, I don't want to study, I have to study. What I really want to do is go home or go hang out with Whizzer and Cordelia. I'm so tired. In fact, I've almost fallen asleep at my study table when I'm awoken by somebody sitting next to me.

I'm afraid for a second that it's Trina, but it's just Mendel. I put my head back down on the table.

"Hey, Marvin," he says, ignoring my state. "How's it going today?"

"Surprisingly, not so well, Mendel," I reply with a touch of sarcasm. "I just found out a couple of weeks ago that my ex-girlfriend goes here."

He raises his eyebrows. "Really? Wow. That's some shit."

I glare at him. "Yeah, I know."

"Look, you can talk to me," he urges. "That's the whole reason I've been reaching out to people. I'm a psychology major, remember? Soon enough I'll be an actual psychiatrist."

"Yeah, in like, 12 years," I snap. "Go away, please. You don't know what I'm dealing with."

"It's just your ex-girlfriend. How bad can it be?"

I lift my head. "You really want to know? Okay. Well, I started figuring out that I was gay, and you know, didn't even like girls while I still had a girlfriend. Then I met the guy I really fell for, while I still had a girlfriend. Then I broke up with my girlfriend, and then the guy asked me out, and it felt too soon but I really liked him so I said yes. And now she has no idea that I basically left her for a man. Or that I saw her the other week. Or that I go here at all."

"Wow, that's a lot of information." Mendel's taken his pad out of his backpack again, and is writing stuff on it. Okay.

"Have you even dated anyone before?" I ask dubiously. "No offense, Mendel, but you don't exactly seem like the guy with an active love life."

He ignores my remark. "True, I don't have experience from the dating world. But that doesn't mean I can't understand you. I'm a psychology major, Marvin. I have to—"

"Oh, for Christ's sake! You haven't even been a psychology major for more than a couple weeks. Don't act like all of a sudden you can be my therapist."

"Psychiatrist," he corrects, even though I'm like 90% sure there's no difference. "And okay. I can tell you have a lot going on right now."

Because I just told you, dumbass, is what I want to say, but I don't, because it's not very nice and I don't have the energy to be mean right now. I lay my head back down on on the table, and Mendel stays, but he's quiet. After a moment of just sitting there, he clears his throat.

"Maybe I should go." I can hear him start to collect his things and stand up. "I hope I'll see you—" Before he can finish his sentence, I hear another voice.

"Marvin?"

It's a woman's voice. It's not Cordelia's, but for a second I want to pretend it is. When I glance up, I get an uneasy feeling. It's most certainly not Cordelia standing there, it's my ex-girlfriend, Trina.

Mendel sees her, too. "You know my friend Marvin?" he asks. "Wait, are you his boyfriend's roommate?" He looks at me. "What's her name, Cordelia?"

Trina's eyebrow raises. "No, I'm not his boyfriend's roommate." She turns to me. "Marvin! Why the hell didn't you tell me you were going here?"

I put my face in my hands and say nothing.

"I'm Mendel," says Mendel, shaking a perplexed Trina's hand. She seems more interested in the fact that I'm here than what his name is.

"Were you ever going to tell me?" She sounds hurt. "This was your dream school. I would have been happy for you."

"We broke up right after I got in," I say through my hands. "It's not even like we were still close."

This is when Mendel finally seems to realize what's going on. "Oh!" he exclaims. "Oh, my God, of course. You're his girlfriend!"

"Ex-girlfriend," Trina is quick to correct him. She glances toward me. "Apparently he has a boyfriend now." Mendel exhales at this, and I think it's clear to him that he wasn't supposed to mention that.

I let out a sigh and lift my head, seeing Trina clearly for the first time today. "I really appreciate that you came up to me like this," I tell her sarcastically, "but I have some work to do, so you should probably just leave now."

She doesn't leave. "Marvin, can you explain to me what's going on here?"

"I can explain," Mendel jumps in. "I'm a psychology major. I was just helping Marvin talk about his feelings and—"

"Shut up, Mendel! For the last time, you're not a trained psychiatrist," I shout.

Trina looks from him to me, alarmed. I hope she's considering leaving now.

"Okay," replies Mendel, sitting back down.

Trina just nods. "I'm sorry to have bothered you guys. Marvin. Have a nice day." She turns slowly and starts to walk away.

"Don't be sorry! It was lovely meeting you!" Mendel calls after her. I give him a look that says What the hell? and he quickly shrugs defensively, like I don't know, I had to say something.

I shake my head and start to pack up my books. I don't really feel like doing any studying anymore. "I can't believe it. Why would she just come up to me like that? When I saw her in the hall I did everything I could to avoid her. Mostly because I had Whizzer with me." I look at Mendel with a frown. "Although that's not even a secret anymore."

"Sorry," he responds sheepishly. "I thought she was Cordelia. Look, if you want, I can—"

"No," I cut him off. "You've done enough. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Mendel nods. I throw my backpack over my shoulder and walk out of the study room, away from Mendel and from Trina. To tell the truth, I'm embarrassed. I was hoping I wouldn't have to see her at all for the next four years.

Now I'm afraid this won't just be a one-time thing.