Page 83 of Okay, Cupid

“It’s okay, I promise. It’s just a movie.” He turns away from me.

Right, except it’s not just that. I should go home; I should leave now before I dig my hole even deeper.

But then I hear the footsteps, and Huy’s little sister, Hương, comes to the top of the stairs.

“Huy, Dad said come down for dinner.”

“Okay, we’ll be right there.” Huy closes the laptop and sets it on his nightstand. But she doesn’t leave the doorway.

“Why is a boy in your bed?”

“Hương, Jude isn’t a boy, they’re nonbinary. I told you.”

“Okay, so why is another person in your bed? Are you two dating?”

“Just go back downstairs—we’ll be there in a second!” Huy reaches for one of his pillows, chucking it at the doorway, but Hương is gone before it even hits the floor. “I’m sorry about her.”

“It’s okay.” I think he’s talking about the misgendering, but it’s her dating comment that leaves its mark. “I, um … I actually don’t think that I can stay for dinner.”

“Oh.” He looks even more hurt. “Are you sure? My dad made extra for you.”

“Yeah.” I stand up from the bed. “I forgot, I’m supposed to be home.”

“You could take it to go, we’ll get you Tupperware.”

“I’m sorry. I should go.”

I don’t wait for him; I just step out of the bedroom and start racing down the stairs. Unfortunately, Huy is right behind me.

“Jude, slow down. What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing,” I promise him, except it is. It’s everything.

I can’t deal with this anymore.

“I’ll see you soon, okay?” I stop at the door, barely taking the time to slip my shoes back on. I don’t even bother to tie the shoelaces.

“Jude, it’s nice to see you again.” Mr. Trinh comes into the foyer, an apron tied around his waist. “I hope you’re hungry.”

“It’s nice to see you too, Mr. Trinh,” I say to him, and I do mean it. “But I actually have to leave, I’m so sorry.”

“Oh, that’s disappointing. We’ll have to have you over some other time.”

“Yeah,” I tell him. “I’d love that.”

A lie. A flat-out lie.

“At least let me drive you home?” Huy offers.

But I stop him. “You can’t drive with one hand,” I tell him. “I’m fine, I swear.”

“Okay …” I can tell he doesn’t believe me, not for a second.

“Bye!” I shout as I rush out the door, nearly tripping over myself as I go down the stairs.

“Yeah, bye.”

I’m such an embarrassment.