“You what? Go on, Lily,” Tristan said, still demanding an explanation.
“I wussed out,” she admitted. “I’d been through so much I didn’t know how to talk to you anymore. What can I say? I suck.”
“Yeah you do,” he said quietly, his eyes dropping. “I thought you’d been kidnapped. I was going crazy thinking about what could be happening to you. What some psycho could—”
Tristan suddenly stopped and wrapped Lily in a tight hug. Lily knew that he wasn’t the version of Tristan that she had claimed and that she couldn’t mindspeak with him, experience his emotions, or view his memories from the past three months, but it didn’t matter. Lily could feel how devastated he had been and imagine what he’d gone through. She knew him so well.
“I’m really sorry,” she said, feeling terrible.
“You have no idea what I went through. I haven’t forgiven you yet,” he said, letting her go.
“I’m willing to work for it,” Lily replied, smiling. They stayed staring at each other even though Lily could hear people gasping and whispering her name.
“Should I just go away?” asked an amused voice. Lily turned and noticed Breakfast, standing a foot away, waiting for either Tristan or Lily to realize he was there.
“Breakfast! How are you?” Lily exclaimed, hurling herself at him. She and Breakfast hadn’t been close throughout high school, but the night before Lily disappeared, he’d helped Tristan save her life. He’d earned a special place in her heart for that.
“Alive. As are you, apparently,” he answered, blushing ferociously.
“It’s great to see you,” Lily said, a big smile lighting up her face.
“Right back at ya,” he replied heartily, before growing embarrassed again. He looked at Tristan, who was pointedly staring at Breakfast’s hands, and hastily removed them from Lily’s waist. “So, do you want to hear all the rumors about you now, or should I ration it out as the weeks go by?” he said with a devilish grin. “There’s a great one about aliens.”
“Ration it out, please,” Lily replied, groaning.
For the rest of the day Lily felt like she was being examined like a bug under glass. And not just by her fellow students. She spent the morning trapped in the office with the superintendant, the principal, the guidance counselor, and the school nurse. Lily didn’t know if she would have made it through without Rowan with her in mindspeak to keep her sane.
“But can you explain for us why you didn’t tell any of your friends where you were for three months?” the principal asked again.
“I thought things were fine,” Lily said, her eyes saucers of innocence. “I spoke to my mom three times a week, but she got a little confused when I left.”
“She did say that she could hear you,” the superintendant said reluctantly.
“My mother could hear me on the phone—she just couldn’t understand why she couldn’t see me. The whole concept of telephones escaped her there for a bit.”
Worried looks were exchanged over Lily’s head. “How is your mother?” the nurse asked. “Do you feel safe at home?”
“Of course.” Lily tried not to sound too offended or defensive. She wasn’t eighteen yet, and one call from any of them could land her in foster care. “My sister’s been staying at home since I got back, and we have a holistic life coach working with me and my mother.”
Everyone visibly relaxed at the mention of responsible Juliet, but the grilling didn’t end.
“I’d really like to meet your life coach,” the guidance counselor said. “You should have him come in so we can discuss what the school can do to help you get well.”
You know what, Rowan? I think the pyre was more enjoyable than this.
Light yourself on fire, then. That should end the meeting in a hurry.