Painting a big red heart.

“We’re on the committee together. We were painting on the spirit rock for prom.” For some reason, I knew this to be true.

“So what’s with the J?” Victor asked. “If it’s not for Jake, who then?”

“Not who,” I said, the lies forming in my mind quickly. “Where.”

Victor stared at me, not buying any of it.

“The prom. The pop-up. It’s at Judaculla Rock,” I said. “I got the J when the committee went to check the park out.”

“It meant so much to you that you stole a car in the middle of the night to track it down when you thought you lost it?”

“Yes. I’m responsible for the swag.” I was amazed by the quality of deceit that had lived dormant inside of me for my entire life. “I was supposed to take it to the 3D lab to print enough so everyone who attends would get one.”

The minutes dragged by as Victor considered all that I’d said. “Sorry, Leathal,” he said. “I guess I’m a little late for the role of jealous boyfriend.”

“It wouldn’t suit you anyway. You’d have no reason to be jealous of another guy.”

Victor smiled, hesitating for only a second before leaning in to kiss me. As far as I was concerned, it was our first kiss. Well, second. He had kissed me before in my original reality. At the time, I was confused about my feelings and I’d kissed him back with equal intensity. This time, I didn’t feel any desire to explore my feelings.

I broke the kiss and opened my door, stepping out before he had the chance to get out of the car. When I leaned back inside, I didn’t know what to say. My eyes met his and I just stood there, wanting so badly for him to know how much I loved him. That I would always love him.

“Yeah, I know,” Victor said.

I gently closed the door, then watched as he backed out of my driveway. Victor turned off my street, and he was gone. As I stood on the brink of my biggest challenge, all I could think about was how numb I felt and how I was more alone in this world than I had ever been.

15

A Month

We sat huddled over one of the microscopic tables in Grinds.

“It sounds like it couldn’t have gone any better,” Anamae said.

“Still sucks,” I said. “Victor was so incredibly sad.”

“I’m sure he was,” Anamae said.

“Ouch.”

“He’ll get over it,” Anamae said, squeezing my hand. “You did him a favor.”

“How’d you make that leap?” I asked.

“Victor was going to break it off, but you saved him the trouble. Since you broke up with him, no one’s going to think it’s weird when he starts dating again.”