Page 82 of Missing White Woman

I was the only one who kept my head down. And that’s where I kept it for the rest of Billie’s speech. Catching stray words here and there, my mind consumed with Janelle and Ty. My candle was as burnt out as I felt by the time the crowd applauded. Billie was done. I looked around. I wasn’t the only one who’d been crying.

“We should go try to talk to her.” I’d forgotten Adore was next to me.

We headed toward the gazebo, but everyone else had the same idea. The mass moved forward, all aglow from their cell phone screens. I had a vision then. Billie pointing at me, screaming. In my mind, she’d added my middle name for posterity.

Breanna Grace Wright.

They’d burn me at the stake, then hashtag their selfies with my body.

I grabbed Adore’s hand. “I can’t.”

Her response was barely a whisper. “They have cell phones, Bree. Not pitchforks.”

“I’d prefer the latter,” I said. “Less dangerous.”

Adore looked past me, smiling at something or someone. I said nothing more, just stood there as space buns and pink shirts moved past.

“You made me stand through all that and now you want to leave?” Adore said at last, but she was teasing. Her delivery wasn’t any better than mine usually was.

“I still want to talk to her,” I said. “Just not in front of this crowd.”

Adore’s voice was barely above a whisper. “You can’t have it both ways. I don’t know how long she’ll be here, or where she’ll be when she leaves. You either talk to her now or we go home.”

I glanced toward the gazebo. It was fully dark now. I couldn’t see Billie in the crowd of pink, but I could assume she was still there, holding court. Likely describing herself as an Angel and me as the Devil incarnate. “I’ll go,” I said.

But I didn’t move. Just stared at the crowd.

Finally, Adore spoke again. “You stay by the exit. I’ll go talk to her. See what she says. I’m not going to say you’re here, but if she’s receptive, I’ll text you. You can come over.”

I smiled, liking that, then remembered she couldn’t see it under the mask. I was still smiling when she patted me on the arm and walked away.

Not knowing what else to do, I finally went to the bathroom. I couldn’t immediately find Adore when I got out, so I headed to the exit and sat on the closest bench. Adore was radio silent for twenty-three minutes. I didn’t do any of my usual things to pass the time. No YouTube. No Candy Crush. Definitely no social media. Too afraid of what number I could be trending at. I did nothing but stare at the photo of me and Ty, waiting for a text that would never come.

I missed him. I wanted him next to me, holding my hand, making jokes, giving me Muddy Buddies even though he hated the taste on my lips. I owed it to him to clear his name.

I was so busy thinking about Ty, I didn’t see Adore until she was right up on me. I glanced behind her, half expecting to see Billie. But there was no one. Even the most dedicated of the Billie Bunch had gone home.

Popping up, I spoke. “So…”

“She’s prettier up close. Also looks older without the filters.”

And with that Adore started moving toward the exit. I caught her in less than two strides. “And?”

“She assumed I wanted a selfie, then assumed I wanted an autograph. I said no to both.”

“Adore, this is not the time.”

She removed the hint of a smile. “Fine. I went up, whispered I was the one who told her about that neighbor. She nodded even though it was clear she had no clue what I was talking about. I could see her already looking past me, but she gave me her full attention when I mentioned you. I showed her a pic. That one of us from the Que party sophomore year.”

I motioned with my hands to get on with it just as we got to the street corner. Adore stopped talking long enough to look both ways and then crossed the street.

“Based on the fact we’re heading back to your house, I’m assuming she didn’t want to talk,” I said.

“No, she did. With me. She was upset I turned her down. But then I mentioned I could probably arrange for her to talk to you.”

“And?”

“And… she thought it over. I reminded her she’d be the first person you spoke to. That got her interested.”

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