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"Malcolm."
His eyes turn down. "Don't you want to be a family?"
No. Not with Mom and Dad.
Mal stares back at me.
I stare back at him.
The alley is so quiet I can hear my heavy exhale. I can hear Mal's calm inhale.
One street over, there's a car turning on and pulling away.
Here, Mal waits patiently for me to come to my senses.
He stares with that intense I know best stare of his.
I try to hold his gaze, but I can't quite manage it. My eyes go to the asphalt. To the sky. To the side door.
Fine. I'll break the silence. "There's nothing you can say to convince me to go."
"Then you're not going to Europe with us."
My stomach twists. How can he lord that over my head after making such a big deal about inviting me?
"Piper."
"Fine. Then I'm not going to Europe." Who wants to see Paris, London, and Madrid anyway? It's not as if I'll have time for a vacation if I'm scurrying to move the fuck out of my asshole parents' house. "They've never gone to a Dangerous Noise show. Not one. It was the same for all the other bands. For Ethan's talent shows. For your high school graduation. And you're loyal to them?"
"They're still family."
I shake my head. They're not. "I'm not having this conversation." I take a step backwards. "I'm leaving."
Mal's expression gets concerned.
"I'll call a cab." I take a step towards the street. "But I'm not going home. Not tonight."
"Piper—"
"I'm not changing my mind about this."
I expect him to fight me, to follow me, to insist I'm being a fool.
He doesn't.
He lets me go.
I should be relieved about that too, but I'm not.
I'm halfway to the valet when I realize I don't have my purse.
I move into a boxer's shuffle (difficult in heels) and psych myself up to march back into the restaurant.
A tear rolls down my cheek. Mal is siding with our parents. Ethan is siding with Mal. Joel is loyal to Kit.
Nobody is loyal to me.
This boxer's shuffle is exhausting. My ankles are killing me. I lean against the concrete wall. It's cold against my butt and back.
