Page 14 of You + Me – Against the World

“Yeah, I get the feeling he’s into you. His dreads practically take on a life of their own when he looks at you.”

She lets out a high-pitched squeal, fanning herself with her hand. “Manifest it with me, Alma! Repeat after me: ‘Soon, I won’t be the only one having secret dates.’”

I obey, and she spins around happily.

“Okay, I’ve got your back tonight, but you have to call me after!”

My parents find nothing to object to when it comes to a movie night with my down-in-the-dumps best friend. After dinner they ask what Clémentine has been up to and complain that they don’t see her enough. I think they’re also surprised to hear me talk less about the professor I admire so much and my studies. I don’t tell them about the short film project—and definitely not who my partner is. Instead, I tell them about Clémentine’s potential boyfriend, Timothy’s brand-new car, my classes on the history of cinema, and Mr. Abrams’s latest memorable quotes.

They give me a few last-minute reminders, and after a trip to the bathroom, I can finally leave the house. But once again, my brother sticks his nose into my business.

“Did you really need to get changed and put on makeup to go see Clémentine? You know it’s dark in a movie theater, right?”

“Basile, you do realize that some people on this earth wear things other than jeans and navy-blue sweaters, don’t you? And that you could consider finding yourself a hobby other than pissing people off?”

“Language, Alma!” my mother yells from the living room couch, looking up from her doorstop of a novel. “And take a sweater. It’s chilly for the season.”

“See you later, Mom. Don’t wait up for me.”

“Midnight, Alma, not a minute later,” my father adds for the tenth time.

“I know. I’ll be back on time.”

I give one final nod to Georgia, our beloved housekeeper of many years, who is getting ready to go to bed. Her affectionate wink is the last thing I see before I close the heavy door behind me.

The hollow feeling in my chest returns.

6

I arrive early this time. Vadim isn’t here yet. The Sunset Café has started to empty out, but I still check that there are no familiar faces around. I don’t have anything to hide, but I’d prefer for Tim not to find out about my late-night meetings with the classmate he detests.

Vadim walks through the door two minutes late with a guy about our age. They haven’t seen me, which means I have to go over to them as they sit down at a table in the back.

“Hi, I didn’t know you were bringing someone,” I blurt out, a little more aggressively than I would have liked.

“Hi, I didn’t know if you’d come.” Vadim smiles at me and gestures for me to sit down. “This is my buddy Felix Alonso. He isn’t staying.”

His friend gives me a slight nod and looks me up and down without bothering to make small talk. He doesn’t look like he’s planning on leaving, either. He’s on the short side, with a smooth complexion and masculine features; short, dark hair, and a close-cropped beard tracing his jawline. His eyes are as black as Vadim’s are light. Felix slouches in his chair, with his legs spread wide. His beige pants are too big for him, leaving his boxers visible, and a faded tattoo peeks out from his hoodie and wraps around his neck. If he didn’t scare me a tiny bit, I’d tell him that the toothpick stuck in the corner of his mouth makes it seem like he’s trying too hard.

“So, Fe, you taking off?”

“Yeah, I got it.”

“See you tomorrow,” Vadim reminds him.

“I’m counting on you. Bye, man.”

He saunters away.

“Doesn’t your friend speak to girls?”

“Only the ones he likes.”

Vadim watches me as I sit down across from him.

“Ah, so he can actually carry on a conversation. So sorry I didn’t pick up on that!”

“You didn’t come here to chat with him though, did you?”