Page 36 of The Design of Goodbye
“You have plenty of time,” she said. “Go home tonight and find a picture, a post, even a simple sketch, and have fun.”
I dropped the spool of thread I’d been holding. It rolled all the way under Taylor’s chair.
A sketch.
I remembered my mom’s sketchbooks, all crammed in the closet of her sewing room, filled with hundreds of sketches we’d never had the chance to create.
This was it.
This was the answer to everything.
I didn’t need to come up with a collection of my own. I could see it now: four of my mom’s favorite sketches, sewed into something tangible. Four pieces models would wear down the Harbor Fashion Show runway. Four pieces my mom wouldsee.
Because she’d be there. My mom had to attend the show; she hadn’t missed one in fifteen years. When she saw her original designs on the runway—designed by me—she’d be so proud she’d come back.
We’d get our happy ending.
“Are you okay?” asked Taylor.
“Yeah.” For the first time, I actuallywas. This was amazing, considering I’d stood up to Jules today, probably didn’t have any friends anymore, and was terrified the pictures would be posted. But I had an idea on how to get my mom back—something I never thought possible—and for right now, that was enough. “I’m okay.”
November
chapter fourteen
Liam wasn’t waiting on the bench for me. While disappointed he hadn’t shown up for tutoring, I wasn’t surprised. After everything I’d done to him, I didn’t deserve his time.
But when I turned to leave, I glanced over to the bike rack, saw his bike, and knew he was here.
I found him waiting in one of the conference rooms. His back was to me when I entered, and he didn’t turn around or speak when I sat down.
“Hey,” I said. “You weren’t outside.”
He had his sketchbook out, but no amazing bird was on the page—only mindless scribbles. “It’s cold out.”
I tugged at the sleeves of my coat. “I didn’t think the cold bothered you.”
“Well,” he said, slamming his sketchbook closed and causing me to jump, “things change.”
Change.
I hated that word and everything it stood for. I thought about my week and how all it’d consisted of waschange. I’d gone from having friends to avoiding them, eating lunch in the cafeteria to eating lunch in my car, ignoring my phone instead of being glued to it.
Jules still hadn’t posted the pictures. I knew she was waiting to mess with me more.
It was working.
“About what happened in the cafeteria on Monday,” I started. “I didn’t mean for everyone to find out what happened. I went to a Halloween party Saturday night and—”
He was tense as he replied, “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“I think if we talk—”
“I almost didn’t come today,” he said. “You’re lucky I promised Mrs. Webb I’d help you and that I’d rather be here than at my house.” He cleared his throat. “Let’s get started. You’re really behind.”
I didn’t want to give up so easily, but he looked like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, kind of like how I felt sometimes. So, instead, I leaned back in my chair and let him teach me.
* * *
