I don’t do this. I’m not skilled at giving platitudes to people. “Oh? That’s… yeah, not great…” My face feels like it’s on fire after my mumbled response.
He pulls his phone out, typing a text to someone before pocketing it. “I don’t even know why I’m in such a rush to get outside. I’m cooked.” He shakes his head, leaning back in his seat with his head falling back.
“You’re a girl.”Jesus, thanks for noticing?“How angry would you be if the guy you’re seeing forgot to get you a birthday present?”
I watch my two suitcases go around the carousel for the third time while I stay frozen in the seat beside him. “I’d be hurt.” That should go without saying, right?
But an idea blares in my mind…
“This is going to seem weird, but I might be able to help. Does she like jewelry?”
“Obsessed, but the airport gift shop doesn’t have much in the way of shiny trinkets, and she’s outside waiting for me.”
Pulling the yellow giftbag containing the figure-eight bracelet from Siler out of the pocket of my backpack, I answer back, “Like I said… this will seem weird, but I was given this earlier today. It’s… not a good fit. It’s yours if you want it. For your girlfriend.”
A part of me feels terrible that I’m giving away the present Siler gave me, but it instantly gave me the creeps. He doesn’t need to know. Eventually I’ll tell him I lost it, like he joked I might.
With a raised eyebrow, he wipes his hand across his mouth before saying in a stunned voice, “It doesn’t sound… not weird. I can’t take that without giving you some money for it.”
Refusing the cash he tries to give me after he admires the bracelet, I finally stand to grab my bags. “I can’t take any money for it. Seriously… it’s yours.”
Where’s Mya at?
Our flight was on time, but I still don’t see anyone resembling the picture Siler showed me. This whole interaction with boy wonder is getting more awkward.
He offers his hand to shake, which I do, before he says, “I’m Rett, by the way… short for Everett. Are you in Ithaca for school?”
I glance over at my abandoned luggage taking another spin on the carousel. Turning back, I shove my hands in my jean pockets. “I’m Bizzy… short for Elizabeth, and I’m starting at Cornell in a couple of weeks.”
His mouth drops open before the hand not holding the bag slaps over it. “Uh… that’s… wild.” He says slowly.
I’m stopped from asking what he means when his friend from the plane walks toward us, irritation rife in his voice. “Stop fucking around. Let's go.”
He waves as he follows behind him towards the exit door. Holding up the bag, he mouths, “Thank you.”
My eyes don’t leave them until they’re beyond the glass doors. Rett looks back at me a few more times. Stopping on the other side of the exit, he points at me, and the other guy’s head jerks my way, his expression confused.
Yeah, I get it. Giving away a beautiful gift to some stranger bypasses weird, but I can’t explain the ugly feeling that crept through me when I received it.
It’s not until I’m pulling my luggage off the baggage conveyor that I notice I’m feeling… good. The weakness and faint feelingfrom earlier is gone. My mind doesn’t feel scrambled or confused.
I’ll take it as a sign that my decision was the right one.
New York may be my answer.
Chapter Four
Bizzy (Elizabeth)
Closing the back door of the black Town car behind me, I shudder at my first impression of Siler’s cousin, Mya.
She’s looked up at me from her phone twice: once to inform me I don’t look like Elizabeth from the picture. I’m shorter, my hair is darker and frizzier, and I have (gasp!) freckles. The other time was to tell me I need to “hurry up”.
There was no warm welcome or even a proper introduction.
“Thank you for picking me up,” I offer, hoping she’ll engage in a conversation, but she rolls her eyes as she keeps texting.
Super.
