Page 26 of The Kat Bunglar

She needed to get out of here.Now.

She fumbled with her Uber app, heart pounding, breath tightening. Her parents wereforcingtheir plans on heragain.

Her stomach unclenched slightly when she saw her ride would arrive ineight minutes.

She wassoclose to leaving Chesterton, Indiana in her rearview mirror.

“Abu, that’s terrible about the um... motor rotor,” Kat said quickly, waving her phone. “But Christian and Ireallyneed to make this appointment and tour today, so we’ll just take an Uber back.”

“So, you’re just going toleaveyour parents on the side of the road?” her father said, his voice heavy with betrayal.

“I mean...Triple Ais coming to get you, andUberis coming to get me. What’s the difference?” Kat countered.

Her breath hitched as she geared up for another battle.

“Fine, fine. Yes. Leave when things get hard, Khatira,” her father grumbled. “That is your nature.”

Kat’s patiencesnapped.

“I left because youneverbothered to understand me! You treat yourdogbetter than youevertreated me!” she blurted out.

Before her father could respond, her mother cut in.

“Arraaayyy, let them go. What can they do, just sitting here? Christian, it was so nice to meet you. Please keep me in your chats. I messaged you on the WhatsApp.”

Her mother beamed. “Feel free to send me those daily Christian fortune-cookie quotes. I’ll share them with my friends at the mosque. I’m sure they’ll get a hoot out of it.”

“Of course, Mrs. Kar,” Christian said, ever diplomatic.

Kat’s mother looked at Christian with adoration—the daughter she wished she had.

Instead of Kat. The complicated, depressed, self-absorbed child Allah had sent her.

“Well, this was... so great seeing you guys,” Kat said, voice speeding up as she spotted the Uber pulling in. “Maybe I’ll be home around November. No promises. My life is so busy, and I’m very important—okay byeeeeee.”

She hurriedly grabbed her suitcase and practically leaped into the Uber. The car pulled away. Kat exhaled.

She caught a blurred glimpse of the city skyline in the distance. Her heart pounded against the clock. Three hours to pull this off.

Freedom was just ahead—freedom from bills, from lawsuits, and most of all, from her parents.

For the first time in a long time, she felt sure of something.

This was her way out.

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