I laugh, and just like that, the moment passes. Later, during a break, Rue ends up helping one of the tech kids with a mic pack that keeps slipping loose under a costume. She fixes it in thirty seconds flat, then adjusts another one without being asked.
I lean against the booth door and watch her. Not because she’s pretty, though she is,painfully. It’s because she’s so good at this.
And all at once it hits me that this is what I wanted all along. I don’t just want to make things up to her, or to fix the guilt I’ve carried around since middle school. I wanted to get her back because life is better when Rue Sullivan is in it.
When rehearsal finally ends, the cast starts packing up, and Rue stays in the booth, unplugging something near the console.
I wait until we’re alone before asking, “Need a ride?”
She glances up. “I rode the bus today, so sure.”
The walk to the parking lot is quiet, but not awkward. The sky is turning dusky, gray-blue, and the ride to her house is much too short.
When I pull up outside her house, neither of us moves right away. Rue turns toward me. “I was thinking, we should probably stay together a few weeks longer than originally planned.”
I blink. “Really? Why?”
She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “Little Birdie already posted about one breakup. If we suddenly ended things too, it would just give people more to talk about, you know?”
I try not to grin too hard. It sounds like she’s just making up excuses to keep our fake relationship going even longer, and I love it. “Yeah, that makes sense.”
Rue nods. “Good.” She reaches for the door, then pauses. “I meant what I said earlier…about not hating you anymore.”
Something warm and aching opens up in my chest.
“Good,” I say again, quieter this time. “Because I meant what I said too.”
Her eyes lift to mine.
For one reckless second, let my hand hover near her cheek. I think about touching her face, about brushing my thumb over that little line that forms between her brows when she’s thinking too much. I consider asking her what she’s really afraid of. I fantasize about kissing her for real, just to see if it wrecks me again.
Instead I lower my hand and hold tight to the steering wheel.
Rue gives me a small smile, then slips out of the car. I wait until she’s safely inside before I drive away, and the whole way home, one thought keeps circling louder than everything else.
I don’t want to be her fake boyfriend anymore. I want to be the guy she dates just because she wants to.
Chapter 20
Rue
Before heading into church with my mom on Sunday, I stare at the Little Birdie post I’ve been working on nonstop this week.
I only have until eight o’clock tonight to post something, otherwise the app will expose my identity to everyone. Sure, I could just share the tip currently in my inbox about a random student who keeps stealing Sharpie’s from the teachers’ lounge, but I’d like to try to remedy the mistake of my last post, if possible. And as much as I’m dreading posting anything ever again, right now is the worst time for everyone to find out I was behind that last post.
My dearest Fledglings,
It’s rare a fearless flapper like me makes mistakes, but when it happens, this beak will be the first to admit it.
Our dear Mabel Evans and Carlton Peters may, after all, have been innocent in their endeavors that fateful day. For another insider has come forward and admitted they heard the pair discussing nothing but the musical itself, and quite innocently. Our sweet Meredith Evans has nothing to worry about when it comes to her sister and her beau.
All we can hope for is a swift reconciliation. Cheer them on, my darling flock!
Yours truly,
Little Birdie
Rolling my eyes, I put my phone in the pocket of my jeans. It sounds so stupid, and it’s not even true, but it’s the best I’ve got. Nothing else I’ve written has felt convincing enough. I’m so worried Meredith will write it off and still believe my last post over this one. Then again, it would say a lot about her if one anonymous post could tear everything apart, and another could try to stitch it back together like nothing happened, but I still have to try.
