Annie shakes me.
“Okay fine, fine!Fine.I’ll go check on her. Butthat’s it. That’s. It.”
She’s practically wiggling with glee. “Uh huh. Sure. Yep. That’s it.”
I go to smack her with my towel again, and she dodges.
My voice drops to a whisper. “How am I going to leave? Mom will flip her shit.”
“Just do what you did last time.”
I wait a beat.
Annie doesn’t elaborate.
“What, you’re serious?!”
“Yes! Sneak out tonight. I’ll cover for you.”
“You’re actually cosigning this?” I level a skeptical look at her.
Annie flips her hair over her shoulder. “Listen, I want to go back to being the favorite child, okay?”
“Now, that I can believe. But I don’t have a car.”
She scoffs and smiles. “Yeah, I’m not loaning you mine.”
“Thanks.”
“Wait, what about that driver that dropped you off?”
“He did give me his card… But it’s going to be expensive…”
Annie’s eyes sparkle again. “Put it on Christine’s tab!”
“What? How?”
“I don’t know, it’s a rich people thing! It’ll work, I’m sure. They did something like that on Real Homegas of Orange County.”
I narrow my eyes. “You’re basing your confidence onreality TV?!”
“It hasrealin the title. You’ll be fine.”
“I’m gonna kill you.”
“Well, there you go. If you actually come back, you’ll get to kill me.”
Out of protests, I offer a weak smile. “You’ll come visit me in LA?”
“Yeah. And I’ll talk to Mom and Dad. They’d love to have you home for Thanksgiving.”
“Even if I have to sneak out again?”
Annie’s expression softens as she nods. “Even if you have to sneak out again.”
“Send me lots of pictures of Rusty?”
“Absolutely.”
