through the movie when Rowan’s arm decides it wants to share the armrest with mine. This time I resist the urge to jerk away. Nothing is happening. It’s just an armrest. People share them all the time. I once shared one with a hairy-armed old man, and I managed that just fine. I count to ten and then move my arm.
The guy is undeterred though, and he leans over me to tell Stephanie, “I haven’t heard any screaming yet.”
“That’s because this movie is lame.”
“Claustrophobic,” I say.
Rowan laughs and pulls back. I lean a little closer to Stephanie, who is leaning really close to Trevor.
I put all my energy into watching the movie, which so far hasn’t been too gruesome.
One of my friends at the Compound has a photographic memory. Everything she ever sees, reads, or hears, she remembers forever in perfect detail. I used to be so jealous of that ability when I took tests. I begin to realize that her ability might not be as great as I once thought. She probably has to be really careful about everything she lets enter her mind. And what about her Bobby-like experiences? Does she remember them perfectly forever?
The graphic image of a boy getting his head bit off by a one-armed zombie makes me cringe away from the screen. Next to me, Stephanie screams and grabs onto Trevor’s arm, burying her face in his shoulder.
On my opposite side, Rowan chuckles and then pets my shoulder. “It’s okay, Addison, it’s over now.”
I stand abruptly and climb my way past Rowan and down the aisle, not looking back until I make it into the bathroom. I shut myself in the nearest stall so I can hear if anyone comes in and dig out my phone from my pocket. Praying that Laila will be home this time, I dial her number. By the third ring, I can hardly breathe.
“Hey, girl.”
“Hi,” I say in relief. “You’re there. Where have you been?”
“You’re not the only one who had to get a new social life.”
The words sting, even though I know she doesn’t mean for them to. Of course she has to get new friends. It’s not like I’m sitting at home waiting on her phone call. I am out, trying to have some sort of life without my best friend. Just like she is.
“So, what’s wrong?” she asks.
“I thought we could be friends, but I don’t think he likes me at all and he probably brought me here as a favor for his really creepy friend and I hate Bobby Baker,” I say, my words tumbling over one another.
“What? Slow down. Who are we talking about? Bobby?”
I try to breathe deep, but it feels like the air can’t get through the emotions wedged in my chest. “No. I wish you could come pick me up.”
“Where are you?”
“At the movies.” I sit on the back of the toilet and rest my feet on the seat.
“With who?”
“I came with Trevor, but like I said, I think he brought me here as a favor for his friend Rowan, who’s like an overzealous Chihuahua.”
“Aw, Chihuahuas are cute.”
“Okay, fine then, a hairless cat that wants you to pet it so it rubs along your leg all night.”
“Ew.”
“Exactly.”
“What makes you think he’s setting you up with his friend?”
A long section of toilet paper is clinging by a corner to the roll. I kick it and watch it slide to the ground. “Well, the first time I met Rowan he was really adamant about me going to this party. So now I’m thinking maybe Rowan said something to Trevor about me. Trevor probably told Rowan he’d get me to come on a group date or something.”
“You were right. Trevor is my replacement. I would totally do something like that.”
“Set me up with a creepy guy?”
“No, Trevor doesn’t think Rowan is a creep. What I mean is, if a guy I thought was cool came up to me and told me he liked you, I would definitely make it my goal to get the two of you in the same place to see if you liked him too. It’s my job as your best friend. So see, Trevor thinks you’re cool.”
“Really?”
“Yes, for sure.”
I’m finally able
The guy is undeterred though, and he leans over me to tell Stephanie, “I haven’t heard any screaming yet.”
“That’s because this movie is lame.”
“Claustrophobic,” I say.
Rowan laughs and pulls back. I lean a little closer to Stephanie, who is leaning really close to Trevor.
I put all my energy into watching the movie, which so far hasn’t been too gruesome.
One of my friends at the Compound has a photographic memory. Everything she ever sees, reads, or hears, she remembers forever in perfect detail. I used to be so jealous of that ability when I took tests. I begin to realize that her ability might not be as great as I once thought. She probably has to be really careful about everything she lets enter her mind. And what about her Bobby-like experiences? Does she remember them perfectly forever?
The graphic image of a boy getting his head bit off by a one-armed zombie makes me cringe away from the screen. Next to me, Stephanie screams and grabs onto Trevor’s arm, burying her face in his shoulder.
On my opposite side, Rowan chuckles and then pets my shoulder. “It’s okay, Addison, it’s over now.”
I stand abruptly and climb my way past Rowan and down the aisle, not looking back until I make it into the bathroom. I shut myself in the nearest stall so I can hear if anyone comes in and dig out my phone from my pocket. Praying that Laila will be home this time, I dial her number. By the third ring, I can hardly breathe.
“Hey, girl.”
“Hi,” I say in relief. “You’re there. Where have you been?”
“You’re not the only one who had to get a new social life.”
The words sting, even though I know she doesn’t mean for them to. Of course she has to get new friends. It’s not like I’m sitting at home waiting on her phone call. I am out, trying to have some sort of life without my best friend. Just like she is.
“So, what’s wrong?” she asks.
“I thought we could be friends, but I don’t think he likes me at all and he probably brought me here as a favor for his really creepy friend and I hate Bobby Baker,” I say, my words tumbling over one another.
“What? Slow down. Who are we talking about? Bobby?”
I try to breathe deep, but it feels like the air can’t get through the emotions wedged in my chest. “No. I wish you could come pick me up.”
“Where are you?”
“At the movies.” I sit on the back of the toilet and rest my feet on the seat.
“With who?”
“I came with Trevor, but like I said, I think he brought me here as a favor for his friend Rowan, who’s like an overzealous Chihuahua.”
“Aw, Chihuahuas are cute.”
“Okay, fine then, a hairless cat that wants you to pet it so it rubs along your leg all night.”
“Ew.”
“Exactly.”
“What makes you think he’s setting you up with his friend?”
A long section of toilet paper is clinging by a corner to the roll. I kick it and watch it slide to the ground. “Well, the first time I met Rowan he was really adamant about me going to this party. So now I’m thinking maybe Rowan said something to Trevor about me. Trevor probably told Rowan he’d get me to come on a group date or something.”
“You were right. Trevor is my replacement. I would totally do something like that.”
“Set me up with a creepy guy?”
“No, Trevor doesn’t think Rowan is a creep. What I mean is, if a guy I thought was cool came up to me and told me he liked you, I would definitely make it my goal to get the two of you in the same place to see if you liked him too. It’s my job as your best friend. So see, Trevor thinks you’re cool.”
“Really?”
“Yes, for sure.”
I’m finally able
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