Page 31 of Dahlias, Sapphires, and Cool Autumn Dusk
Lunch ended, and I didn’t manage to eat a bite. Everyone got up, and Julian leaned over to whisper in my ear, “Baby, don’t worry about the Maggie thing. You’re with us now. You’re all good.”
He was wrong, but I would figure out how to handle it when it happened, just another ghost I would drag around until it exploded. I shook my head, realizing Julian’s play was going to resonate with me for a while.
Sarah nudged my shoulder. “It’s sweet they did that. I’m not surprised, since you seem to be good friends with the Lents, but someday I want the story. You’ll have to tell me how you managed to befriend the most unfriendly group of people ever.”
I shook my head. “Don’t talk about their family like that.”
She lifted her eyebrows, beaming at me. “I like that. You’re loyal, too. No problem. I’ll be loyal to you, you be loyal to me, and I won’t speak about the Lents like that again.” She shook her head, glancing around as if afraid to add, “You know girls like Maggie don’t go away forever. They’re like the plague. They flare up every so often.”
Phoenix watched us but gave us some space.
“How do you avoid it?” I asked her. “How did you manage to be you and not get swept up in this world?”
She shook her head. “My family is aplow our way in, ask questions latersetup. You’ll find your way, too. In the meantime, you’ve somehow managed to make friends with Bethany and Tiffany, who absolutely don’t run in the same crowds. Not to mention us. Not bad for your first day.”
I laughed. “You know I don’t ever have friends. Not usually.”
“Well, you’ll have to let me know which way you prefer it.”
One day in and my life is already hardly recognizable.
School endedand I made my way outside, since the twins had practice. Barrett wouldn’t be home until very late—he might have even gone home and come back already. I could probably check on the app, but regardless, he wasn’t near me. I didn’t know where Phoenix was or if he would be coming home. I certainly wasn’t doing the dance again in my own mind.
As if I conjured him, he appeared next to me, skateboard in hand. I wondered if he kept it in his locker, or where he kept it all day, since I hadn’t seen it since morning.
“Going home?” He looked so hopeful, so I almost laughed.
I lifted my brows. “We’re not supposed to say things like that here.”
“Red, we’re skirting breaking all the rules with you. Jeremy’s arm was around you all through lunch. I guarantee it garnered some questions, especially after the Maggie apology, but most people already think you’re dating me. So, yeah, you’re right, but I’m wondering how long we can do this without utterly screwing it up anyway.” He cleared his throat. “Are you, though? Going to the place That Shall Not Be Named?”
I thought about it, because although it was my plan, we didn’t have to head right home. “Are you exhausted?”
He probably should be, but he shook his head. “I took something an hour ago, so I’ll be wide awake for a while.”
I hated that. So much. I didn’t even know where to put all the hate, so I swept it away by blowing out an annoyed breath. I couldn’t fix the situation on the sidewalk—hell, I might never be able to fix it at all. “Okay, you have the board with you. Why don’t we go somewhere where you can skate and I can watch? Doable?”
I didn’t feel like doing my homework. I wanted to watch Phoenix skate, and I didn’t want to overthink it.
“Really?” He shook his head. “For real?”
I laughed, because he sounded as if he truly couldn’t believe it. “Yes, so where can we go?”
“There’s a place below the Manhattan Bridge. We can take the subway, then we’ll have to walk. You up for that?”
I nodded. “Are you?”
He dropped the skateboard, putting one foot on it and offering me a hand. “Jump on, Alatheia. I can’t wait to show you.”
I stepped onto his board like the day when we chased the PI through the streets together. I held on to him and let him lead us away from Pullman. Phoenix didn’t think he could make it through another year of school, but I wasn’t sure either. Maybe we just all needed to make it a different kind of a year?
8
When we reached the skate park, I realized he wasn’t lying about the location. The park was nestled beneath the Manhattan Bridge, literally. There were skaters all over, varying from the too young to be doing that to the practically too old to be doing it too. And everyone in between. The graffiti-covered walls were artistic in places and dirty and mean in others. The sounds of the constant wheels on concrete, plus cheers and grunting bounced around me. I stared at all of it, taking it in.
Phoenix seemed to know everyone, though he outright ignored the little kids on the periphery. By the time dusk tinged the sky pink, only his friends remained.
He introduced me to most of them, but as I sat on the ground watching him, I didn’t think I remembered anyone’s name.Too many new people in my life. Everyone seemed transient and no one stayed very long.
