Page 77 of And They Were Roommates

Willthis work? “This season, the final three gnomes meet her family for the last episode. I only just realized that my familyfriend and I never communicated our winter break schedule with the production team. I need to ask for hers.” I pause. “And then call the production team, too, to let them know. It’s a whole disaster. I want to say more, but the NDA—”

Ms. Lyney holds up a finger. “Promise an autograph.”

Mom was right. Breaking the rules spirals. It spirals. “Sure!”

I go sit in the lobby and wait for Delilah to be called down to the sister academy’s office. After thirty minutes of brainstorming how to dig myself out of this lie after break—season got canceled? Mom got fired?—Ms. Lyney hands me the phone. I rush into the copy room and explain everything.

“So,” Delilah says over the line, “the first real conversation I get to have with you after nearly two months is about STRIP? After all your letters were also about STRIP?”

“Youdidget my letters?”

An awkward pause passes over the line. “Sort of.”

There must be a reason why she ignored me—maybe it’s about the brief irritation she showed at orientation—but an illogical betrayal creeps up my chest regardless. “You didn’t send any back? Wait, why didn’t you show up to the equestrian center when I was there with STRIP?”

“There’s STRIP again.”

“What?”

“Nothing. STRIP is just all you talk about lately.”

Is it? I hadn’t even noticed. “What else do you want to know, then?” The moment the question comes out, I bite my lip. Answering any other questions about my time here may end in Delilah setting more things on fire with sparklers. “Because I promise, I’m doing fine.”

“Good.” That’s all she says.

Another pause, just as painfully awkward.

“Is something wrong?” I finally ask her.

She sighs and then everything tumbles out. “Well, I’m awesomely twenty-two in the ranks. If this keeps up, I can’t run for the student council board and fight for actual change here because you have to rank in the top fifteen to even be eligible.”

“Oh,” I say. “That really sucks. You’re still helping student council with the mixer, right? I saw you carrying boxes.”

“Only because it’s part of my duties as a basic member. Look, I am sorry for ignoring London’s ask to come talk to you that night. It’s not that I don’t want to hear about you either, but I just really don’t like STRIP.”

My brow pinches. Delilah should support anyone who breaks the guidelines. Not hate them. “Did they do something to you?”

She huffs so loudly that the line blows out. “One of them.”

“Who?”

“Xavier. My ex.”

Xavier once mentioned that he supported STRIP to keep in contact with a girlfriend he had. But there’s was no way that person was—

“He was so needy,” Delilah drones. “Followed me like a puppy. And he always carried around some spoon.”

Never mind. “You really dated Xavier? That’s, like, huge. You don’t like people.”

“I know. Something dark happened within me.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” I ask, the betrayal within me only twisting deeper. “We talked all throughout winter break. Summer too.”

“Well, you were going through a lot over the last year.”

Unease settles in my chest over what Delilah is implying.“That’s nice of you. Really. But I don’t want you to sacrifice sharing news about yourself because of that. Can’t we both tell each other about our problems?”

“To be fair, I would’ve told you if you asked.”

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