Page 60 of Another Day (Every Day 2)

He’s up now. I want to ask what happened. I don’t want to know what happened.

“I’m gonna go,” he says. Then, out of the blue, he kisses me. I want to believe it’s for me, but it’s for her. I know it’s for her.

I don’t want it.

“Thanks, baby,” he says. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

That’s it. He’s not turning back. I watch him even after he’s gone.

I have done this. This was all me. Setting the trap, then getting caught in it.

I look at Ashley as I sit back down. She looks like she’s witnessed a car accident. Or maybe she was the driver.

“I’m sorry,” she tells me again.

“No,” I say, “it’s my fault. I should’ve known. I told you that you don’t understand. You can’t understand us.”

The waitress is back, asking if we want dessert. I say no, just the check. She has it ready.

“I’ll get it,” A says.

“It’s not your money,” I point out. “I’ll pay.”

I text Justin to say I’m sorry. I tell him I’ll call him as soon as I’m home. It’s awful, but I wish Ashley had driven herself. I wish we could stop the night here. I am grateful that A will wake up in another body tomorrow. I am grateful I’ll never have to see Ashley again.

It’s only by separating them that I can hold on to A, and everything that happened before we got to this restaurant. But even still—we’ve done some damage. A hasn’t hurt me…but she’s allowed me to hurt myself. Which is almost the same thing.

When we get back to my car, she tells me again that she’s sorry. I see why Justin gets sick of it when I say it so much.

After a while, she gives up. She realizes I need her to be quiet.

Finally, we get to her house.

“I had a great time,” she says. “Until.”

“Yeah,” I say. “Until.”

“He’ll be fine. I’m sure he just thinks I’m this crazy California girl. Don’t worry about it.”

Pointless. What a pointless thing to say.

“I’ll talk to you,” she tells me.

If we’d come here straight from the woods, I wonder what would be happening now. Whether I’d kiss her even though she’s Ashley. Whether we’d feel invincible.

“I’ll talk to you,” I echo. Even though I have no idea what we’ll have to say.

I can’t worry about A now.

I have to get Justin back.

Chapter Fourteen

I don’t wait until I get home. I drive away from Ashley’s house, turn a few corners, then pull over by the side of the road and call him.

He hasn’t texted me back, and I’m worried he won’t pick up. But he does.

“What’s up?” he says. I can hear the TV loud in the background.