Page 73 of The Love Interest
I walk back through the house. I pass Donnie, who is sitting at his computer. His watery eyes follow me as I pass.
That wasn’t very Nice, Caden.
Honestly, I don’t really care about that right now.
She gasps. I’ll pay for saying that later, I know I will, but I can’t stress about that now. I pull out my phone and stare at the contact list. It reads:
Juliet.
And then, beneath hers:
Dyl.
I want to call Dyl, but Kaylee is listening, so I press Juliet’s name. It rings twice and she picks up. “Did you talk some sense into him?”
“I tried my best.”
“Was it good enough? Did he at least explain why he broke up with her? I think that’s what’s hurting her the most, she thinks she screwed up royally in some massive way that she can’t remember.”
“It’s not something she did, it’s something he’s done. But he seemed to be in a daze. I think it’s best that he tell you himself, if he wants you to know. It’s pretty private, and I feel weird knowing it myself.”
“Fair enough. Caden, hang on, Natalie wants to talk to you.”
I hear the muffled sound of the phone being passed from one hand to another.
“Caden?” says Natalie.
“I’m here.”
She lets out a tired sigh. “Juliet, I want to talk to Caden in private. Is that okay? Caden, are you alone?”
I hear a door shut through the speaker.
I turn around. I’m on the sidewalk, surrounded by silent houses. Two blocks down, an old woman is clipping a hedge with a massive pair of shears. Other than that, the entire street looks deserted. “Yeah, I am.”
“Did you speak to Trevor?” Her voice is soft. “Did he tell you if he was going to get back together with me? Like, ever? Or are we officially done?”
“It’s not my place to say, Natalie. I’m so sorry, I don’t want to screw things up by telling you things he doesn’t want you to know. I couldn’t live with myself if I made things worse between you.”
A harsh sob sounds. “There never used to be anything he didn’t want me to know.” She laughs a harsh laugh. “I’m dead. This is it, I’m dead.”
“Natalie, don’t hurt yourself over this. He’s just a guy, and even though you love him you’ll get better in time. You’ll eat ice cream and watch movies that make you cry and then you’ll get better. Don’t you dare kill yourself over this.”
“You’re not listening to me,” she says, her voice cold and clinical. “If he dumps me, I’m dead. Do you get what I’m saying, Caden? If Trevor breaks up with me I’m dead.”
I picture her perfect eyes, her flawless skin, and impossibly white teeth. The extraordinary, almost unnatural length of her eyelashes. Her faultless model’s body.
She’s like me.
She’s a Love Interest.
I force myself to say, “Meet me at the lookout.”
***
Natalie is sitting upright on the lookout bench, running her fingers through her hair. Her eyes are red but her cheeks are dry.
“You’re…” I say as I step toward her.
