Page 14
Story: A Disaster in Three Acts
The irony of Holden being pissed off about someone cheating is almost too sweet to point out. I’m about to say something when Mara says, “We’re talking about sex, aren’t we?”
Holden chokes on his spit.
“I think you should just talk to Rose,” I say, changing the subject as my cheeks heat. “Tell her how you feel.” I face forward. “Maybe she was just being friendly with that other girl. I hug my friends all the time, but I only share food with people I’m into.”
“Okay,” Mara says heavily.
“Topic change.” Holden points at me. “Did you know your name means ‘healthy’ in French?”
For a second, I’m too confused to speak. “What? No, why would I know that? Why do you know that?”
“I like looking up people’s name meanings.”
“That’s new.” I watch him out of the corner of my eye, my hands sweating around the camera, as if I could spot all this newness on him, like a shirt with the price tag still on it. I fight the urge to film him so I can replay this later and dissect him.
“What’s my name mean?” Mara asks.
“What? Why would I know that?” He stretches up in his seat to meet her eyes in the rearview mirror.
“Eyes on the road.” I reach for my necklace, hot panic flaring in my gut, but of course it isn’t there. I must look as nervous as I feel, because Holden turns to stare.
“Hey,” he says. “You good?”
I let my hand drop and take a deep breath. “Yes.”
“Are you having trouble breathing?” he asks.
“No, I’m fine,” I say evenly. I count in my head,five-six-seven-eight.Let out another breath.
“You hyperventilating or something? You reached for your throat.”
“Your eyes are supposed to be on the road.”One-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight.
“They are,” he says with exasperation. “Forget I said anything.”
I close my eyes. “I was reaching for my necklace, but it’s not there.”
“Did you lose it?” Mara asks. “We should go back to the store.”
“No, it’s okay.” I try to smile at Mara. “My best friend has it. I gave it to her after—” I pause to consider Holden. “When she broke up with you,” I finish in a softer voice. “It was my grandma’s and it helped when I got stressed or whatever. I thought it could do the same for her.” I’m not sure who I’m talking to anymore.
“A necklace isn’t really going to help you in a car accident,” Holden says.
“Well, I wouldn’t need it right now if you hadn’t rear-ended someone last year.” I take a deep breath. “I have, like, PTSD or something.”
I’m being dramatic and, truthfully, really insensitive. I know this. I just don’t think I can trust Holden’s driving even thoughhe technically does everything he should. Last year, Corrine and I were drinking at prom, Holden was sober and he was driving, but we still hit the car in front of us. I’ll never forget what metal crunching against metal sounds like ricocheting in my ears. Never forget the feel of the airbag dust on my skin as Corrine shrieked from the front seat about how her vintage dress was ruined.
“I’m sorry,” he says tightly. “You know that wasn’t my fault, though. That guy from prom—”
“Was an asshole white guy in a Porsche who didn’t need any more handouts in life, and yet you let him in front of you and then he slammed on his brakes to make a turn.”
I stop recording. “We’ll discuss the documentary and stuff later. I don’t want to talk anymore.”
He makes a sound like he wants to protest, but he clamps his mouth shut. The silence leaves a lot of space for me to think about what a mistake this has already turned out to be.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14 (Reading here)
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116