Page 7 of Fall into Place

They used to get out pens and paper napkins and divide their various crushes into two columns: For Fun and For Real. Joni’s crushes were almost never in the For Real column; Tess’s almost always were. Tess was an optimist back then—she’d spent her life reading earth-shattering love stories, and she believed that someday she’d meet someone special enough to be in one of her own.

Stupid, she thought, reflecting on her past naïveté. She looked for the good Chinese place where she and Joni always got the spicy sesame noodles, but it wasn’t there anymore—it was some corporate frozen yogurt chain instead. After a lifetime on the move, Tess had been in New York for almost five years, by far the longest she’d ever lived anywhere. She liked that you could stay in one place, and the city would keep changing around you. The constant flow of guests and workers at the hotel, shops and restaurants coming and going like seasons, New York made Tess feel grounded but not suffocated. It had been years since the impulse to pack up everything and go had taken over her senses, invading her thoughts until she had no choice but to run.

It hadn’t happened, in fact, since she lived in this apartment.

The building looked the same as ever: a brownstone that had seen better days, a permanent layer of soot coloring the stones a dingy gray. A couple of people Tess didn’t recognize were smoking on the stairs. She walked past them to the little doorway on the lower left into the “garden” apartment—but since there was no garden, she and Joni had never harbored illusions that they were living in anything but a basement. This didn’t bother them; it was the only way they could afford to live so close to campus without staying in student housing. Joni had been desperate to find a place that felt like her own, that made her feel like a grown-up. Tess didn’t care as much, but Joni was so magnetic, so much fun, that all Tess wanted was to be wherever Joni was.

Tess could hear ABBA blaring as soon as she walked through the door. It was just after eight and not even dark, but the party was already in full swing, people dancing and drinking and spilling into the hallway. Tess fluffed up her hair and smiled wide as she stepped into her former apartment.

“Tess?! Oh my god!” Joni rushed over, clearly tipsier for wear, and pulled Tess into a vise-grip of a hug. “I can’t believe you came.”

They had talked about this party countless times, even the first time they met. Joni had planned to dress as Octavia Yoo, the most fashionable character in Blood Feud, who was turned into a vampire on her twenty-ninth birthday. Tess smiled to see Joni looking absolutely perfect in an ice-blue fringed mini and a fabulous rhinestone tiara.

“Of course I came,” Tess assured her. “I wouldn’t miss your Blood Feud birthday!”

Joni pulled back and gave Tess a skeptical look.

“If you say so.” She laughed awkwardly. “But whatever, I’m so glad you’re here!”

“Me too.” Tess brushed past the weirdness. “And wow, this outfit, you look incredible!”

“You like?” Joni did a little twirl. “And omg, of course you’re Isobel—please don’t tell me you’re still in your Felix era!”

“You mean my kind, charming, brave romantic hero era?!” Tess scoffed, and Joni laughed. “You’re the perfect Octavia, though.”

“Fran and Nasser are both dressed up as my Callums, we have to show you—they’re around here somewhere.”

“So it’s going good? Living with them?” Tess pushed down the twinge of jealousy, tried not to imagine Joni and their two lovely weirdo theater arts friends spending hours on the couch together watching music videos and bad TV.

“Oh yeah, it’s been really great.” Joni smiled wide, in that way where Tess knew she wasn’t saying something. “But I’ve been so busy lately, it’s not like we see each other that much anyway. I’m finishing my dissertation, and there’s an opening for a tenure-track job in the department, which is kind of crazy, so I’m applying for it.”

“Oh my god, seriously?!” Tess squeaked. “Joni, that’s amazing!”

“I totally have no chance—”

“Stop that, yes you do! It’s obvious to everyone you’re a star.” Tess nudged Joni, genuinely proud of her friend.

“I don’t know about that.” Joni flushed, but Tess could tell she relished the compliment. “People are applying from all over the country, but I dunno, they say they would love to give it to someone in the department? Promote from within or whatever? But even if they do, you know Rick Keeton will probably get it anyway. Fucking golden boy.”

Joni rolled her eyes, and Tess froze.

She just mentioned his name. He isn’t here. This doesn’t matter.

Joni was still talking—Tess forced herself to focus back in on their conversation.

“…so annoying that he’s such a nice guy, you know? Otherwise I would totally hate him.”

Tess nodded numbly. Nice guy. Sure.

“Anyway, enough about me!” Joni grinned. “How are you? How’s everything at the hotel?”

“It’s good!” Tess swallowed hard. “I forget if I told you I got promoted, so that’s been good, I guess.”

“I saw on Insta.” Joni’s voice was clipped.

“Right,” Tess faltered, then forced a smile. “Um, anyway, here’s this!”

Tess held out a shiny gold gift bag she’d brought from Brooklyn, and Joni perked up—she loved presents.