“What!” Lex shrieks.
Dodging an odd look from an eavesdropping elderly passenger across the aisle, I press myself against the window and lower my voice. “Told you it was bad!”
“Bad? That’s... that’s probably the most awkward thing I’ve ever heard. And you’ve told me some doozies. Hell, I’veseensome doozies.”
The niggling discomfort I’ve had these past few days, the warnings that the curse is still looming, ready to rear up and ruin my life, gnaws at the back of my mind.
Lex blows a raspberry through her lips. “I’m sorry thathappened. Wow. He didn’t mention that when I spoke to him. He was just very concerned about you.”
“Well, to be fair, I’ve been a bit busy,” I say suggestively, trying to bring a playful tone back into my voice despite the sick feeling in my stomach.
“True,” Lex says, her tone staying serious. “But, Aubrey, he’s my brother. He’s my son’s uncle. And, right now, he’s also my roommate. He’s an important part of my life, and if we continue to see each other, he’s going to be a big part of your life, too.”
I honestly hadn’t thought about that. The idea of sitting across a dinner table from Olsen, after everything that’s happened, with me dating hissister?
“You’re right,” I sigh. “It’s just that talking to him will be so awkward.”
“That’s sort of your thing,” she muses. “You should be used to it by now.”
That’s exactly what I’m worried about.
Lex continues. “It was your relationship, so it’s not my place to say anything. You need to tell him you’re dating me—and sooner rather than later. He’ll be at Gabe’s play on Friday, and I don’t want anything to ruin it. Gabe’s worked so hard.”
“I know he has.”
“Youarestill coming, right?”
“Of course! I wouldn’t let Gabe down.” And I mean it. The last thing I want to do is ruin the faith Gabe has placed in me.
“Okay. I should probably let you go back to work,” Lex says after a long, uncomfortable silence. “I know I’ve already distracted you enough while on the job.”
“Actually, I’m on my way home.”
“Wait, why? What happened? Did you get in trouble?”
“No, no one knows what we did. Something awful has happened, though.” I take a deep breath, and then relay the whole heartbreaking story, filling her in on how the terrible eventhas expedited our projects, and how we have one shot to get our plan to the desk of the premier. By the time I’m done I’ve reached my stop and begin the short walk home to pick up Winston.
“I’m so sorry to hear that,” Lex says, her voice thick. “What happened to that girl, it could have easily been us.”
I stumble, tripping over a crack in the sidewalk, and barely catch myself from falling. “Us?”
“We were both outcasts,” she explains. “We were both bullied. Hell, your own best friend turned against you, and then the entire school did.”
I have no idea what to say. Sure, I was an outcast. Sure, I had a hard time in school. But I wasn’t the victim—I was the perpetrator. Lex doesn’t know the worst of my past, of how the curse truly came to be. I’ve left out key pieces of information—pieces that could change everything.
“I know this must be hard to deal with and it’s probably bringing up a lot of gunk from the past,” Lex says, not understanding the depths of how true that is. “But what you’re doing is so important. If you play your cards right and get the funding you need, you can make the world a better place—for kids like the girl in the hospital, for kids like Gabe... for kids like you and me.”
“I gotta go,” I say past a boulder lodged in my throat. I take out my keys and jingle them even though I’m still a block and a half away from my house.
“Yeah, I probably should get back to work, too. This project is boring me to tears, but hey, at least it pays the bills. Maybe someday I’ll have a job like yours, where I’m actually making a difference.”
“You will. Okay. I love you. Bye.” Before she can say anything else, I hang up the phone. I can’t take any more of her praise. I wish I was half the person she thinks I am.
I’m sitting in the big meeting the following morning and I have fuck-all for ideas. I didn’t sleep at all last night between pacing my kitchen, flopping face down on my couch, and screaming into my pillow.
After my phone call with Lex, a long walk with Winston, and a girl dinner of cheese and crackers, I finally managed to text Olsen back. We agreed to meet for dinner today after work, since I figured the conversation we need to have should be done in person. I will, after all, have a brotherly relationship with him after all this.
Fuck, my life is weird.
