Page 50 of Not You Again
“I need to tell my parents about this.” Adam hugged his knees to his chest. “I’m not even sure they’ll believe me. But it feels like I should let them know what’s happening. Maybe Shireen, too.”
“Do you want me to come? We can tell them and then get back to work on the loop.” Carly wasn’t going to let Adam give up.Shewasn’t giving up, so he didn’t get to, either.
But then he said, “I think I should do this on my own.”
And while she shouldn’t have been hurt, something about that really stung. “Oh, okay.”
Adam stood and extended a hand so she could pull herself up. She ignored it and stood on her own. Carly was close enough to smell that buttery scent of his and, if she’d wanted, reach up and pull him down. But he’d just closed a door. Why had he done that?
“You can’t just give up. What about the shadow bands?” But even as the words came out, she knew this wasn’t a battle she was going to win. His eyes were set, his jaw clenched, as if he’d made up his mind and Carly was merely in the way.
“My parents deserve to know what’s coming. And Shireen...” He took in a deep breath. “I feel I owe it to her to at least say something. The shadow bands can wait.”
Adam seemed to always be worried about what everyone else thought. He’d skipped a chance at Caltech, all because his parents didn’t understand his goals. And something about him going out of his way to help everyone but himself really irked her. “I get that, but what doyouwant, Adam?”
He pursed his lips and looked past her. She sensed this was a moment where he could take a risk or retreat to what he was comfortable with. And as the seconds ticked on, Carly had the sinking feeling that she knew what he’d choose.
“I’m going to tell them,” he eventually said.
“I want you to tell them,” Carly clarified. “But I don’t think you should just assume Dr. Song has all the answers and give up trying. I’ve met you, Adam. You know so much more than you’re giving yourself credit for.”
Adam seemed to absorb that. Carly wondered if he’d change his mind and agree to meet up later to work on their theories. But instead, he said, “Can I give you a ride to town?”
She knew he would drive her, but what was the point? The guy had given her what was probably one of the more intense orgasms of her life a short while ago, but was going to be with his parents and his ex... still wife. Whatever the hell Shireen was.
“No, I’ll walk,” Carly said.
Adam began to head toward the parking lot. Something about him just slightly out of reach and leaving felt so much like when her dad revealed his plans to move to Julian. Now Adam, who Carlylikedvery much, was giving her proof that he was no better.
She knew the comparison wasn’t fair—surely Adam wasn’t intentionally trying to hurt her—but what else was she to think? Carly was like an exposed nerve that had just been poked; tears formed in her eyes. She didn’t want Adam to see her crying over this, overhim. Maybe in some little corner of his brain he did care for her, but this still didn’t feel great.
She wasn’t like Adam, though. She wasn’t going to just roll over and let a wormhole gobble her up. She was going to go into town and try todosomething about this situation. She’d do everything she could, and she knew exactly where to go.
The Julian Heritage Museum was in a Victorian home about a mile from the center of town with pink-and-purpletrim and a large wraparound porch. The street where the museum stood was suburban, and the sun burned hot and bright in the sky above the home.
Carly had been to the “Dollhouse,” as the party was dubbed, on more than one occasion; she knew to knock on the door twice and wait to be welcomed in. A series of locks undid themselves, and the old lady who ran the Dollhouse answered in an eighteenth-century white dress with a blue ribbon sash at the center. Her look was completed with an intricate lace collar, blue hat with pristine ivory feathers, a dainty lace umbrella, stockings and simple heels.
“May I help you?” the old woman asked.
“I seek revolution.” Carly recited the password she’d been taught.
She sought revolution, all right. She was about to launch an uprising in this town.
The woman nodded, opened the door and Carly walked through. Upon entering, there were nude magicians performing impressive sleight-of-hand tricks without the help of sleeves. At least a dozen overly fluffy cats sunned themselves by the windows and seemed oblivious to the energetic piano music being played on the square grand in the corner.
Carly began to walk down the hall, past a room with a tattoo artist and a line of customers waiting to be inked, another with an in-progress séance, a closed door with a sign on the outside that readEnter the Galactic G Spot. But Carly wasn’t in need of sex, ghosts or pain. In that moment, she needed to find a particular someone.
When she stepped through the doors, the grass was littered with beanbag chairs, and against the wood fence were folding tables filled with food. Carly scanned the tables, and then, in tiered perfection, she saw a cheese fountain. Bubbling, flowing cheese so yellow there was no way it wouldn’t causehealth issues in the future. But according to Adam, she had no future!
Carly smiled as the first wave of joy she’d felt all day flooded through her. The person she needed hadn’t arrived, but this cheese would solve her problems. This cheese would want nothing except for her to consume more. This cheese was her god now.
“Come here, you beautiful little dream.” She took a tortilla chip and as she was about to slide it into the gooey waterfall, a voice interrupted her.
“Is that you, Carly Sue?”
Carly shielded her eyes with the chip to see Mayor Franco. Carly was pleased. The mayor was just the person she needed for the next stage of her plan.
“My middle name is Florence,” Carly said.
