Page 114 of The Fallacy of True Love
But before I got swept away by the possibilities, I had to have an actual offer first.
Alonzo
Since I’d gone straight to school from Maya’s place, I took a jeep home to get the car. I’d already arranged for someone to cover my shift so I could pick Maya up. It meant working extra hours next week, but I couldn’t let her leave the city without seeing her once more—and more importantly, trying to convince her to take a chance on us.
When I wasn’t in the middle of lectures, I thought of the arguments I could make in my favor. Focusing on that allowed me to block out the questions and jokes my classmates aimed at me regarding that stupid social media thread. Every time they teased me about it or showed me a stolen photo posted online, I reminded myself of how Maya had come to help me.
If anything good had come out of that situation, it was to show me that she cared.
I’d asked Mama yesterday about borrowing the car, and she told me Mang Lito could bring her and Papa to work and have the car back by lunch. But when I got home, the car was gone.
I called Mama first, though I knew she’d likely be too busy at the hospital to mind her phone. When it rang five times without her answering, I tried calling Papa next.
I expected him to be preoccupied at work too, but to my surprise, he picked up.
“Hello.”
“Hi, Papa,” I said as I paced across the living room. “Did you bring the car?”
“Yes.”
I stopped walking. “I thought Mang Lito was bringing you to work? I asked Mama about borrowing the car, and she said?—”
“I know what she said, but I wanted to drive today. Don’t you have a shift this afternoon? You don’t need a car for that.”
My face went hot. I’d thought it had been a misunderstanding. But no—Papa had known about my agreement with Mama. He’d simply disregarded it. “I need it to bring my friend to the bus station.”
“Does that mean you’re not going to work?”
Not a sorry or any pretense of concern.
My hand tightened around my phone. “I had a change in schedule.”
“Well, next time, you should communicate that to me directly.”
“Right,” I muttered. “I’ll find another way. Bye.”
I hung up before I lost it and said something like thanks for nothing. Tossing my phone onto the sofa, I slumped on the cushion next to it. “Fuck.”
My chest heaved with anger at my dad over his power play. After last night’s commotion at work and Maya’s looming departure, this was the final straw. I took a couple of deep breaths to clear my head.
It was alright. I could book a car to Maya’s building and arrange for the driver to make multiple stops. I’d have to pay extra, especially given the Friday traffic, but I’d do whatever it took.
I sat up as an idea came to me.
Tala.
Chapter Forty-One
Cam
I walked down the stairs of the Meridian for the last time. It should have felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. No more forced interactions with strangers who looked down on me. No more faked smiles. No more sleeping in a room that wasn’t mine in a city miles away from the nearest beach.
No more Alonzo.
As I reached the sidewalk, a sleek silver car honked, its hazard lights blinking. The driver’s side door opened and Alonzo stepped out, keeping an eye out for passing vehicles. As he turned and looked at me, I froze in place. It seemed like every inch of my being was attuned to him, and my inner voice shouted, That’s your person. Don’t let him go.
He smiled, and all of me broke into chaos and settled into place at once. Distantly aware of how foolish I looked staring at him, I forced myself to continue walking. When we met in front of the passenger side door, I said, “What happened to your car?”
