“I don’t want my boyfriend to see us together – he’s jealous.” Her words surprised me, and I felt my heart drop.
“I can understand him…”
“What?” she asked after a short silence.
“You didn’t tell me you had a boyfriend.”
“You didn’t ask…”
“So … that’s it?” I said, not hiding my disappointment.
“That’s it.”
“I have to see you again.”
“I told you – I have a boyfriend.”It felt like someone had kicked a soccer ball straight into my face. I couldn’t breathe.
“How serious is it?”
“Serious.”
“So anyway – what are your plans for tonight?”
“Why should I tell you?”
“Give me a hint … just a small one,” I pushed.
“I have a treatment, in Savyon.”
“Is your boyfriend going with you?”
“My treatments are off-limits.”
“And after that?” I focused on her eyes.
“To my boyfriend, here in Ramat Aviv.”
“Maybe…” I began, but she cut me off.
“Listen, I’m already late; he’ll ask questions. I waited for you more than an hour.”
“Thank you – really, thanks for waiting and for the ride,” I said quickly.I got out of the car, and she waved goodbye. I waved back.I watched her car disappear. The last three digits on the license plate were in sequence – 567. I couldn’t see the rest clearly. At the light on Tagore Street, she turned right and was gone.I stood there staring at the empty road. In two days, I was supposed to fly to Finland with my sister and a friend, and I felt I had to see Lily again before then. Wild plans ran through my fevered mind, only to be rejected one by one so she wouldn’t think I was some obsessive lunatic.Standing there at the intersection, I even considered canceling the trip, but it was too late for that. Besides, Lily had made it clear I didn’t stand a chance.At that point, I had no idea how quickly feeling would overpower reason.
Chapter 3
Stalking in Savyon
After Lily dropped me off and drove away, I spent the whole day in a restless state. I couldn’t erase her image from my mind. I knew that if I could just suppress my thoughts, there was a good chance I’d forget her before I got back from Finland. Logically, that was the best outcome for me. After all, she’d made it clear she had a boyfriend – and more than that, she was sick, on borrowed time, like the department head had said. Two years to live, I told myself. Two years and then no more Lily. Why would I even get involved?But logic was one thing, and emotion another. An uncontrollable urge took over – I had to see her again, at least once more. Suddenly, the perfect plan flashed into my mind: how to “accidentally” run into Lily again. The thought set my whole body buzzing, blowing down the house of cards I’d tried to build. I needed someone to team up with, someone who could get me the information I needed for this mission and also convince me that I wasn’t completely insane.I called Max – who’d be crazy enough to go along with me. I knew he’d be the perfect accomplice for my wild plan. He always knew things before anyone else, asked questions, and gave opinions on everything. He understood things at lightning speed, even stuff he didn’t actually know about. He could get anything and always knew the right people at the right time.
“Do you have a map of Savyon?” I asked when he picked up.
“What??? From where?”
“I don’t know, but get me one. Savyon and Judah-Gardens – better safe than sorry.”
“Have you lost it? From where?” I wasn’t surprised when, a few hours later, he called back to say the map was in his hands.
“Bring a pencil too.”
