Page 82 of Derivation

“What’s going on? Am I late for a meeting or something?” she asked.

“No,” Violet said. “This isn’t about work. We wanted to talk to you about something else.”

“Not work? Then, what?”

“Have a seat, Sarai,” Arlowe said.

Sarai noticed her own chair was off to the side a little, but that it was facing her three friends.

“Why does it feel like something’s wrong?” she asked and sat down.

“Nothing’s wrong. Everything’s fine,” Enya said, which probably should’ve calmed Sarai down because Enya wasn’t a liar or even an embellisher, but it didn’t.

“If everything is fine, why are we sitting in the garage, with the three of you looking like you have terrible news and me wondering what the hell is going on? It feels like you’re about to do an intervention on me or something, but I’m not addicted to anything.”

“That’s not a bad way of looking at it,” Arlowe said.

“Yes, it is,” Violet argued. “It’s not an intervention. It’s a conversation.”

“A serious one, apparently. So, what is going on? Tell me. I’m getting worried, Vi.”

“Enya, why don’t you start?” Violet suggested.

“Me?” Enya asked, looking surprised.

“Oh, my God! One of you just fucking tell me what’s going on right now, or I’m getting out of this chair and going back to bed.”

“Gabi wants to move out,” Enya said.

“What?”

“She asked Violet about it yesterday,” Enya added.

“She asked you if she could move out?”

“It’s my name on the lease, and she wanted my permission. I told her that she’d have to talk to the three of you because you’re the ones paying rent, but that I’m okay with it.”

“You told her she should move out?”

“Not that she should, Sarai. She asked if she could.”

“Why does she want to move out? She just moved in. I thought things were going well.”

“I think you know why,” Arlowe said.

“What are you–”

“Cut the crap, Sarai. You two have a thing. We all know it. You like her. She likes you.”

“Precisely why I wanted Enya to take the lead, Arlowe. She has a gentler approach,” Violet noted.

“Why are we talking about this? If Gabi wants to move out, she can. We didn’t need a roommate. Arlowe offered without talking to us about it anyway,” Sarai said.

“Oh, act like you want her to go. Come on, Sarai. You know you don’t,” Arlowe replied.

“Sarai, she wants to move out because she wants to be with you,” Violet revealed.

“Damn, Vi… Didn’t she tell you that in confidence?” Arlowe asked.