They stay with me on the bench until the sunlight dips behind the trees, and then they walk me from le jardin back to Résidence Lambert. When we
arrive, the lobby is empty. Everyone is stil out enjoying the nice weather.
“I need to talk to Mer,” I say.
“Oh, no, you don’t,” Rashmi says. “Give her time.”
I slink into my room, scolded, and pul out my key.The night I lost it, I’d just left it in my room. The Beatles thump from the wal between Mer and me, and I remember my first night here. Is “Revolution” covering the sound of her crying? I tuck the key back into my shirt and flop onto my bed. I pop up and pace my room, and then lie back down.
I don’t know what to do.
Meredith hates me. Étienne has disappeared, and I don’t know if he likes me or hates me or thinks he made a mistake or what. Should I cal him? But
what would I say? “Hi, this is Anna. The girl you made out with in the park and then ditched?You wanna hang out?” But I have to know why he left. I have to know what he thinks about me. My hand shakes as I put my phone to my ear.
Straight to voice mail. I look at my ceiling. Is he up there? I can’t tell . Mer’s music is too loud to hear footsteps, so I’l have to go up. I check my reflection.
My eyes are puffy and red, and my hair looks like an owl pel et.
Breathe. One thing at a time.
Wash your face. Brush your hair. Brush your teeth, for good measure.
Breathe again. Open door.Walk upstairs. My stomach churns as I knock on his door. No one answers. I press my ear against the drawing of him in the
Napoleon hat, trying to hear inside his room. Nothing. Where is he? Where IS he?
I go back to my floor, and John Lennon’s scratchy voice is stil blasting down the hal . My feet slow as I pass her room. I have to apologize, I don’t care what Rashmi says, but Meredith is furious when she opens her door. “Great. It’s you.”
“Mer . . . I’m so sorry.”
She gives a nasty laugh. “Yeah?You looked real y sorry with your tongue lodged down his windpipe.”
“I’m sorry.” I feel so helpless. “It just happened.”
Meredith clenches her hands, which are oddly ring-free. She’s not wearing any makeup either. In fact, she’s completely disheveled. I’ve never seen her
look anything but polished before. “How could you, Anna? How could you do this to me?”
“I ... I ...”
“You what? You knew how I felt about him! I can’t believe you!”
“I’m sorry,” I say again. “I don’t know what we were thinking—”
“Yeah, well , it doesn’t matter anyway. He’s not choosing either one of us.”
My heart stops. “What? What do you mean?”
“He chased me down.Told me he wasn’t interested.” Her face reddens. “And then he went to El ie’s. He’s there right now.”
Everything turns hazy. “He went to El ie’s?”
“Just like he always does when there’s trouble.” Her voice changes to smug. “Now how does it feel? Not so hot anymore, huh?” And then she slams her
door in my face.
El ie. He’s choosing El ie. Again.