I somehow made it down the hallway and could see the light from the front doors just steps away. But every step I took toward the exit, the further it moved away from me, until finally-tick, tick, tick, three, two, one-there was a huge BOOM! behind me!
The walls shook, the windows shattered, the floor rippled. I could feel the heat from the blast, lifting me off my feet, hurtling me airborne, my body flying across the foyer and out the door, the concrete stairs coming to meet me at a rapid pace. Falling, falling...
Falling out of my bed and landing on the floor.
I shook my head awake and untangled my sweaty self from the sheets, realizing I was safe and sound in my very own room. God. What a weirdo. That’s the last time I fall asleep watching Die Hard.
I peeked out the window and saw that it was another sunny, summer day outside, so I grabbed the one-piece off my doorknob and got dressed to go swimming. The pool was almost too warm that time of year, having been steadily heated from the sun all summer long. But in the cool early morning, I knew it would feel just perfect. I didn’t bother testing the temperature with my toes before diving right in, the oasis enveloping me with a watery calm.
It had been almost two whole weeks since my fight with Lisa, and we hadn’t spoken to each other the entire time. It was the longest we’d ever gone without talking to one another-even when she went to Italy for a whole month one summer, we managed to get in a weekly phone call-and it felt really strange not having her there.
There was so much to talk about! I wanted to tell her about the blowjob article in the latest issue of Cosmo, and page one-seventeen had directions for making an awesome, fabric-covered bulletin board. I wanted to tell her how great things had been going with Trip and me, and I knew she must have been dying to fill me in about her plans with Pickford. I wanted to show her the pictures from graduation that my father had finally gotten developed-there was a really great one of she and I, and Dad had ordered two five-by-sevens so we could each take one to school.
To our separate schools, on completely opposite coasts.
Weeks before, when our New York plan was still in effect, Lisa and I had received our housing assignments within days of each other, both of us scheduled to move in to our respective dorms on the same date in August. Just one short day away.
I wondered when she’d be expected to report to Hollywood Arts. I wondered if she was even able to enroll at all. Didn’t they have deadlines out in California? Didn’t Pick need to be there early, too?
I did an Olympic turn at the pool’s edge and pushed off with my feet, loving the feel of strength in my legs and the constant testing of my body’s abilities.
Just one more day.
I came up for air, pausing at the deep end, throwing my arms over the side to hold my head above water.
I thought that Lisa and Pickford must have already left, probably days ago. Surely, they wouldn’t still be slumming around Jersey when a glamorous and exciting city like Los Angeles was awaiting their arrival, right?
Then again... maybe I wasn’t too late.
I hauled my sopping wet body out of the pool and toweled off.
*
I rang the DeSantos’ bell for the first time in years. It had been forever since I actually did that instead of just giving a quick knock and waltzing right on in.
Lisa’s mom answered the door. “Hey, Mrs. D.”
Her eyes lit up, and my heart panged with guilt.
“Layla! How are you, sweetheart? I feel like I haven’t seen you in so long!” She put a hand on my shoulder, ushering me into the house. “I’m glad I get to see you before you take off for the big city. Tomorrow, right?”
“Yes. It’s really weird, I can’t believe it.”
She gave my shoulder a quick rub and yelled up the stairs. “Lis! Layla’s here!” before turning back to me and saying, “Go on up. She’ll be happy to see you.”
Obviously, Lisa hadn’t told her mom about our blowout.
Then she gave me a big hug and added, “Oh, my little girls are both leaving! Where does the time go?”
I hugged her back, but didn’t know what to say. There were too many things running through my mind. So, I just said, “I’m glad I got to see you before I left, too.”
I went upstairs and gave a knock on Lisa’s door-again, another first-and she told me to come in. She was sitting in the middle of the floor, surrounded by boxes and clothes and books and stuff.
“Hi,” I said, a bit sheepishly.
“Hi,” she said back. There was an awkward pause while I was thinking of the right way to launch an apology, but Lisa broke the silence before I could. “Whadja come over to tell me to fuck off in person this time?”
The shocking words hurt, even knowing that I probably deserved them and a whole lot more. I looked at her, ready to face head-on whatever else was coming.
But then I saw the smile eeking its way out from her lips.