“Oh you will, will you?” Julie crooned, liking the sound of that. Then she looked up . . . and froze. Standing underneath the bright red-and-white umbrella of the snack stand was Ashley. She stared hard at Julie and Carson, her eyes blazing.
Julie dropped Carson’s hand. “Um, you know what?” she stammered. “I actually need to go change out my putter.” It was a stupid excuse—all the putters were the same. “I’ll be right back.”
“Um, okay?” Carson said, confused. But Julie was already halfway down the sidewalk, anger coursing through her veins.
“What do you want?” she snapped at Ashley, who was lounging at a metal picnic table drinking lemonade. Julie noticed that Ashley was wearing the Alice + Olivia turquoise jeans that Julie hadn’t been able to afford, and a billowy white top almost the same as her own, except that Ashley’s was too low-cut and had some kind of stain on the shoulder.
Ashley smiled. “Can’t a girl come say hi to her friend? You know, Julie, I just think you’re the cat’s pajamas.”
“Please, Ashley.” Julie hated the tremor in her voice. It sounded like weakness. She tried to stand up a little straighter. “Please don’t tell anyone about what you know. What can I do to change your mind?”
Ashley’s eyes flashed. “That’s not how this works. Unlike the rest of your little army of minions, I don’t blindly follow orders.” She nodded in the direction of the group, then broke out into a smile. “I just wanted to see you in your natural habitat one last time. Enjoy your final moments of freedom.”
“Ashley—”
“Save your breath for someone who cares.” Ashley threw her lemonade in the trash and walked out.
Julie stood there, watching Ashley’s retreating form, stunned. Surely she wouldn’t really reveal her secret. But what if she did? What would happen if everyone found out—if Carson found out? Suddenly, all Julie could think about was her last school, after word of her secret got out. No one would talk to her. She ate lunch alone in the bathroom. People cleared a wide path for her in the halls, worried they would catch a disease from her, her house was so dirty.
The worst part was, she’d known better. She’d been distracted with Carson, and she hadn’t noticed Ashley following her home that day. Normally, she was so vigilant and protective of her secret—it was how she’d maintained her status for so long. This was why she had rules not to date. Not only because she couldn’t let anyone in, but also because she ran the risk of losing her head. And now she had.
She turned back to the rest of the group, pasting a smile on her face. Enjoy your final moments of freedom. Whatever Ashley was going to do, she was going to do it soon.
And then everything would come crashing down around her. Again.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
FRIDAY NIGHT, ALEX AND AVA stood beneath the glowing marquee of the Majestic Theater, out on their first dinner-and-a-movie date in far too long. Raindrops glittered in the multicolored lights. A small crowd of moviegoers milled around beneath the overhang, most of them college kids dressed in thrift-store sweaters and chunky scarves. They talked in animated voices and passed around clove cigarettes.
“You’ve been awfully quiet all night,” Alex said, taking Ava’s hand.
Ava looked up at him, her heart humming in her chest. He was wearing a soft flannel shirt and dark-wash jeans. Tonight, his unkempt curls and five o’clock shadow didn’t look scruffy so much as . . . arty. She noticed some of the college girls glancing their way enviously, and smiled.
“Oh, I’m just thinking about the movie,” she said. They’d just gotten out of a showing of Wings of Desire. Ava had never seen anything like it. It didn’t have much of a plot, but it was about angels following people around Berlin, listening to the humans’ thoughts. She wasn’t sure she’d understood it, but it was weird and sad and beautiful, and it made her miss her mother.
Alex fumbled with his umbrella and held it high over her head as they walked toward his car. “Isn’t it cool? I saw it for the first time in German class and it blew my mind. I wish Granger showed us more foreign stuff like that. All the old Hollywood movies he shows are great, but they’re all kind of the same, you know?” His lips twisted into a slightly arrogant smirk. “Of course, I don’t think he’s smart enough to teach anything really challenging.”
An icicle formed in her gut at the mention of Granger. “He’s smarter than you think,” she murmured. Maybe even smart enough to get away with murder.
Alex glanced at her sidelong. “Why are you defending him?”
“I’m not,” Ava snapped. “You know I don’t like him. I just don’t think that because he’s an asshole, he’s dumb. He’s clearly smart, to get away with what he’s been doing.”
“Okay, okay.” Alex raised his hands, palms up, and looked apologetic. “It’s just that that guy gets creepier all the time. Yesterday morning he was up at six AM digging in the backyard.”