“You guys are tolerable,” she clarifies. “Most of the time. I mean, you don’t always have to be together, which is nice.”
“Right, but you think we’re soulmates?” I ask, feeling around for some sort of assurance.No, Jay would never voluntarily break up with you. You guys are so perfect. Couple goals.
She bites her lip. “I don’t know if soulmates exist.”
“They do,” I insist. “Not everyone finds theirs, but when you do, it’s forever.”
I know I sound as love-crazed as Amber, but what is a breakup, or fight, or coma, or a hundred little bumps in the road in the face of forever? And Jason and Icanstill have forever.
She sighs. “I don’t know, Zadie. I think I’m just hangry.”
“Well, wait until you see how much food Jason’s parents got. It’s like they want to feed the whole state.”
Mo snort-laughs. “They better be giving the leftovers to the food bank.”
We walk back inside arm in arm, her mood significantly lifted, but my mind is whirling with questions and doubts.
We’ve just found Amber and Talon at the dining table when Mrs.R stands, eyes bright. “There you are, Zadie! I think I’ve held you in suspense long enough, and I’m so glad I get to do this in front of everyone.”
Immediately my heart starts to beat like a bongo drum in my chest.Oh shit.I never got to talk to Marcus. Maybe he told his aunt that me and Jason broke up. Maybe she’s about to embarrass me in front of everyone.
“Come over here,” she says.
I take faltering steps around the table and to the front of the dining room where she’s standing. I hope my smile is solid, that my eyes are bright, that I look as calm as a cloudless day. Inside, though, I’m barely keeping it together.
And then she reaches into her pocket and holds out something. “The police found the ring!” she squeals.
Instant applause fills the room as I just stare at her.
Finally, I manage to croak, “The…ring?”
Mrs.R nods and opens her palm to show me a gold ring with a small aquamarine stone.
“Oh my God,” I say, because there is a ring. In her hand.
“How…I mean, where…when did they find it?”
“This morning. They found it under the driver’s seat,” she says. “May I?”
Too stunned to do anything else, I nod, and she puts the ring in my hand. Mrs.R hugs me as a chorus ofawwws fills the room.
I swear she can feel my heart hammering in my chest. She can feel my muscles twitching. My feet are ready to run me out of this room to hide under any piece of furniture where I can take cover.
It has to be a coincidence. Someone rode in Jason’s car, dropped their ring in there. Right?
I slide the ring on quietly, reverently, as everybody watches. And then they cheer again.
Okay, but…I think. Maybe Jason bought the ring before he decided to break up with me.
My smile stays firmly in place as everybody applauds; Mrs.R’s eyes are getting teary, and Jason’s father is rubbing her back. The only person who looks even the slightest bit displeased is entering from the far side of the room. I flash back to days ago, to his grin when he told me he knew Jason broke up with me.
And I can’t help it; I’m a little bit smug.
Sure, none of this makes sense.
Sure, any minute now, my delicately woven web of lies is going to strangle me. But for one wonderful moment I am winning, and he is not.
I smile as I twist the ring I’ve never seen before around my finger. It’s slightly big.
