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My mom started the engine, and a moment later we were pulling out the exit of the parking circle. For the next five minutes or so, everyone was silent. I kept checking the mirror to see if the boys were communicating with each other, and my assumption was right—they were on their phones, texting, and stealing glances up at each other.
“What’s for lunch?” Leo said, breaking the silence. I guess his sudden bravery had more to do with the fact that he was bored more than anything. “I bet you make a mean feast, Ms. Silver.”
Instead of responding, my mom turned her head to raise her eyebrows at me. She wasn’t amused.
“I don’t think you guys will be eating with us,” I replied slowly. “Right, mom?”
The car bumped across a deep pothole, and I knew we were getting close to the building. The street was familiar to me. But all of a sudden, the car veered right, approaching the downtown area near Woodman.
“Uh, mom?” I asked.
“I wouldn’t want you to leave your friends alone just to sit down with me,” she said, her voice dripping sarcasm. “So, I’ll let you three off here, and I’ll see you back at the apartment. How’s that?”
She pulled up into a parking spot, and before I had the chance to process what she was saying, her hand dove into her wallet and came back out to hand me a couple twenty-dollar bills.
“Get something to eat. That should be enough.”
I took the money from her, and stuffed into my pocket. She was mad. It was evident. I couldn’t blame her. She needed some time to think about this before jumping right into hostess-mode. These weren’t just any friends after all.
In her mind, these were my bullies. And they always would be.
We got out of the car, and it sped off the moment we all made it to the curb. Without a word, we turned to look at the restaurant. I was already familiar with the place—a well-known diner that my mom and I frequented often when I was in high school. It was an easy spot for kids to come during their lunch period, close enough for them to pile into a car and zoom back to class just a minute before the bell. I doubted that either Elliot or Leo had even heard of the place, considering they didn’t show up at school half the time anyway.
So, I was surprised when Leo started toward the door, slapping the host on the back as we walked into the building.
“Hey, man!” the host, a middle-age dude, said as he ruffled Leo’s blond curls. “Long time, no see! How’s life at college?”
I stood there, jaw dropped, as Leo continued to converse with the man that I had known all my life, and yet, never said a word to other than “Hi, how are you?” or “Thank you. Have a good one.” The guy had been working there for decades, I was sure of it, and I had been going here since I was a little girl. Sure, he recognized me, but we didn’t know each other. And Leo did?
It was embarrassing. For me.
Once we sat down at a booth, I leaned over the table and whispered, “How do you know him?”
Leo scrunched his brows together. He was thinking the same thing—what do you mean, how?
“He’s a nice guy,” he said, shrugging. “I went here as a kid. I don’t know, we just talked. His name’s Rupert.”
Shaking my head, I leaned back against the scratched, faux leather cushion. What I meant to say was that I couldn’t believe for one second that he’d ever frequent a place like this run-of-the-mill small-town diner.
Before I could say anything else, Leo’s attention shifted over my shoulder. Even though Elliot was seated beside me, he craned his neck to follow his friend’s gaze. I turned to see the two people I thought I’d never see sitting together in a million years.
Tara and Vivian.
There they were, talking, laughing, as if they’d been friends since day one at Freeman, as if Vivian hadn’t tried to ruin my friend’s life. I closed my eyes and looked again just to be sure—but it was them.
I turned my head back around before either one could notice me. They were at the far side of the restaurant, and yet I felt like they could hear their own names slipping out of my mouth if I dared say them.
“Isn’t that …” Leo said, looking just as confused as I was. I nodded.
“My old roommate,” I confirmed, narrowing my eyes at the menu. All of a sudden, my desire to eat, to numb my emotions, was enormous. “And my friend.”
My only friend at Freeman.
My mind was reeling. When I was talking to her on the phone, it sounded like Tara was with Eric, not her mortal enemy. Was I just hearing things?
I just wanted to go home, eat a home-cooked meal. More than anything.
“Check it out,” Leo said, nodding back at their table. I turned my head again, and my jaw dropped.
