Page 71 of The Other Side of Together

He nods. “Take a load off, yeah? Looks like you could use some rest. If you need to stop, just say so and I’ll pop off the motorway.”

I whisper another thank you past the lumps, knots, and raw spots in my throat. What would it feel like to “take a load off”? If only I could take off everything that happened tonight and hurl it out the window, watch it bounce down the freeway, get crushed under semi-truck tires. Smash against concrete barriers.

Panic and fear tangle in my chest, writhing as they grow bigger, overtaking me like sticky, black syrup inside me. What did Nick do to me?

I squeeze my eyes shut and focus on all the sore spots. My cheek…neck…angry carpet burns on my stomach…rising bruises on my back from falling on the marble floor. I swallow, not daring to let my focus move lower. But my knees are stiff, bruised. Nothing between my stomach and knees…between my legs.

I snap my eyes open, tense, focus again. But nothing. I shift in my seat. Still nothing. He didn’t get that far. I send a silent prayer of thanks to Su Ling and unzip my bag, pulling out a pair of underwear and shimmy them on. The worst didn’t happen. But it still could. Nick could find me. I can’t go home or to Lin’s. I can’t go to Marcus’s. I should have left when I had the chance—skipped meeting Su Ling and run. Now I’ll be followed, stalked. Caged. Su Ling, too.

Unless…Nick gets caged first.

I fumble in my bag for my phone, grateful Su Ling threwmy clutch in my duffel. Clicking it on, I open a browser and find the right number, then hit send with stiff, cold fingers, holding my breath.

Two rings later, a tired woman answers. “San Francisco Police Department.”

“I know where you can find Su Ling Wang,” I blurt before I can think about what I’m doing. “And other missing women from San Francisco.”

CHAPTER 26

Tavah slips off her sparkly, neon heels and holds them as we stand on the corner under a streetlamp. “You don’t have to walk me all the way home. This hill is a killer.”

“I love killer hills.”

She smiles and shakes her head as we turn onto her street. She swings her heels between us, her strides getting wider as we make the climb.

“This has been the best prom ever.” She talks to the air ahead of us. “Last year, I did Sav a favor and went with her cousin who we now refer to as Gropey, and…the year beforethat, I went with Brandon Sotheby who’s way more in love with himself than he’ll ever be with anyone else. Also, he lit the restaurant’s cloth napkins on fire during dinner. So….”

“Sotheby’s a tool.” I smile at her, then the sidewalk, wishing I had my Adidas right now. “I’m really glad you asked me.”

“Well, thank you for humoring me. You’re a fabulous date. Ten out of ten. Five stars. And now…I can check Go to Prom with Marcus Miller off my bucket list and move on with a smile on my face. I know there’s someone you would have rather been with tonight, so I’ll take what I can get.”

I shake my head. “Tavah, it’s not like that, it’s just…”

“You’re not over her. It’s obvious, and I get it. I wasn’t going to propose to you or anything.” She punches my shoulder and I smile at the ground. “I’m also not going to lie and say I’m not jealous of her in a big way because I am. Like so, so jealous. Especially after tonight. But! Like all good crushes that start in seventh grade, I’ll get over you.” She bumps my shoulder with hers and I smile. “Tonight made it a lot harder so…we have a ten-minute walk. Help me get over you faster by telling me all about The Girl. I’ll go into a jealous rage, throw a tantrum on this sidewalk, deflate my beautiful sleeves, and be over you by the time we reach my house. Ready, set, go.”

I glance at her, then shove my hands in my too-tight pockets and watch the sidewalk cracks slide under my too-tight high tops. It took me five minutes tonight to decide I like Tavah. She’s so easy to talk to. Honest, straightforward. I never wonder what she’s thinking. Feel twenty pounds lighter around her. But…I don’t just like Mei and it’s not going away.

My hand goes to my chest, and I hurry and move it, acting like I’m straightening my ruffles. “This is kinda weird,” I admit, taking a sledgehammer to the surprisingly little amount of awkwardness. “It’s not as weird as it should be, I guess, but still. I feel bad. Guess I just…didn’t know or didn’t—”

“Stop, Marcus.” She smiles, light from the line of streetlamps beaming off her teeth. “There’s nothing to feel bad about. I like you; you like someone else. That’s how it goes. I learned that in third grade. Ricky Archuleta.” She pats her heart and gazes at the sky as she walks, then laughs and talks to the sidewalk. “My goal was to tell you how I felt beforegraduation. I’ve wanted to so many times but lost my nerve, so in a way, this is perfect.”

No. This isn’t perfect. I shouldn’t be listening to another girl spill her guts to me. I should be with Mei, spilling mine to her.

“So, thanks,” Tavah says, smiling before looking away. “Mission accomplished. It’s done. Right? You know how I feel?”

I nod.

She nods. “Cool. Now we can all go about our business.”

No. It isn’t cool. I’m not cool at all. I haven’t told Mei that I love her to her face. Tavah makes it look so easy, and all I’ve managed is to tell Mei in one stupid voicemail and a text. I need to tell her in person. I can do whatever she wants me to do, be whatever she wants me to be. Whatever she needs. We have to talk—honest and open, like Tavah is with me.

There’s no way I wanna move forward without her. I’ll think about everything else I thought I wanted later. I just need to tell her I want it all with her.

Mei and I aren’t over yet.

I look at my watch. 12:53. Train ride home=20 minutes. Change clothes=2 minutes. Sprint to Mei’s=1 minute.

Tavah slows in front of a giant three-story hidden behind an ivy-covered gate. Wide, brick steps lead to her front door where kissing is supposed to happen after a date, or so I hear.

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