Page 3 of The Other Side of Together

“Maybe,” he says, shrugging and smiling, and Guo Mama chuckles.

I turn to her. “Lin’s waiting. Talk to you tomorrow.”

“I’m so proud of you, Mei Li. You are going places, I know.” She reaches up to pat my cheek. “Many, many beautiful places.”

I smile at her. Second time I’ve heard that tonight. I hope it’s true. Glancing from her to Marcus, I squeeze one word through my tight throat. “Bye.”

He holds up a hand in a wave and I turn to walk toward the door. “Can’t wait for my after-practice sweet and sour pork tomorrow, Mei Li.” His voice melts over me like warm honey, but I don’t look back as I push through the door and step onto the sidewalk, the night glossy and buoyant like my thoughts. A guy with a dog walks past, no clue that the whole world just changed inside that shop. Or that Marcus just said my name.

My heart swells in my throat and I put my hand to my neck, smiling as I fast walk toward the alley, scaling my fire escape ladder before I dare to breathe.

Lin’s head pops over the railing, her short, frenzied hair spiking toward me. “Where’ve you been? I’ve been here for seven excruciating minutes. Never do this to me again.”

“I promise what I’m about to tell you will make your wait worth it.” I drop to the landing and push open my window.

“Hurry, hurry!” she squeals, pushing me through the window from behind. “Baba doesn’t know I left, so I don’thave long and want every detail.” She crawls through the window after me and flops onto my bed, kicks her legs up behind her, and wiggles her feet as she smooths her shimmery gold skirt over her backside. “Don’t leave anything out.”

I drop to my knees, elbows on my bed as I lean toward her and tell her every detail down to the neon green Sharpie Marcus used to write the fortune I’m afraid to read.

Her eyes widen and she squeezes my arm. “What does it say?”

I pull it out of my pocket, unfold it, and read out loud. “You will find another fortune waiting for you in Guo’s shop after school tomorrow.”

Her mouth falls open, and she stares at me before a smile takes over her face. “He plays dirty.” She wiggles her eyebrows. “And smart. He knows how to get what he wants.”

I squeeze my eyes shut, shaking my head. “He’ll forget.” I open my eyes. “I have to focus on real things like the internship Nick is lining up for me. Marcus is definitely not real.”

“Uh, Marcus isveryreal. You justtalked to himin all his glory. Don’t you dare think about Nick at a time like this. You’re officially the only one with a legitimate right to daydream about Marcus Miller. He is what dreams are made of. Nick’s just gross.” She wrinkles her nose. “Sorry. I know you and Nasty Nick have something brewing, but whatever it is stinks. Like an old man. Because seven years older makes him way too old for you. You can do way better. Like Marcus better.” She pauses, then releases a breath and shrugs. “Sorry. Rant complete.”

“You just don’t know Nick well enough.”

“Maybe not, but no amount of money can mask the weird vibe I get around him. And he better not mess with our plans to get on The Price is Right this summer because, so help me…” She waves her hand. “But whatever. All I’m saying is, I’d rather date that homeless guy on the corner who walks his invisible dog. But…” She shakes her head and holds up her hands. “Let’s just get back to Marcus Freaking Miller.”

I pause, let my brain soak in a little more of the reality of ten minutes ago. “Think he’s still at Guo Mama’s?” I jump to my feet and sweep aside my curtains.

Lin follows and we lean against each other, faces almost pressed to the cool glass. I crane my neck and my breath makes a circle on the glass as I stare at Marcus in front of Guo Mama’s shop, his hand on her shoulder as he leans way, way down to talk to her. His hoodie is slung around his waist now, showing off the muscle chiseled into his arms. Black, blocky words are written in Sharpie on his forearms and I squint to read what it says, but my breath fogs the glass again and I rub it away.

“Do you think all the girls at his school watch him like this?” Lin swipes a circle of fog off the window.

“Unless they’re blind. I’m so jealous of all those girls. Super jealous of his girlfriend. You don’t look like that and not have one.”

“No, you don’t,” Lin agrees, squeezing my arm like she’s taking my blood pressure, her eyes on the street below as she whisper-squeals. “Look at his legs.”

My eyes move from the writing on his forearm to his legs, then to his face. “Yeah, but look at his smile.”

Lin sighs and wipes away the window fog. “He has exceptionally white teeth.”

Guo Mama grabs Marcus’s arm, and he puts his hand over hers. My heart stutters at how gentle he is, even though he could pick her up with one hand. I swallow when thoughts of those fingers tangling with mine spread through my head.

He laughs to the sky again, sending a flash of light into the middle of Chinatown, and Lin gasps. “Whoa…did you see that? Hehasto be an amazing kisser.” A beat passes betweenus, our eyes glued on him and Guo Mama. “I wonder what it would be like to kiss a guy like that.”

“I’ll never know.”

“You could, though. You’re gorgeous. He’s gorgeous. The final moments of your senior year would be like being on The Price is Right, hosted by Marcus Miller and winning the whole Showcase Showdown.”

“You know I can’t.” I shrug. “I can’t even be a contestant on his show for 100 reasons.”

Lin turns to me, grabbing my shoulders. “No way—you can absolutely choose door number two. You’re only looking at door number one right now, which is some ugly, oak bedroom set from the 90s—complete with a waterbed—and not even considering door number two, which is an all-expenses paid trip around the world in a private yacht named Marcus Miller. Which would you rather have? You have choices, Mei Li. Stop being so worried about your parents and Gross Nick.”

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