for a long time.
"Does this feel like a ghost to you?"
"Why are you doing this?"
"Doing what?"
I pulled my hand away. "There's nobody watching. You don't have to put on an act."
"What is wrong, Perry? You do not like the way I feel?"
I rolled my eyes. "Give me a break."
"Admit it. This is your fantasy."
" What? "
She brought out a tube of red lipstick and rolled it slowly over her lips. "Ever since you first found out you were getting a female foreign exchange student living in your house you dreamed of a girl in thigh-high stockings who would seduce you, show you things you never knew before, and when she left, whisper ' Au revoir, Perry'...even if she were not French."
"Except with you it's more like Hasta la vista, baby."
"But true, no?"
" No. "
"Then tell me the truth," she said.
"The truth? The truth is that right now my life as I know it is basically finished. I'm an accomplice to murder three times over. I might as well just go turn myself in to the cops now, throw myself on the mercy of the court. Maybe I can get my diploma in prison. Lots of guys get their law degree in the joint. I bet there's even a special program I can apply for."
"Perry."
"My dad could put in a good word with the warden. If I just watch myself in the showers—"
" Perry. "
"What?"
"I asked you to lower your voice."
"Why?" I said, getting louder. "What are you going to do, shoot me?" People at the nearby couches and tables were starting to look up. "Are you gonna—"
Whap! Her fist cracked me across the jaw. The world erupted in dozens of tiny flashbulbs pulsing on and off throughout my skull, and I stumbled backwards, off-balance, shook it off—and I lunged at her, tripping over a chair leg before I even came within striking distance. "You bitch!"
Gobi grabbed me and swung me around, straight-arming me into a shelf of pottery. Little glazed teapots and cups and bowls tinkled to the floor around my feet. The group of pseudohipsters at the sofa behind us gathered their drinks and took a few steps back, getting out their cell phones either to call the cops or snap pictures.
"Now," Gobi said, gripping my collar, "you and I—"
I pumped my arms out and shoved her back as hard as I could. I wasn't particularly strong, but she was light and tumbled farther than I'd thought before colliding with a tray of drinks behind her. Rising up, soaked in booze, Gobi lifted the tray and flung it at me.
I ducked it—my reflexes were still decent—and ran straight at her. Gobi scowled as if she couldn't believe that I was coming back for more, but if there was one thing I'd learned from competitive swimming, it was endurance. As she cocked back her fist and prepared to administer the deathblow, my foot slipped on the wet floor and I went flying, landing hard on top of her with my face between her legs.
"Hey, dirtbag," some guy shouted. "What kind of animal beats up a woman?"
" Shut up, " Gobi and I both shouted at the same time, and she took the opportunity to grab me by the ears, pluck my head out of her crotch, and bounce it off the floor. I saw red and tasted white pine, sat up, and pounced on top of her, delivering at least one punch that might have connected, although my knuckles were roast beef. We both staggered to our feet, circling each other warily.
"Just tell me one thing," I said. "One thing you never lied about."
She blew a strand of hair from her face. "Do you remember the time that you helped me with math class?"
"What, you mean that Stock Exchange PowerPoint presentation?"
"Yes. You assisted me."
"Assisted you? I did the whole thing for you the morning that it was due."
Gobi smiled. "I had been in the city all night setting up a weapons buy in the Bronx. I snuck in just before dawn. You saved my life that day."
"So you lied about that too."
"I am telling you the truth now, " she said.
I licked a drop of blood from my swelling upper lip. "What about the day you stayed home sick from school, right before
"Does this feel like a ghost to you?"
"Why are you doing this?"
"Doing what?"
I pulled my hand away. "There's nobody watching. You don't have to put on an act."
"What is wrong, Perry? You do not like the way I feel?"
I rolled my eyes. "Give me a break."
"Admit it. This is your fantasy."
" What? "
She brought out a tube of red lipstick and rolled it slowly over her lips. "Ever since you first found out you were getting a female foreign exchange student living in your house you dreamed of a girl in thigh-high stockings who would seduce you, show you things you never knew before, and when she left, whisper ' Au revoir, Perry'...even if she were not French."
"Except with you it's more like Hasta la vista, baby."
"But true, no?"
" No. "
"Then tell me the truth," she said.
"The truth? The truth is that right now my life as I know it is basically finished. I'm an accomplice to murder three times over. I might as well just go turn myself in to the cops now, throw myself on the mercy of the court. Maybe I can get my diploma in prison. Lots of guys get their law degree in the joint. I bet there's even a special program I can apply for."
"Perry."
"My dad could put in a good word with the warden. If I just watch myself in the showers—"
" Perry. "
"What?"
"I asked you to lower your voice."
"Why?" I said, getting louder. "What are you going to do, shoot me?" People at the nearby couches and tables were starting to look up. "Are you gonna—"
Whap! Her fist cracked me across the jaw. The world erupted in dozens of tiny flashbulbs pulsing on and off throughout my skull, and I stumbled backwards, off-balance, shook it off—and I lunged at her, tripping over a chair leg before I even came within striking distance. "You bitch!"
Gobi grabbed me and swung me around, straight-arming me into a shelf of pottery. Little glazed teapots and cups and bowls tinkled to the floor around my feet. The group of pseudohipsters at the sofa behind us gathered their drinks and took a few steps back, getting out their cell phones either to call the cops or snap pictures.
"Now," Gobi said, gripping my collar, "you and I—"
I pumped my arms out and shoved her back as hard as I could. I wasn't particularly strong, but she was light and tumbled farther than I'd thought before colliding with a tray of drinks behind her. Rising up, soaked in booze, Gobi lifted the tray and flung it at me.
I ducked it—my reflexes were still decent—and ran straight at her. Gobi scowled as if she couldn't believe that I was coming back for more, but if there was one thing I'd learned from competitive swimming, it was endurance. As she cocked back her fist and prepared to administer the deathblow, my foot slipped on the wet floor and I went flying, landing hard on top of her with my face between her legs.
"Hey, dirtbag," some guy shouted. "What kind of animal beats up a woman?"
" Shut up, " Gobi and I both shouted at the same time, and she took the opportunity to grab me by the ears, pluck my head out of her crotch, and bounce it off the floor. I saw red and tasted white pine, sat up, and pounced on top of her, delivering at least one punch that might have connected, although my knuckles were roast beef. We both staggered to our feet, circling each other warily.
"Just tell me one thing," I said. "One thing you never lied about."
She blew a strand of hair from her face. "Do you remember the time that you helped me with math class?"
"What, you mean that Stock Exchange PowerPoint presentation?"
"Yes. You assisted me."
"Assisted you? I did the whole thing for you the morning that it was due."
Gobi smiled. "I had been in the city all night setting up a weapons buy in the Bronx. I snuck in just before dawn. You saved my life that day."
"So you lied about that too."
"I am telling you the truth now, " she said.
I licked a drop of blood from my swelling upper lip. "What about the day you stayed home sick from school, right before
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