Page 238 of The Art of Almost Losing It
“If anyone finds out we sat on this information…” Frank pinches the bridge of his nose.
“You’re not worried about all of us. You’re not worried about Dani, or Mom. You’re worried about you.” Ryan sounds tired. “You’re worried about how this will make you look, aren’t you?”
“Graham needs to hang, Ryan,” Frank snaps.
“I think that’s a little hasty.” I grimace.
And if Graham hangs, then I truly will always be alone.
“Stop it, Dad. Stop it!” Ryan yells.
Both my phones are going off in my bag.
“Sorry, one sec.” I grab my personal phone, and my stomach drops.
Colette:I know what you did.
Colette:I’m going to let everyone know.
Colette:I have video proof.
The video. The video. Oh my God—Colette is on the StreetAI account.
Oh shit. Fuck. All the curse words.
Colette:Answer me. Now, Dani!
Dani:Please just don’t do anything with the video.
Dani:Okay, I’m heading to the office.
I hoist my purse strap. “I have to go. I’m sorry. Please don’t contact the police,” I call behind me.
“Dani, you can’t go near Graham. He’s dangerous!” Aurora gasps.
“Oh, I’m not, I’m going to the office. Work emergency. Investment banking. The world could be ending, and I’d still be expected to be making trades to profit off the dinosaur-killing meteor. You know how it is!”
The door slams behind me.
“Frickety frickety fuck,” I mutter as I bounce my leg, waiting for the subway to whisk me downtown.
Colette has the video of Graham kidnapping me. What’s she going to do with it? What does she want?
I start to text Graham then stop. Lulu sits in my lap on the train as I worry.
Would this set him off? He’s clearly not been himself. Or maybe thatishis true self. Should I just let the FBI take him? Maybe that is for the best.
I think about how unhinged he’s been the last week and a half. The reality is, I don’t actually know him. His mom and his family certainly think he’s this horrible person.
Maybe I’m the delusional, crazy one, and I just ignored all the red flags because all I wanted in life was to be the popular girl who all the boys wanted.
The office is mostly empty when Lulu and I arrive, walking through the empty lobby. Colette and the Girl Squad are waiting for me in one of the soundproofed conference rooms that they use for clients who need extra privacy.
My mouth is dry. Lulu growls softly when I set her on a leather swivel chair.
“Listen, Colette,” I say in a rush. “I know what it looks like, but that video is misrepresentative of Graham’s and my relationship. It was just a joke…” I’m desperate. “He wasn’t actually kidnapping me. It was just a weird”—I swallow—“sex thing. So could you please just keep it under wraps?”
“Ummm…” The Girl Squad gasps in shocked laughs.
