Page 27 of No Mistakes

I look up towards Ant, but he just holds the same expression, allowing me to release the pain I’ve been holding in.

“Even if I showed up randomly… what would I say?” I throw my head back, letting out a low laugh. “Sorry, I let you fall in love with a lie? Sorry, I handed your life to the very monsters I was trying to save you from?”

Ant takes a step forward before crouching down to meet me. He holds his phone out, pointing towards a message. I glance at him before taking the phone.

I scroll through, seeing it's a message thread with Mandy.

Mandy: She’ll be with me tonight. She doesn’t know I’m telling you. Don’t make me regret it, Antonio.

I stare at the message while the feeling of hope creeps up inside of me. “She’s gonna hate me if I show up,” I whisper.

Ant doesn’t blink. Just takes his phone and types a message before pressing play.

“You want her back or not?”

The question throws me off guard. Of course I do. I want her in every breath I take. In every version of my future.

“I’ll go, but first. You’re going to tell me why you were going to meet Mandy.”

EVA

“Are you gonna tell me where we’re going?” I ask, cutting through the silence.

Mandy’s eyes flick towards me. “Thought it’d be good for you to get some air.”

I narrow my eyes, not convinced by her answer. “You hate the cold.”

She smirks, “I made an exception. Just for tonight.”

Suspicion itches it way beneath my skin, she’s lying I can tell. This woman can’t lie for shit. “You’re being weird.”

“I’m always weird.”

I scoff, “Mandy.”

She exhales through her nose, turning down a straight road. “You know how I said I’d arrange for Ant to meet us?”

“Yes…”

Her grip on the steering wheel tightens as she glances at me, just for a second. “Just remember that, at this very moment, I am the one driving.”

I sit forward, twisting in my seat so I’m facing her as all the pieces slam together like a punch to the ribs. She didn’t just arrange to meet Ant. No, god no, because who in their right mind would want to plan first? Not this girl. She’s only gone and arranged it fortonight.

Right. Fucking Now.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me, Mandy,” I stare at her. “You’re lying.”

“Do I look like I’m lying?” She shoots back, not even blinking.

“You can’t just ambush me like this!” I throw my hands in the air. “What the hell, Mandy? You said you’darrangeit, not dump me in the middle of it like some dramatic plot twist!”

“Fucking hell, Eva,breathe.” Her voice is calm, and it makes me even madder.

I gape at her. “Breathe? Oh,sure, let me just take a deep breath, while we drive towards someone who was the root cause of my emotional breakdown.”

She sighs, long and theatrical. “You’resodramatic, did you ever think about taking theatre in school?”

I go to reply, but I notice the car slowing down as Mandy turns off the main road into a car park. Looking around me, I see a Dunkin’s and instantly start cheering up at the thought of usfinallygetting some god damn coffee. Mandy scoffs beside me once she realises what I’m looking at. “Nope. Only if you behave.”