Page 55 of I'm Gonna Get You Back
“Reina’s makeup, obviously,” Delaney says over Reina’s shiny dark hair.
“I’m a fairy!” Reina announces.
“That’s awesome,” I say. “Um, why don’t you go show everyone?”
She springs off the closed toilet where she was perched and runs out to the living room. I close the bathroom door, and Delaney leans against the sink, gripping the lip of it behind her.
I exhale, my heart poundinghard. “What is this?” I ask.
She frowns. “What do you mean?”
“You haven’t sent me one text in weeks, you barely talked to me last night or at the Fun Run, and now you just show up at my house?”
She tucks her hair behind her ear. The new piercing winks in the light and aggravates me even more. “I know. I’m sorry. I know we need to talk… How’s it going with Reid?” she asks, searching my face.
I frown. “I don’t know. I’m not sure what I expected, but it’s harder than I thought. He’s actually outside—we’re going to the hot springs.”
Her eyebrows float up. “Oh.”
“Do you want to come?”
She shakes her head immediately, and I’m sure there’s something I’m missing here.
“What happened? Are you just busy?” I ask. “Did I do something?”
She swallows hard, her eyes going glassy. “No.”
“Delaney—”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you had plans. I should go.”
She reaches for the knob behind me and pulls at the door until I step out of the way.
“Are you serious?” I call after her into the noise of the household.
She doesn’t respond, instead grabbing her jacket from the hall table and rushing outside.
I follow her where the outdoor chill feels better against the sting of her distance.
“Delaney, what’s going on?”
“Nothing, you’re busy, and I have to get to theRomeo and Julietrehearsal, anyway. They need extras, and all the performing arts alumni got roped in. Let’s just talk later?”
“But—”
She turns. “Go easy on him. He’s had a rough start to the year.”
I fold my arms, my stomach going tight. How does she know that?
She doesn’t even wait for me to respond before sliding into her car, which was hidden by my uncle’s truck. I watch her back up and drive off, in disbelief. I don’t understand her. I don’t understand any of this.
What have I done to make her act so weird and avoid me like this? Was it my doc from last year?
I stayed up half the night watching old footage to prepare my interview questions. Delaney was central in all of it, and it reminded me how much she struggled last year. Is that what’s going on? Is she upset that I included her in it? She never said anything, but maybe she’s been mad at me since the assembly.
When I get back in my car and toss my bathing suit into the backseat, Reid shoves his phone in his pocket. “What was Delaney doing here?”
I let out an exasperated sigh. “I don’t know. She’s being so weird, I’m kinda worried about her.”
