“Huh. Anyway, I’m so glad I found you, because I have news. Dyl invited a bunch of scientists to this party. Or, his aunt did. Apparently she has a bunch of connections in the industry. This is, like, seriously life-changing stuff. If I can get one of them to even think about giving me an internship, this could affect the rest of my life. Seriously, Caden, this could be the start of my career. See, look, there!” She points to an Indian man standing beside the punch bowl. “That’s James Batra. He’s the son of Jairam Batra, and they both work at Harvard. Look at that, James freaking Batra at the same party as me.” She runs her fingers through her hair.
This is … unexpected. The scientists obviously mean that Dyl is still playing the game. Or maybe he isn’t? Maybe he just wanted to do one last nice thing for Juliet? That’s totally something he’d do. But why didn’t he tell me? No, he’d have told me if he were just being kind, so he’s still competing. I can’t be mad, I told him to keep fighting after all, but I guess I just didn’t expect him to try this hard.
“Should I talk to him?” asks Juliet. I blink, then realize she’s talking about the scientist. “I don’t want to seem overeager or anything, even though I am. What should I do, Caden?”
“Be yourself. It’s enough.”
Her gaze softens. “You’re amazing, you know that, right? This incredible thing is happening to me and the first thing I wanted to do was tell you about it. I know we haven’t defined our relationship, but I like you a lot, and …”
Kiss her now! She wants you to!
I …
Kiss her right now! I’m not asking, Caden.
I step closer so that our bodies are almost touching. Her eyes go wide but she doesn’t pull away.
“Caden, what are you …”
I lean forward, tilting my head to the side. My lips are right beside hers. I pause, because I …
Keep going, Caden. If you stop now I’ll …
I know what you’ll do, Kaylee.
I close my eyes and kiss her. Her lips are even softer than Dyl’s, and sweeter. It feels nice, tender and soft. Yet it doesn’t claw at my chest like kissing Dyl did, and a part of me knows it never will. She tilts her head to the side and kisses me again, her hand curling inward against my chest. I pull back and meet her eyes.
This is it: the grand finale. Am I doing this? Can I do this? Tears form in my eyes and I blink rapidly to get rid of them before Juliet notices. My heart aches, the pain so strong it almost knocks me to my knees. I have to do this. I have no choice. He must know I have no choice, just like he had no choice but to keep fighting for Juliet. I can already tell that I’ll hate myself for the rest of my life if I open my mouth. But the worst part of it is that I know, and I think I’ve always known, that when it came to this moment I would go through with it.
“I love you, Juliet,” I say. My voice comes out clear and strong, just how I practiced it. “I think I always have, ever since I first met you all those years ago. And now I’m telling you all the things I wish I had had the courage to say back then. If you want me to be your boyfriend, all you have to do is ask.”
There. It’s done.
She closes her eyes. “Caden, I like you too, and I want to be your girlfriend, and you have no idea how happy I feel right now that you said that. But like I said, there are a lot of people here who could start my career and that matters a lot to me. So I know this is going to suck to hear, but would it be okay if I pause this conversation and talk to them?”
“Juliet, I’d be upset if you didn’t. Go crush it. I know you will. I’ll be waiting.”
She grins, takes in a deep breath, and makes her way across the room. James Batra looks up from his cup of punch and smiles at her. She shakes his hand, and they start to talk.
I need to sit down. I feel light-headed and dizzy, like I could faint at any second. That was so close. The night isn’t over yet, and she didn’t give me a concrete yes, which means the contest isn’t over. For now, Dyl is safe, which is the only thing that matters. Still, the queasy feeling lingers, and I know if I don’t sit down soon I’ll throw up. I almost killed Dyl. How could I do that? What’s wrong with me? I scan the crowd. Yes! There! Across the deck is a spare seat. I take a step toward it.
The lights snap off and a piano starts to play. Everyone goes totally still. A spotlight illuminates, revealing Dyl. He’s standing at the end of the deck in an all-white suit. A single red rose is in his hand. He steps forward to stand in the center of the light.
Oh no.
“Juliet,” says Dyl. He’s wearing a microphone, so his deep voice booms around the entire room. “Where are you?”
Juliet places her cup down on the table and walks out onto the deck. Everyone has stopped what they were doing to watch them.
“Dyl, what are you doing?”
He steps forward to stand right in front of her. The spotlight moves, illuminating them both. It looks like the two of them are the only people on the deck.
“There are some things I want to say to you, Juliet, but it’s hard, because you’re wearing that glossy stuff on your lips you wear sometimes depending on how fancy you want to be. I’m just a guy standing before you, and you’re so beautiful I never get tired of looking at you.” He licks his lips and smiles. “I’d steal a blue French horn for you if you wanted one, because I don’t know how to quit you. If I was marrying someone else I’d say your name at the altar. Our story is epic, Juliet. And I know that every single possible way to say I love you has already been said, which is why I didn’t try to be original. But I love you, Juliet. And I hope you love me too.”
He extends the rose.
The crowd leans forward.
“I—I—” stammers Juliet. “I’m sorry, Dyl, I really am. But—” Her eyebrows furrow. Dyl’s mouth drops open and his eyes fill with tears. He knows it’s done. He knows he’s done. “This whole thing, it’s not for me. It was all for you! And I don’t want to be a bit player in the spectacle of your life. I’m my own person, Dyl. And on top of all that, I’m sorry, but I love someone else, and I want to be with him. I don’t want to be with you. Not now, not ever.”
Juliet spins and walks away. In the bright glow of the spotlight, Dyl’s face falls and his shoulders slump.
Game over.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-SIX
I drop my glass. It hits the ground, and I do nothing but watch as the liquid sloshes onto the wooden slats of the deck. Around me, snorts of laughter break out.
Congratulations, Caden! That’s enough for them. It’s done. You won! And I’m sorry about threatening you before, I just thought you might need an extra push to seal the deal. Now, I have a date, so I have to go. Drink something! Celebrate! You did really well.
That’s enough. They’re going to kill Dyl.
The boy who stood outside my window, the boy who drove me through the night, the boy who is obsessed with rock music and who is so much nicer than me, the kind of guy who should’ve been a Nice. I picture him waiting outside my room, framed by my chipped wooden window frame.
He’s about to die.