Page 22 of Falling Again

“I thought he was bluffing!” Annika says into my pillows. I’m still in awe that Mia and Eddie Gomes transformed this room for me. It’s the smallest bedroom, but it’s perfect for me. It’s my sanctuary. I look around the room again. A stack of my books is sitting against the dresser. Maybe I can get a little bookshelf for them all. I’ll grab more clothes from my house to keep here. A home of my own.

An hour later, Annika and I emerge from my room (I’m unsure if I’ll ever be used to saying that), debating who the cutest character in the new TV show we started watching is. We nearly forget about the yogurt incident until we turn down the hallway to the kitchen and see her parents sitting on one side of the table. All the plates are set, and the twins are quietly eating on opposite ends of the table.

“This feels like a horror movie,” Annika proclaims.

I quietly take my seat across from Eddie. He’s less intimidating than Mia, and I know Annika can take her.

“Annika Gomes, your mother told me about the phone call she received from the principal.” Eddie looks at Annika and then back at me.

“Ooooooo,” the twins coo in unison. Annika shoots them a scowl.

“We’re just getting right into it, huh?” Annika says, taking a bite from the stir-fry dinner before us.

Mia raises an eyebrow. “Talk to us then. Why did you act out? We’ve never had to deal with this behavior before. Why now?” she says.

Annika winces and swallows the bite she was chewing. She takes a long look at me and goes to open her mouth, but I cut in.

“She was sticking up for me,” I say. Mr. and Mrs. Gomes look over at me.

“Chloe, it’s okay,” Annika says, clearing her throat. “It was a misunderstanding—it was all my fault.”

“You wouldn’t have done anything if I weren’t so stupid.”

“Hey! You’re not stupid! He is the stupid one.”

Eddie clears his throat. “Please, I beg you, stop talking in teenage riddles and tell us what happened.”

I exhale and give Annika a nod to explain the situation. She leaves out the private details, but explains the bowling date and about picking me up from Liam’s house. Annika describes how she worked with his friend, who thought he was being a jerk to me, to dump yogurt on him in revenge but make it look like an accident. Only Margot twisted the story, so it got Annika in trouble.

“So, what I’m hearing,” Eddie starts, “is that my baby girl has a crush on a boy?” He leans in with a big, cheesy smile. The twins and I start giggling while Annika covers the blush on her cheeks with her hands.

“Nico is just a friend—he was helping me.”

“But he’s the boy you went on the double date with, right?” Mia says, giving her husband a coy smile.

“Oh my gosh, I’m going to evaporate. You two are so embarrassing,” Annika says, vibrating in her chair. I can tell she’s about to make a run for it.

“We go to school with his little sister, and she said Nico talks about Annika nonstop,” Wes says.

“He does?” Annika lets slip out before clamping her mouth shut.

“Ha! You do have a crush!” Eddie says, and Mia slaps his arm gently.

Mia levels us all with a look before proceeding. “Anyways, please don’t seek revenge again. It isn’t kind. Besides, I’m sure he will get what’s coming.” She reaches over the table to grab my hand. “I’m sorry you went through that. You deserve someone who will bask in your light, not try to shade it.”

I nod and smile, feeling comforted by the clasp of our hands. Emotions rise in my chest, and I try to push them away, wanting to suppress any tears.

“Seems like Anni delivered karma to him on a lunch platter,” Joey mutters. We all turn to him, laughing.

That night, Annika and I have a sleepover in my room. We drag the spare mattress on the floor and turn the room into a giant pillow and blanket fort. We read books and magazines, giggling and chatting. I grab Anni’s phone and text Nico for her, and he texts back immediately, causing us to scream. Mrs. Gomes has to tell us to keep it down, but we don’t sleep that night. The bad memories of Liam are in the past as my cheeks hurt from laughing with my chosen sister.

NINE

TYLER

NOW

The day after the party and my panic attack, I wake up wanting to shut everyone out. I haven’t had one in years, so the feeling is foreign and unwelcome. It reminds me of the worst time in my life, like a hangover and heartbreak balled up into a knot in my stomach. All I want to do today is cuddle with Scooter on the couch and watch documentaries about national parks.