it-even to think it—but she reminded me, just a little, of Carly.
“You are such a bad liar. You might want to work on that.”
I stood there for a minute, thinking it over. I really didn’t want to take this to Finch—it was such a hassle, even though I was guaranteed to get my property back. I did need a ride home, and how bad could her questions be? And if I didn’t get my phone back then, I’d just call the police on her again.
At that instant, Adam Murray charged between us, knocking Audrey’s books to the ground and smacking me in the shoulder with his backpack. “Out of the way, Think Tank,” he muttered, heading in the direction of his cronies, who were lounging by their cars.
I bent down to help Audrey with her stuff, picking up a red notebook, which she snatched out of my hand.
“Hey, don’t touch that,” she said, righting her things and standing back up.
“What’s that, your diary?” I scoffed. And maybe it was, but I couldn’t have cared less. In saying that, I had just reminded myself of something: Carly had kept a diary. I don’t know forhow long, but at least since her mother passed away—it had been one of Harriet’s therapeutic suggestions.
“What?” asked Audrey, noticing the look on my face.
“Nothing,” I said, feeling the possibility like a dull thud in my chest. Carly might have written about me in her journal-things that might illuminate how she had felt about me. If I were just able to read it, at least my lingering questions on that subject would be put to rest. The problem was, the only way I was going to get my hands on it, if it even existed, was through Audrey.
“Fine,” I said. “I’ll answer your questions.”
“Fine?”
“You sound surprised.”
“Honestly, I thought you’d be harder to convince. Come on, your chariot awaits.”
“Uh, Audrey?”
“Huh?” Then she saw it. Her car, a sweet-sixteen present from her grandparents, was sitting in its spot, smeared with egg and blanketed in toilet paper. A throng of Audrey’s old friends—Adam Murray, Lucy Miller, and her ex-boyfriend Cass among them—were lolling around on the lawn, laughing. Audrey drew a deep breath and squinted. Inside she was boiling, I was sure, but she knew as well as I did that a public display would only make things worse.
She turned to me and smiled. “You think anyone noticed I’m back?”
I stared at the car, suddenly bitter on her behalf. The sense of entitlement, the lack of empathy, the fucking balls of Adam and his friends had always pissed me off, and even though I tried to remind myself that Audrey had been one of them once, had stood by and watched them humiliate other people just asthey were humiliating her now, I did feel a little bit sorry for her. “Don’t let them get to you. You have just as much right to be here as they do.”
“I know that.”
“I’ll help you let the air out of Cass’s tires,” I offered.
“Look at you, getting all fraternal.”
“What’s that old saying? An enemy of my enemy is my friend?”
“Touching. But revenge isn’t my style. I just want to clean this up and get out of here.”
“All right. Come on—I know where the janitor keeps the extra paper towels.”
After wiping down the windows, we settled into Audrey’s BMW and went screeching out of the student parking lot like we were trafficking stolen goods.
“Are you kidding? Do you have a death wish?” I snapped as Audrey cut off two cars on her way to the left-hand turn lane.
“Not really. I’m just impatient.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve got time, so I’d appreciate it if you delivered me to my house in one piece. Seriously, I feel like I’m in a scene out of The Italian Job .”
“I loved that movie.”
“I’m sure you did. So, when do I get my phone back?”
“I told you.”
“Okay, go ahead, ask your questions. Wait. Are we using Jeopardy! format?”
She stared straight ahead, watching the road for the first time since I buckled my seat
“You are such a bad liar. You might want to work on that.”
I stood there for a minute, thinking it over. I really didn’t want to take this to Finch—it was such a hassle, even though I was guaranteed to get my property back. I did need a ride home, and how bad could her questions be? And if I didn’t get my phone back then, I’d just call the police on her again.
At that instant, Adam Murray charged between us, knocking Audrey’s books to the ground and smacking me in the shoulder with his backpack. “Out of the way, Think Tank,” he muttered, heading in the direction of his cronies, who were lounging by their cars.
I bent down to help Audrey with her stuff, picking up a red notebook, which she snatched out of my hand.
“Hey, don’t touch that,” she said, righting her things and standing back up.
“What’s that, your diary?” I scoffed. And maybe it was, but I couldn’t have cared less. In saying that, I had just reminded myself of something: Carly had kept a diary. I don’t know forhow long, but at least since her mother passed away—it had been one of Harriet’s therapeutic suggestions.
“What?” asked Audrey, noticing the look on my face.
“Nothing,” I said, feeling the possibility like a dull thud in my chest. Carly might have written about me in her journal-things that might illuminate how she had felt about me. If I were just able to read it, at least my lingering questions on that subject would be put to rest. The problem was, the only way I was going to get my hands on it, if it even existed, was through Audrey.
“Fine,” I said. “I’ll answer your questions.”
“Fine?”
“You sound surprised.”
“Honestly, I thought you’d be harder to convince. Come on, your chariot awaits.”
“Uh, Audrey?”
“Huh?” Then she saw it. Her car, a sweet-sixteen present from her grandparents, was sitting in its spot, smeared with egg and blanketed in toilet paper. A throng of Audrey’s old friends—Adam Murray, Lucy Miller, and her ex-boyfriend Cass among them—were lolling around on the lawn, laughing. Audrey drew a deep breath and squinted. Inside she was boiling, I was sure, but she knew as well as I did that a public display would only make things worse.
She turned to me and smiled. “You think anyone noticed I’m back?”
I stared at the car, suddenly bitter on her behalf. The sense of entitlement, the lack of empathy, the fucking balls of Adam and his friends had always pissed me off, and even though I tried to remind myself that Audrey had been one of them once, had stood by and watched them humiliate other people just asthey were humiliating her now, I did feel a little bit sorry for her. “Don’t let them get to you. You have just as much right to be here as they do.”
“I know that.”
“I’ll help you let the air out of Cass’s tires,” I offered.
“Look at you, getting all fraternal.”
“What’s that old saying? An enemy of my enemy is my friend?”
“Touching. But revenge isn’t my style. I just want to clean this up and get out of here.”
“All right. Come on—I know where the janitor keeps the extra paper towels.”
After wiping down the windows, we settled into Audrey’s BMW and went screeching out of the student parking lot like we were trafficking stolen goods.
“Are you kidding? Do you have a death wish?” I snapped as Audrey cut off two cars on her way to the left-hand turn lane.
“Not really. I’m just impatient.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve got time, so I’d appreciate it if you delivered me to my house in one piece. Seriously, I feel like I’m in a scene out of The Italian Job .”
“I loved that movie.”
“I’m sure you did. So, when do I get my phone back?”
“I told you.”
“Okay, go ahead, ask your questions. Wait. Are we using Jeopardy! format?”
She stared straight ahead, watching the road for the first time since I buckled my seat
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