I pull out my phone. Send a message.
ME:
-Gio?
-It's almost time. You on your way?
No answer. Hm. My stomach twists. He hasn't opened any of them. Nothing. I stare at the three grey dots that do not appear. Maybe he's driving. He shouldn't text while he's driving.
That's good. That's responsible. Right.
Good job, Gio.
Safety first, I love that for you, I hate that for me.
I try to stay calm. Maybe he's just busy with his mom. Maybe I'm overthinking. If something had happened…he would've told me. Right? He's at home. That's what he said.
He's coming. I believe it. I have to.
…
Shit. Another thirty minutes. My knee is bouncing so fast. I'm pretty sure I've circled the same ten feet of terminal at least six times, running my fingers through my hair like I'm trying to rip it out of my skull.
I've called. Again. And again. Voicemail. Voicemail.
That's it. He's not coming. He's not fucking coming.
"He's not coming," I say. "He's not gonna make it."
Daisy stands up. "Rava—"
"No. No, don't—please." I sit down on the cold tile floor with my elbows on my knees, and my head in my hands.
He fucking promised.He promised me. And I believed him. Why isn't he answering? Why won't he pick up? Did something happen? Did he change his mind? Did he remember that I'm just the stupid little kid he used to roll his eyes at and decide I'm not worth the trouble after all?
Or worse—did something happen to his mom? My hands are shaking. I don't know. I don't know anything. And I fucking hate not knowing. I just want someone to tell me what's going on. Just tell me why he's not here.
The announcement comes through.
Flight to Toronto. Gate 12. Now boarding.
It's real. I try to close my eyes and open them again like a fool. It's not a nightmare. Everything inside me shuts down. The world around me becomes pure static. The voice on the speaker, people saying goodbye, doors hissing open, none of it registers clearly anymore.
I want to cry. I want to cry like someone just pulled the ground out from under me and told me to keep fucking walking.
My mom wraps her arms around me. It should help.
It doesn't. Not even a little.
He said he'd be here. He promised. I pull away and look at her. "Did you try calling him again? Or his mom?" She nods slowly, with sympathy already in her eyes. "I did, sweetheart. You saw me try. There's still nothing."
I shake my head. "No. No, this doesn't make sense." I know Gio. I know the chaos, the carelessness, the rough edges.
Butthis?Leaving me like this?
This isn't Gio. It can't be.
I swallow hard. Trying to think of a possible reason why. He wouldn't do this to me. He wouldn't. But what if he didn't change his mind? What if something happened and I just don't know?
