“Frankie’s psychotic. Gets it from his dad.” I gave her the rundown on Mitch Dowd from what Bibi had told me that morning. “If this guy, Ronan, broke Frankie’s nose, his dad is going to be out for blood.”
Mr. Baskin glanced up from his desk and shot us a warning look. Violet and I pretended to watch the film, though I could practically feel the angst wafting off her like perfume.
After a few minutes, she leaned back to me. “Did Miller mention to you about his mom having a new boyfriend?”
“No. He’s been pretty quiet lately. Why?”
“I think he’s not a good guy. Miller won’t tell me much and I don’t think he’s coming over anymore. I think…”
“What?”
Violet started to speak, then changed her mind. She forced another smile. “Nothing. You’re so lucky, Shi. You know who you are and what you want. You’re going to open your own shop the minute we graduate, and you won’t let anything—or anyone—stand in your way.”
My brow furrowed. “You’re going to med school, Vi. To become a surgeon. No one works harder than you.”
“I know, but sometimes I feel like I’m missing something fundamental that’s putting me off balance. But you’re so…whole.” She smiled faintly and waved a hand. “Never mind me. I’m just being silly. PMS, probably.”
Mr. Baskin cleared his throat, shooting us another look from his desk. Violet took notes on the film while her words churned in my head. I had no idea who my father was, and my mother’s love for me was like a dimmer switch, flickering on the lowest setting. If I was whole, it was because I was holding myself together with a patchwork of glue—my art, Bibi, and my ambition to prove to my mother I wasn’t a mistake.
Not that I ever told any of that to Violet or confided my fears to her the way she did me.
Someday, she’s going to get tired of spilling her guts when I never give her anything in return.
I leaned over to Violet and touched her arm. “Hey. I’m here for you. Anytime. You know that, right?”
She smiled softly and clasped my hand. “Of course. Thanks, Shi.”
But her hand slipped off mine and I couldn’t help but feel she was slipping further away from me too. By the time class was over, I’d decided to bite the bullet and take Bibi’s advice.
Ugh, this is going to suck, but Vi’s worth it.
“You still going to Chance’s party tomorrow night?” I asked as we headed back out into the sunshine.
Her face brightened instantly and then Evelyn Gonzalez swooped in. She looked like Ariana Grande—perfect makeup, tight black clothes, and a ponytail that swept her shoulders.
“Of course, she is,” Evelyn said. “And so is a certain quarterback. There will be alcohol and my infamous version of Seven Minutes in the Closet. It’s going to be lit.”
Violet blushed up to her hairline. “That’s a yes,” she said to me. “Why? Are you—?”
“Nah, just wanted to make sure you weren’t going to be there alone,” I said quickly.
Evelyn took Violet’s hand in hers and swung them as if they were in elementary school. “I’ll never let her out of my sight. Except when she and River Whitmore need their alone-time in the closet.”
I smiled thinly. “Great.”
“You sure you won’t come, Shi?” Violet asked.
Evelyn was watching me, her smile not touching her eyes.
“I have too much work to do,” I said. “But go. Have fun. Be safe.”
“Yes, Mom,” Evelyn said with a laugh and pulled Violet away.
That afternoon, I came home from school to find Bibi in the kitchen squeezing lemons from our tree. Sprigs of mint and basil leaves, also from our garden, lay on the cutting board.
I hugged her from behind and rested my chin on her shoulder. “Your famous, fancy lemonade. What’s the occasion?”
Bibi reached up and patted my cheek. “No occasion. The young man out back needs a break. He’s been weeding that mess for an hour.”