Page 24 of Tilly in Technicolor
I stare at Mona with a knowing look the entire time while Oliver huddles in a corner.
Mona, emotionless goblin she pretends to be, looks straight ahead. I will go down with this ship.
“All set,” Amina says, passing the room keys to Mona before gesturing toward the stairs.
One thing that is actually not at all cool about Paris is that, apparently, these gorgeous old buildings lack elevators. This includes rooms on the sixth floor reached by a staircase that only Tim Burton could have designed in his most twisted nightmares.
“You’ll need to get a crane to get me in or out of here,” I say, panting and sweating as I lug my suitcase up the final steps, lean over the railing, and look down.
“Always so dramatic,” Mona says, sticking a key into her lock. I hold out my hand for my own key, and Mona stares at it for a moment.
“There is one small thing I should mention about accommodations,” Mona says, turning the knob to her door.
“Please don’t tell me there’s a ghost.”
Mona scrunches up her face. “Of course not. Ghosts aren’t real.”
“Science denier,” I cough into my fist. Mona ignores me, but I do get a decent chuckle from Amina. Love her.
“You two”—Mona points at me and Oliver—“will be sharing a room.”
Chapter 13Big Yikes
OLIVER
“Under no circumstances are you permitted to cross this border during sleeping hours,” Mona says as she shoves the final piece of furniture down the center line between our beds.
“What if I have to pee?”
Mona ignores Tilly’s question as she adds height to the barriers, stacking lamps on the dresser. “And this door remainsopen,” Mona says, pointing at the doorway to our adjoining rooms while giving us a menacing look.
“Why don’t you just get us separate rooms, instead of creating this massive fire hazard?” Tilly asks.
I’m not sure if she’s ever sat with a thought in her life or if she just blurts everything out in a constant stream of consciousness.
“Because we don’t have the budget for our interns to get their own rooms,” Mona snaps.
“You… don’t?”
I don’t understand why Tilly is so surprised to hear a start-up is pinching pennies.
“I’m not getting into this with you,” Mona says with a sigh,rubbing the heel of her hand over her forehead. “We have enough for two rooms between all of us at the different cities, so this will have to do. But absolutely no funny business. Got it?”
“Shouldn’t be a problem,” Tilly says, leaning against the doorjamb. “Oliver doesn’t possess anything close to a sense of humor.”
I feel my cheeks heat and I stare straight ahead at the exceptionally small room with two exceptionally small beds.
“I’m actually quite witty,” I say. Christ. Why am I even acknowledging her jabs like an absolute tosser?
“I’ve never once heard you laugh,” she bites back.
I turn toward her, eyes on her cheek. “Well,” I say, “I’ve never heard you say something worth laughing at.”
Her jaw drops and a soft swell of satisfaction rises in my chest. But it’s quickly replaced by… what is that? Guilt?
“I don’t think you have to worry about them doing anything, Mo,” Amina says with a laugh, bumping her hip against Mona’s.
“Maybe just murder,” Tilly whispers. I roll my eyes.
