Page 94 of No Way Home
I dove into the water, swimming like I was fighting for a gold medal. When I reached land, she was hiking up the hill, Abilene at her side.
I took off at a run, water running down my legs.
“There he goes!” Holden hooted, spurring me on.
“Magnolia!” I called, cranking up my speed.
“Stop right there.” Abilene stepped in my way, shoving me back. “Make your escape,” she yelled over her shoulder to Magnolia. “We’ll meet at the rendezvous point.”
“What’s the rendezvous point?” Magnolia asked, bewildered.
“I’m not saying in front of him!” Abilene whisper-shouted. “Now go!”
Magnolia jogged up the hill like lava was coming for her.
“Seriously?” I said, not the least bit thwarted by Abilene’s puny efforts. But I was certain if I dodged, she’d just come at me again, maybe follow me as I tried to talk to Magnolia. I needed to shake her loose. Permanently.
Like a mind reader, Fletch pried us apart and moved between as a shield. “Stay back, witch!” Flip-flops gone, he kicked at her, doing a cross between an Irish jig and one of those Bulgarian village dances that ward off evil spirits. His feet were moving so fast I almost couldn’t see that he’d pulled a Sole Mates—ripping out the hair, and tearing off his toenails caveman style.
Abilene squealed in terror, tripping over a rock, before righting herself. But then, her nostrils puffed and her eyes turned furious. She waved her hands around like Professor McGonnagall whenshe fights Severus Snape at the end of the Deathly Hallows. “Do not pass, hobbit feet,” she chanted. “Do not pass or you will spend eternity in foot purgatory.” Then she curved her fingers into cat claws and hissed. Literally.
Theo guffawed, flopping over, breathless. My uncles and Blue looked mystified. My aunts and Anna, too. Nova watched from her seat at the quilt, eyes still red but grinning, like this was the best movie she’d ever seen.
“Bowen, why are you standing there?” Fletcher yelled, still doing his jig. “Go!”
My eyes swept the hill, freezing on Magnolia nearly at the top.
I sprinted harder than I had since the Spartan race, lungs wheezing at the effort. But I was gaining on her. Until I rounded the playground and she heard me. She looked over her shoulder and broke into a full-on run.
“Magnolia! I’m sorry, okay? I was a jerk.”
“You’re always a jerk!” She cut hard, disappearing around the side of the house. “You don’t know how to be any different.”
I deserved that.
I went faster, almost slipping on the grass as I came to the front yard. “I know that’s how it used to be, but I’m not anymore. I swear.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it and I haven’t seen it yet. Now l-leave mealone!” She sounded slightly unhinged.
“I can’t do that. Sorry!”
Her head turned to look at her car, parked a ways off in the grass. Then she looked at the bouncy castle. Then back to her car. She was trying to decide if she could make it to her Mini Cooper, slip inside, and lock the door before I got there. She couldn’t.
She bolted for the castle, dove over the ‘moat,’ and through the doorway. I raced up the ramp, banking on the factthat the time it would take her to get up would be my salvation. And it was.
She stumbled to her feet and hooked a right into the first room. I snatched her around the waist, pulling her to a stop.
She slammed her elbow into my gut and I doubled over.
“What is wrong with you?” she yelled.
I moaned, worried I might puke if I answered. But I lifted my head to gaze up at her.
She looked pissed and hotter than ever. She put her hands on her hips. “You don’t accuse a girl of being a Dupree chaser, humiliating her in front of everyone,” her voice trembled. “And then make a scene, chasing her up the hill as she tries to escape with what little dignity she has left!”
“I’m sorry,” I croaked. “I was jealous that?—”
“Youaresorry,” she said. “Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to be here today? First, Charlie cons me into coming, then sends Jeff to haul me to Ford’s, bounty hunter style. And the minute I start to relax, thinking this might not be so terrible after all, Nova shows up. The girl you jilted me for!” She shrieked, indignant. But a single tear rolled out of her left eye, betraying her tough girl act. “Do you know what that felt like?” Her voice rose an octave. “I’d just lost Griffin and your entire, darling family. But the thing that hurt the most was losingyou.” Another tear slipped out. “I already knew I wasn’t ever going to talk to you again. I was trying to make peace with what I’d done. It wasn’t enough for you that I didn’t text or call or try to see you. Not once.” She shuddered, holding back a sob. “No, you had to rub my nose in the fact that you didn’t care about me like I cared about you. On Late Night TV! What kind of jerk does that?” She wiped her cheeks aggressively, like she was angry that she was crying over me.
