Page 91 of When I Picture You

We’re getting a Lola movie?????

?

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Renee frowned into her suitcase. She’d stopped by her hotel room to pack for New York. Her bed, covered in clothes, looked like the site of the recent vaporization of several goth teenagers. The problem with a mostly black wardrobe was that visually, it made packing confusing.

Renee was dreading this trip. She hadn’t been back to New York since she left with her tail between her legs. Her RSVP to the Fall Reception was still unsent. Twice she’d filled out the form to decline, only to have Dragan’s voice in her head sayingI want to see you therestop her from hitting submit. She’d decided to decide later. She already had to bring her black jumpsuit, her only nice outfit, to wear to Lola’s gala—she could rewear it if necessary.

When her phone buzzed, Renee snatched it up, eager for distraction.

Kadijah texted,Deborah came into Prince’s and she said you’d been out here and didn’t tell me?

Renee groaned. She hadn’t talked to Kadijah in weeks.

I wasn’t in Fellows, I went up north to the lake house.

I thought you were too busy working to return my texts, but you got time for a whole vacation.

Wait

Renee

Did you go up there with her?

Andthiswas the problem with secretly dating a closeted celebrity: you had to evade the legitimate questions of people you were only ever honest with.

If I had, that would be a good reason not to tell you.

You took LOLA GRAY to your mom’s lake house?

Renee’s heart was bursting with feelings for Lola, her head filled with thoughts of her, and she didn’t have a single person to talk to about it. Even still, she wasn’t sure she would have been ready to tell Kadijah if she could have. Kadijah, with all their polyamory and ethical non-monogamy, fancied themself a relationship guru, and Renee, a delinquent. Renee didn’t want Kadijah’s teasing about Walk Away Renee’s avoidant attachment style.

Instead of responding, Renee counted out twice the pairs of underwear she’d realistically need for a five-day trip. The screen lit up several times before Renee looked again.

Wait but why

For the movie? I thought she had covid