She looks at Charlie, who nods like she’s giving her permission for something. “You’re quick to forgive,” Olivia says. “You always have been. You forgave Charlie when she forgot your birthday two years ago.” Charlie looks down at her feet, rolling her sparkling water in her hands. “You forgave me when I decided the Belgian was more important than that piano concert you wanted to go to. And that’s one of the best things about you, because it means you’re willing to look past things and to give people second chances. But the thing is, Rose, some people don’t deserve them.”
“She’s right,” Charlie says.
“She’s family,” I say.
“Says who?” Olivia says. “So you share a last name? Big deal! Your family are the people who know you, the people who are there for you. Rose,we’reyour family. Not Juliet.”
I think about everything that’s happened, about there being no right choice. And there’s one thing I can’t stop, regardless of what choice I make, because it’s no longer up to me.
“Rob is going to find out,” I say.
“Yeah, he is,” Charlie says. She puts an arm around my shoulder as she leads me out of the PL. “But it’s not your problem to deal with. All of this”—she flaps the paper in the air—“is somebody else’s story.”
“I don’t see why you don’t just quit,” Charlie says that afternoon. We’re sitting out in the courtyard even though it’s been drizzling off and on since this morning, and we’re talking about the school play. Charlie has a bottle of nail polish balanced on her palm, and she’s applying a coat of Tough as Nails to her fingertips—a grayish-blackish color she picked up at the mall last weekend. She makes a face at a group of freshmen ogling us, and they take off toward Cooper House, running.
“Because my entire bio grade is depending on this.”
“It’s not like Stanford cares about bio,” Charlie says. She picks one hand up and blows on her nails. “And I’m sure the dean would fully understand if you told him that the price of admission was you watching your evil cousin prance around the stage with your ex.”
“Rob’s suspended,” I correct her.
“For now,” she says.
I catch a glimpse of Len across the courtyard, and it’s like I’m right back at that piano bench with him. My entire body lights up, electrified. He’s talking to Dorothy and he’s wearing a short-sleeved shirt. I can’t remember the last time I saw him in one. One time, in eighth grade, Charlie and I ran into him on the beach, but I don’t even think he had one on then.
“Cute, huh?” Olivia says, following my gaze.
“Who?” I ask, feigning ignorance.
Olivia rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling. “Go talk to him,” she says, nudging me in the ribs.
Charlie is swatting her fingers through the air like she’s trying to get rid of gnats, and when I say, “I’ll be right back,” Olivia gives me a small thumbs-up and Charlie just nods.
I cross the courtyard slowly, but when I get about halfway, Len looks up, smiles, and motions me over. Dorothy gives me a little wave and darts into the cafeteria.
“Look who’s in short sleeves,” I say, trying my best to sound cool when my entire body feels like it’s on fire. His black eye has faded, and I can only make out tiny yellowish marks, little fingerprints on his face.
“I’m just trying to be on level with the people,” Len says, making a fuss of gesturing around. He smiles, and it makes me look away. I’m thinking about being in my house alone together and, despite the fact that everyone is watching, part of me wants to reach out and touch him, to run my fingers through his hair and put my hands on either side of his face.
I take a deep breath. I want to bring up that date, to tell him I think I might want to go, but I’m not sure how.
“You going to be at rehearsal today?” I ask instead.
Len tucks his hands into his pockets. “I pretty much don’t have a choice,” he says. “Without me, there is no lighting crew.No offense or anything.” He looks at me under his lashes. “But you kinda suck.”
I laugh nervously. “Sadly, that’s true.”
He holds up his hands. “So how was the rest of your weekend?”
“Eventful.”
“Interesting.”
“Have you read the paper?”
“I told you I was politically informed,” he says.
“So are you going to say anything?”
