But the disappearance is weeks away for him. Could someone become suicidal in a couple of weeks?
Aleeza:Things change.
Jay:I’ve never been suicidal in my life. Or depressed. I know what it looks like. My mom has depression. I suppose anything is possible, but I can’t imagine I’d be willing to do that to my family. It would destroy my mom.
Aleeza:Is it just you and your mom?
Jay:Yeah, she raised me alone. It wasn’t that bad ... she has reoccurring depression, but she gets treatment. And my aunt and uncle, and Nani and Nana are close by. My grandparents.
Wait ... that’s what I callmygrandparents.
Aleeza:Are you Indian?
Jay:My mom’s from Bangladesh. I’m biracial South Asian.
Wow. I didn’t know that. Now that I think about it, his racially ambiguous looks could totally be half–South Asian. I don’t know why this changes anything for me. Growing up in an almost completely white town, I’m not used to having South Asian friends. Even here. Most of the friends I met with Mia are white, too, despite the school having a lot of South Asian students. But this is another connection Jay and I have.
Aleeza:I’m Indian. My family is Gujarati, but my grandparents are from Tanzania and Uganda.
Jay:Yeah, I figured you were Indian because of your name. You didn’t recognize Hoque as a Bangladeshi name?
Aleeza:No.
Jay:Is there a way you can find out how my mom is doing? Fuck, I hope her depression isn’t back.
Aleeza:I’ll see what I can find out. I assume we still don’t tell anyone all this, right?
Jay:Yeah, I think that’s safest. I don’t want to worry people more. And at least now that I know what will happen, I can avoid it. I’ll go stay at Mom’s that day so I’ll be safe.
I think about that. Yes, in theory if he’s not here to go missing out of the room, then he won’t go missing at all. But what aboutBirdwatcher? What about Emma saying someone was bound to get him eventually? What about the black Corolla?
Aleeza:Okay, but without knowing what happened to you and why, how can we prevent it? Like if it’s an accident or a random thing, then not being here that day might save you, but if this is targeted, then stopping the person from doing whatever on that day only means they’ll try another day.
Jay:With all those infinite universes ... it’s possible that what happens to me in your timeline won’t happen to me in mine.
Aleeza:True. But I don’t know. I feel like we can’t not take it seriously.
Jay:I agree. This is my life.
Aleeza:I feel like this is the reason why we can talk to each other now. We’re supposed to figure out what happened or will happen to you. I want to be an investigative journalist. I’m good at mysteries. And I have something that no one else trying to solve this case has.
Jay:Me.
Aleeza:Exactly. Access to the victim. And because you’re in the past, solving it in my timeline could keep you safe in yours.
Jay:Okay, but no one knows we know each other. If you go fishing around, people will wonder why. People might not talk to you. Or they’ll question why you care so much.
Aleeza:What if I did it for my media project?
Jay:The one that you were supposed to do with your old roommate?
Aleeza:Yeah, I can do a true crime podcast about you instead.
Jay:That’s perfect. We can piss off both whoever the fuck did this to me and your former friend.
Aleeza:And save your life.
Jay:Yeah, that too. My only requirement is that I must approve anything you say in the podcast.
