Fish Out of Water (24 page)

His furry eyebrows raise. “Why?”

“It’s just…my friend Shreya got kicked out, so she can’t work at her family’s restaurant. She’s been trying to find a job but it’s not going well.” I bite my lip, nervous that I can’t read his reaction under the mustache. “She just needs something part time, since school is starting in a month. I thought I could at least ask—it’s totally fine if you can’t hire her.”

He snorts. “This is what you’ve been so skittish about?”

“Yes?” I say, happy to have him think that. Clearly he wasn’t as uncomfortable with the make out ambush as I was.

He smiles. “If you haven’t noticed, I have a soft spot for strays. Shreya’s welcome to work here if she wants.”

“Really?” I completely fail at hiding my excitement as I jump. “That’s great! Thank you. She’ll be so happy.”

“Just have her call me when she decides.” He heads into the office. “We’ll work out the details from there.”

“Okay, thanks again!” I practically skip out of the break room. Giving Dylan one quick kiss goodbye, I call Olivia with one hand and unlock my bike with the other.

She answers. “I’m
so
sorry I didn’t call you back. I thought you just wanted to give us the rundown on your date, and I was already trying to take care of Shr—”

“It’s fine, really.”

“I feel like we should have been there, though.”

“And I should have been there for Shrey, but it’s okay. Dylan came.” I get on my bike, but stay where I am. “That’s not why I’m calling, though. Where are you guys? I have a surprise for Shrey.”

“Ooo, what?”

“I want to tell her in person! You’ll blurt it out before I can.”

“Oh boo. We’re actually headed to your house, thought we’d chill out some.”

“Okay, I’ll meet you there.” I hang up and head home. Surely this will make Shreya feel better—I will have restored my good friend status and saved the day all in one fell swoop. Olivia’s bug is already out front when I arrive, and I find them in my room when I get inside.

I bounce next to Shreya on the bed. “Hi!”

She gives me a funny look. “Hi. You’re sure excited. I thought this was a surprise for me.”

“It’s mutually beneficial. So…” I pause for dramatic effect. “Clark said if you want a job, you have one!”

“Really?” The look of shock on Shreya’s face is priceless.

“Really!” I laugh, the idea of working with my best friend too much. “Isn’t that awesome?”

“Yeah. It’s great.” She glances at Olivia, who has an overly bright smile on her face.

“So great,” Olivia says.

I’m not sure what it is, but it seems like they’re not as excited as I imagined they’d be. “I thought you wanted the job.”

“I do!” She smiles wider, but in my gut I know it’s forced. “It’s just surreal. I had no prospects and now I have an offer. Trying to take it in.”

I look to Olivia, who seems to know way more than I do. It makes me squirm, like I’ve done something wrong. Clearly, there’s something Shreya isn’t saying, but I can’t get myself to ask her what she’s really thinking. I’m too scared to hear it.

Chapter 36

Betty looks better today. She’s been in the hospital for nearly a week because of meltdowns so bad that she broke stitches, and she’s not going anywhere anytime soon. The doctors told Dad to stop coming, since sometimes she sees him as her husband or father. He mopes around the house feeling guilty about it.

Now I’m the one who does the visiting mostly, because I can’t stand picturing her in that stark hospital room by herself. Not when she’s been alone for so long. Plus, I seem to be the only person she currently likes. They say it could be because she has no long-term memories of me.

Not sure I find that comforting.

“Can you get me more of these?” Betty holds up the funsize bag of Peanut Butter M&Ms I brought her. She’s like a kid—candy instantly distracts her from a bad train of conversation. I’m armed to the nines.

“Here.” I pull out another, and she snatches it. “Are you being nice to the nurses?”

She frowns as she opens the bag.

“I know it’s not fun to be here, but if you can’t be calm then we can’t take you home. We miss you. The house is so quiet, and Joel is worried.” He’s come to visit her a couple times, too.

She sinks into her pillows more, looking tired. “I’m trying.”

“I know.”

“It’s so hard. Sometimes I forget I had surgery and try to get up or panic because I don’t know where I am or something hurts. I hate this disease so much.”

I put my hand on hers. She’s been so coherent today—and it’s wonderful—but it also hurts because I’ve learned how fleeting it can be. Tomorrow she may not remember any of these thoughts, but more than ever I hope she does. If only she could always be like this. “I hate it, too.”

“I wish the heart attack had killed me,” she says in a whisper.

“Don’t say that.” I squeeze her hand, upset she’d even think that. “I don’t want you going anywhere anytime soon.”

Her eyes are sad when they meet mine. “I might not go anywhere, but my mind will. I’ll be like a dead person, but still alive. Lord Almighty, what a horrible way to die. No, the heart attack should have been it.”

I shake my head. “I’m glad I get to know you. And, believe it or not, I like having you around.”

She smiles a little, and I wonder if that’s what she wanted to hear. Someone wants her. Like Dad said, it means a lot to my grandmother. “I’m glad I was able to meet you before I went. To think I have a granddaughter who has it so together. It’s a miracle.”

I laugh. “I don’t know if I have it together.”

“You do, trust me.”

She means it, I can tell by the way she looks at me. She’s proud, despite all our differences, and I feel more connected to her than ever. I want to hug her, but don’t dare with her condition so fragile. “Can I…call you Grandma?”

Her eyebrows pop up. “You want to?”

I nod.

“I guess it’s all right then.” She looks away, as if embarrassed by my show of affection. “Can’t promise I’ll remember I said that, you know.”

“I know. It’s okay, Grandma.”

She smiles wide. “You better get going, hon. You’ve been here all afternoon—do something fun with the rest of your evening. I’ll be fine.”

I sigh, wanting to but still worried. “You sure?”

“Yes. I’m tired anyway.” She pulls her blankets up. “I’ll try my best to heal. I promise.”

Satisfied with that, I stand. “You can do it. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“I’ll be here.”

Waving as I leave, I pull out my phone the second I’m out of the room. May as well call Dylan. Maybe he can pick me up so I don’t have to take the bus, and then we can do something for once. Between taking care of my grandma and Shreya, my time has been virtually zero. It’s Friday after six, so Dylan should be home, since AnimalZone is closed.

“Hello,” he says, clearly recognizing my number on caller ID. “Please tell me we get to hang out tonight.”

“If you can pick me up from the hospital, yes.”

He asks his uncle, but I can’t hear Clark’s reply. “Sweet, I got the car. I’ll be there as soon as I can. Bye.”

“See ya.” I laugh to myself, picturing his excitement. It sure is nice to be wanted. Can’t deny that.

It takes Dylan about thirty minutes to drive up in front of the hospital. When I hop in the car, he pulls me in for a kiss. “I’m glad you called, because I was this close to begging.”

“Sorry it’s been so crazy.” I settle into the seat, feeling tired and hungry and glad that someone is around to take care of me. “She was doing better today. Hopefully it stays that way.”

“I hope so, too.” He pulls out of the hospital parking lot, heading in the direction of the freeway. “And how’s Shreya? My uncle hasn’t mentioned a call from her.”

I fiddle with the frayed corner of my bag, wishing he hadn’t brought that up. I’ve been trying to pretend it’s not a big deal. “I…don’t know. I thought she wanted the job, but she didn’t seem very excited when I told her. Now that she’s gone so long without calling, I’m not sure what’s going on.”

“Hmm.” He purses his lips, seeming genuinely worried. “You haven’t asked her?”

“I’m afraid to. Maybe I’m making too big a deal out of it, you know? She keeps telling me not to worry about her so much—I don’t want to badger her about it. She could be waiting for the right job for her.”

“But wouldn’t she tell you that?” He turns onto the highway.

I sigh, knowing he’s right, but I haven’t had the emotional energy to deal with more than my grandma’s heart attack. “Can we please not think about this right now? I want to be with you and relax. Worrying is exhausting.”

He smiles. “Fine, I thought we could get dinner and buy me a phone. Maybe a movie?”

“Yes, please. Finally.”

He laughs. “You don’t mind the food court, do you? This whole rationing out my money thing is sinking in.”

“Of course I don’t. I’m too tired for a fancy place. A dark theater sounds awesome right now. I need some cuddle time.”

He bites his lip. “Sounds good to me.”

Dylan drives to the Del Monte Center, a much less posh shopping mall than the Carmel Plaza. But it has the most affordable theater in the area. We have dinner at the cheap Chinese place there, and it’s everything I could ask for after such a long week. Salty, sweet, spicy, yum. After that, we walk hand in hand to the nearest place to pick a phone.

“I’ve never had to look at the plan prices. These are ridiculous!” he says, pointing to the sleek, cutting-edge smart phones. “The phone alone is like a quarter of my pay check, and the monthly fee is way more than I thought.”

I can’t help laughing. “Just wait until they add in all the taxes and fees.”

His eyes go wide, and he pushes me away from that section. “I need money to buy a car and take you out. Goodbye, cool phones.”

Dylan settles on a more affordable model, one that can text and take decent pictures. He doesn’t get a huge data plan, and I’m oddly proud of him. As we head for the theater, he types with one hand and wraps his other arm around me. “Guess who’s going to be my first contact.”

“Hmm, your uncle?”

“Yup.”

“Jerk!” I shove him away.

Laughing, he holds out the phone and says, “Do that scowl, the one where your nostrils flare.” I glare at the description, and he takes a picture. “Perfect!”

My jaw drops. “No! Delete it. Take a real picture of me.”

“I like this one.” It’s too late. My scowl is now the background on his phone. He grabs me again, and we walk as he types in my number from memory. He doesn’t plug in my name, though, but
Fish
Girl.

I roll my eyes. “You think you’re so funny.”

“I am.” His eyes flash with excitement. “Should we see if it works?”

He’s so beautiful
. That’s all I can think as I take in the hard lines of his face and the dark brown of his eyes. They might even be darker than mine. But more than that, he’s gorgeous on the inside, too. “You’ve changed a lot, you know that?”

“You could say that.” He keeps fiddling with his phone, trusting me to guide us through the crowd. The place is busy, being Friday night and all. The movie theater gleams in front of us, and people flood in and out of it. “But it’s more like I’m finally allowed to be the person I want to be, and I…”

He stops abruptly, his eyes now forward. I follow his gaze to a group of people not twenty feet from us. They stare right back at us, something like horror on their faces. I recognize half of them—London and her mother and little brothers. And here I thought I’d never see them again.

“Mika,” Dylan says as they come over. “Follow my lead, okay?”

“Okay?” I’m only nervous because he is. I can feel it in the way he grips my shoulder as if it’s a life preserver.

“Dylan, you’re here,” says the bleached blond woman I don’t recognize. She plasters on a smile, but it seems to be holding back pain. The imposing man next to her looks like he wants to bore a hole into Dylan’s head. “How have you been?”

He lets out a short laugh. “I’m doing great, Mom.”

My stomach drops. Can we just run away now?

Chapter 37

“London seems to enjoy my reaction immensely. I’m sure I look like a deer in the headlights. His
parents
? These are the people who kicked him out, who tried to force him into a life he didn’t want. They look so…normal. I would have never guessed they were uber rich. Their clothes are nicer than average, but other than that they’re just people out on a Friday night.

“What are you doing here?” Dylan asks.

“The St. Jameses are hosting their big summer gala tomorrow. We couldn’t miss it,” his mother replies. “We drove down this morning, got settled, and decided to go out for a movie.”

“Ah, the gala, of course. How could I forget? Well, cool.” He holds up his cell, and I can’t tell if he’s actually okay or an amazing actor. “I just bought myself a phone, and this is my girlfriend, Mika. We were thinking of seeing a movie, too.”

“Hi.” I can’t seem to manage any more words.

His mom’s jaw hits the floor. “G-girlfriend? Really?”

“You didn’t know?” He looks to London, who seems even more annoyed than before. Her little brothers run circles around us yelling Dylan’s name, so maybe I can’t blame her. “I thought they would have informed you immediately. Or did you guys not believe me when I said it?”

“You don’t have a reputation for commitment,” London says.

“Boys!” Mrs. St. James snaps. They stop the yelling, but not the running.

Dylan shrugs. “Maybe not, but here we are, still together. How long has it been since we played at Cypress Point? A month at least.”

“We were dating before that, though,” I say, though it’s not true. It feels true, with how much time we’ve spent together this summer.

“Yes, yes we were. Not bad for a guy who’s never been in a serious relationship, right London?”

She doesn’t answer. I try not to smile.

His father, who hasn’t said a word yet, finally speaks. “So you’re happy.”

Dylan tips his chin up. “Very. You can’t tell?”