“I know. Happy birthday.” I give him a happy-birthday kiss.
“Thank you,” he says, smiling. “And because of you, Roomie, I’m not in danger anymore. Andrew is behind bars. I came out of hiding, and we went to the lawyer to claim my trust. I suspect Lance and Taylor were secretly sabotaging the fraud case so I’d have to stay in hiding until it was too late to claim it, because the deal I made with them was to pretend I was dead until Andrew was arrested. You sped up the process a bit. So I got my money, and I’m free.”
I laugh. “These people are all loaded, though. Why do they care about an education savings account?”
He shakes his head. “Because that’s not all it is. This was set up when their company was just incorporated, and it included some shares in the company. Shares that have since exploded. Also, Stephen’s will left a bunch of money to the trust too. It’s a lot more than an education savings account.”
My eyes widen. “Holy shit. Seriously?”
He nods. “I know you said that you have no interest in rich people, but ... would you date a millionaire?”
I pretend to think about it. “Maybe. Lance and Mia broke up. Is he available?”
He laughs and clutches me tighter. And it all feels so good. Just laughing and being myself with him. This could be the beginning of something. But ... I still have questions.
“Why did you leave Manal’s painting on the bulletin board?”
“Taylor and Cameron were driving me to the yacht club, but I insisted we come here first. I told them it was to collect stuff I’d need while in hiding, but really it was so I could message you and tell you the plan. But you weren’t here. I stalled them and waited two hours for you, but you never came. I knew you wouldn’t abandon me because you had Jack send me that message, so something must have happened. What’s that about, anyway? How did you tell Jack last Monday to send me a picture five months ago?”
“Oh, Jack can talk to his future self when he’s high,” I explain. That might be the most believable part of this story.
Jay snorts. “Of course he can. Anyway, when you didn’t show up, I put the painting on the bulletin board. I thought I was so slick to use the anonymous Instagram account, but then I was a dumbass and forgot to get the password off my phone. Why weren’t you here that day?”
I shake my head. “Iwashere. I was freaking out that you didn’t show up. I found out later that Kegan severed the link between us on ResConnect.”
That makes Jay laugh. “Damn it, Kegan!”
“I mean, you can’t be that mad at Kegan. He’s the one who placed me in your room in the first place.”
“Yeah, but only because I had my mom call the school and unenroll me that morning so my room would be vacant when you went to Kegan looking for a room.”
I frown. So Jay is the one who masterminded me ending up in his room in the first place? “None of this makes sense.”
Grinning, he shakes his head. “Not a lick of sense. But here we are.”
“I’m realizing that almost everything that’s happened to me since I started school was because ofyou.”
“No. Only since October 29. The day we met. And you can’t be mad. I masterminded all those things so you couldsavemy life.”
I shake my head. “Oh, I’m not mad. Okay another question ... what’s 58008? From the note you left me, and your secret Keanu Instagram account?”
He looks at me like I should know this. “58008 isboobsupside down on a calculator.”
I snort. Jay always seemed wise and mature, but he’s still a teenage boy. Or he was ... until yesterday. “Why didn’t you find another way to tell me you were okay? You let me think you were dead.”
“I couldn’t tell you. You didn’t know me when I went into hiding, remember? And I was practically in witness protection—the cops were monitoring all my communication. But I did intend to convince them to let me contact you once we passed the day we met on your timeline. But ...” His voice trails off. He has an intense look in his eyes. Is he always like this in person? Like ... there’s moreJayin this person than should be possible. He’s filling all my senses. He’shere.
“But what?” I ask.
He runs his hand over my skin. “Remember all those movies, with all those time anomalies? Like time machines, and time loops, and all that other stuff. I had months to think, and I decided that our anomaly was the best one. I didn’t want to do anything that could mess up what we had. I had to wait for you. Just like Keanu Reeves had to wait for the lady fromSpeedin that bonkersLake Housemovie.”
I smile. “Sandra Bullock. Keanu Reeves was also inSpeed. Why don’t we call him ‘the guy fromSpeed’?”
“Because he’s Keanu Reeves.”
Good point. “So, what happens now?”
He sighs, staring up at the ceiling. “A lot happens. Helen found me a lawyer to help me officially come out of hiding. Technically, I maybe charged with mischief for faking my death, but since some police were aware of it, that seems unlikely. I was able to claim my trust even though I’m not technically enrolled in the school anymore, because they agreed being afraid for my life was a good extenuating circumstance. I am going to reenroll, though, and figure out what to do about the months I missed. I’ll have to figure out how to be around people again. And I really want a burrito. And good pizza. I love my mom’s cooking, but I’m ready for something other than desi food.” He looks back at me. “Why is there no shawarma in Alderville? I did try that roast beef and gouda sandwich on sourdough from that tea shop you told me about. Life changing.”
