CHAPTER 25
“It’s midnight. What do you think the girls are doing?” Julie asked Matt. “I bet they’re giggling and doing each others’ hair.” She spun around in his swivel chair while he lounged on his bed, adding music to his iTunes library.
“Oh my God, probably!” Matt said in a stupidly high-pitched voice. “Or, like, maybe they’re talking about Robert Pattinson! Or Justin Bieber! Oh my God!”
“I can’t believe it. Matthew! You made a reference to pop culture.” Julie clapped her hands to her cheeks, feigning utter delight. “Actually two references. I’m stunned and so proud.”
“I’m incredibly well-rounded. And it’s almost one, not midnight.”
“Really?” Julie couldn’t believe how late it was. She’d been hanging out in Matt’s room for hours, listening to music. It turned out that there was, shockingly, some overlap in their musical taste.
“Seriously, I think things went well. You can’t deny that your sister was completely excited for this party. She looked awesome, and she got the best gift for Rachel. Plus, Flat Finn is totally hidden in that bag. Nobody will know.”
“She did look happy,” Matt admitted. “Maybe you were right. I met Rachel for a minute when I dropped Celeste off. She actually seems like a nice girl.”
“Will wonders never cease? I would’ve assumed Rachel was a complete hellion.” Julie smirked. “Why aren’t you out tonight? Celeste is gone for the first time, so you should be taking advantage, don’t you think?”
“Not with my parents gone for the weekend. I wouldn’t feel right.”
“I’d be here! Where’d they go again?”
“I don’t remember. A Harvard retreat in Maine.”
“Oh.” Julie stopped spinning in the chair. “I’m sorry. You must be fed up with being left in charge.”
“Well, once in a while they get tired of the local takeout and need to venture elsewhere to assess the culinary situation in other cities. I understand that.”
“I accept your deflection and raise you another question. How was your date with Dana last night? I haven’t heard from her all day. Where did you take her? You should be out with her again tonight.”
Matt put on a new song. “We had dinner together.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“Details!”
“We ate at a Portuguese restaurant in Central Square. I had codfish cakes for an appetizer and then stewed octopus with potatoes and red wine sauce.”
Julie sat patiently, waiting for him to say more. “That’s it?”
“I don’t think that I’d order the octopus again. I’m still tasting the tentacles.”
“Come on, Matt. Did you like her? What did you wear? Are you going out again?”
“I’m not sure.”
“I can see I’ll get nowhere fast on this subject. Like most subjects with you. God forbid you spontaneously produce informative dialogue on your own.” She glared at him. “Excuse me, I have to make a phone call about a study group.”
“At this hour?”
“College students don’t go to bed until at least three. It’s a college requirement. You sign a contract when you’re accepted.”
She pulled her cell from her pocket and dialed.
Dana picked up right away. “Hey. You calling for info on last night?”
“Of course.”
“It was interesting.”
“Elaborate.”
“What did he say?”
“I don’t have my notes in front of me. Sorry.”
“Matt is standing right there, isn’t he?”
“Absolutely.”
“We had dinner. He paid, which was nice. It’s true that he’s not physically my type, but I couldn’t have cared less. You know, there’s something rather sexy and mysterious about him. He had excellent manners and was totally sweet and polite. And you were right. He is smart as hell. I don’t know why you’ve never let me come over to the house, because he’s not completely abnormal. Fine, he is a little bit, but I liked him.”
“So you found the article I gave you helpful. How did the study group end for you?”
“You want to know if we messed around?”
“Yes.”
“He is a delicious kisser.”
Julie nearly dropped the phone. “I’m sorry. I didn’t quite get your interpretation. I’ve never heard that fact before.”
“Seriously. He’s totally fantastic. We made out in the car in front of my apartment. He’s got great hands too. He did this cool thing where he slid his fingers under—”
“OK, OK. I get the gist. That’s…That’s very good to know. When is the next group getting together?”
“Oh, lord, I’m not going out with him again.”
“The study group is losing members?”
“Hell, yes.”
“Even after the good grades?”
“First of all, he talked the entire time. The entire time.”
“Really? About what?”
“That leads into the second issue.”
“Which is?”
“And before you say anything, no, it wasn’t the Evolution is Following Me shirt.” Dana laughed. “Jules, you have a major problem.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You’ll figure it out. That’s all I’m saying. Look, he’s a great guy, he’s just not for me. Anyway, I have to go. I’m outside Jamie’s dorm.”
“Are you kidding me? That sounds like a dumb idea.”
“Hey, I’m weak. Sue me. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
Julie hung up. Matt had loaded a new playlist and was tapping his foot. Why had Dana said that thing about his hands? And his kissing? Ugh. How was she ever going to look at him again? She wasn’t supposed to know stuff like that about Matt.
“Sorry,” she said. “Important stuff about my study group.”
“Sounded like it. I’m going to get something to drink.” Matt stood up. “And how’s Dana?”
“Oh.” Julie looked away. His stupid hands seemed to be ridiculously noticeable all of a sudden. “Ahem. She’s fine. Sorry.”
Julie groaned to herself after Matt stepped out. How mortifying. And now she had to erase the image of him engaging in anything other than pecking at the keyboard, making sandwiches for Celeste, or folding geeky T-shirts.
Julie heard the house phone ring, and she quickly sat up.
A few minutes later she heard Matt race down the stairs, and then noises echoed up to his room. What was he doing?
Julie hurried downstairs. “Matt?”
She found him in the kitchen, furiously checking all the cubbies on the wall. “Where the hell are my keys?” He touched his jean pockets and then scanned the countertops.
“I think they’re hanging by the front door. Where are you going?”
Matt brushed past her, and she followed him into the hallway.
He stopped as he grabbed the door handle and then turned around and faced her, furious. “I told you. God damn it, I told you, Julie!” He was screaming at her now.
She took a step back. She’d never seen him look like this. “What are you talking about?”
“Rachel’s mother just called from the party. Celeste is having a meltdown.”
“What happened?” Julie took her sweatshirt off of the coat rack and started to follow him out. “She seemed so sure of herself.”
“No!” he said pointing at her. “You are not coming with me.”
“Matt? Please. I can help. I can talk—”
“No! You did this, I’ll fix it.”
Matt slammed the door behind him.
Frantic, she walked back and forth, roaming from room to room. Finn. Finn would know what to do.
She messaged him, praying he was around.
Finn, are you there? I screwed up. Really badly. The sleepover I told you about went terribly. Matt is getting her now, and I don’t know what to do. They’ll never forgive me. Maybe you won’t either.
Finn was nowhere to be found online. Julie couldn’t even remember where he was now. Back in Africa? Yugoslavia? Turkey? The Netherlands? Libya? Oh, for Christ’s sake, that wasn’t it. Nobody goes to Libya. She waited another few minutes and then sent another message, her hands shaking as she tried to get the words out:
Please, Finn. I need you. I don’t know what to do. Maybe you’re angry with me now too, but tell me how to make this better. Or at least less dreadful.
Peeking out the window every few minutes was not bringing Celeste home any faster, so she sat on the couch in the living room. Maybe it wasn’t that bad. Matt had a tendency to overreact when it came to his sister. He didn’t give her enough credit. Still, Julie felt her stomach knot up with dread because as much as she wanted them to get home, she also didn’t want to face them.
Finally, the Volvo pulled into the driveway. Julie swung the door open and watched as Matt rounded the front of the car and opened the passenger door. She couldn’t stand this, and she looked away for a moment, trying to regroup. Then Matt was walking toward her, Celeste in his arms, an awful mix of rage and fear in his eyes. His sister—her friend—looked like a little kid, her arms around his neck and her head buried in his shirt, her body trembling as she sobbed uncontrollably. The anguish in her crying was crushing.
Julie’s heart broke.
Celeste had come undone.