That is such a lame concession.
Fine, Ill go the grocery store.
No lying promise?
I promise.
I love you.
I love you, too. Tell your sister I love her.
___
Cath, its your dad. I know its late, and youre probably asleep. I hope youre asleep! But I had this idea. Its a great idea. Call me.
___
Cath? Its your dad again. Its still late, but I couldnt wait to tell you this. You know how you guys want a bathroom upstairs? Your room is right over the bathroom. We could put in a trapdoor. And a ladder. It would be like a secret shortcut to the bathroom. Isnt this a great idea? Call me. Its your dad.
___
Cath! Not a laddera firemans pole! Youd still have to use the stairs to get up to your roombut, Cath, a firemans pole. I think I can do this myself. I mean, Ill have to find a pole.
___
Dad? Call me.
___
Call me, okay?
___
Dad, its Cath. Call me.
* * *
It was Friday night, and Cath had the dorm room to herself.
She was trying to work on Carry On, Simon, but her mind kept wandering. Today in class, Professor Piper had handed back the story that she and Nick wrote together. The professor had filled the margins with A s
and drawn a little caricature of herself in the corner, shouting, AAAAAA!
She had a few of the writing teamsthe people who had done really wellread their stories out loud in class. Cath and Nick went last, trading paragraphs so they were always reading what the other person had written. They got tons of laughs. Probably because Nick acted like he was doing Shakespeare in the park. Caths cheeks and neck were burning by the time they sat down.
After class, Nick held up his pinkie to her. When she stared at it, he said, Come on, were making an oath.
She curled her finger around his, and he squeezed it. Partners, automatically, any time we need onedeal? His eyes were set so deep, it made everything he said more intense.
Deal, Cath said, looking away.
Goddamn, Nick said, his hand already gone. We are so fucking good.
I dont think she has any As left after our paper, Cath said, following him out of the room. People will be getting B-pluses for the next eight years because of us.
We should do this again. He turned, suddenly, in the doorway.
Cath hip-checked him before she could stop herself. We already swore an oath, she said, stepping back.
Not what I mean. Not for an assignment. We should do it just because it was good. You know?
It was good. It was the most fun Cath had had since well, since she got here, for sure. Yeah, she said. All right.
I work Tuesday and Thursday nights, Nick said. You want to do this again Tuesday? Same time?
Sure, Cath said.
She hadnt stopped thinking about it since then. She wondered what theyd write. She wanted to talk to Wren about it. Cath had tried calling Wren earlier, but she hadnt picked up. It was almost eleven now.
Cath picked up the phone and hit Wrens number.
Wren answered. Yes, sister-sister?
Hey, can you talk?
Yes, sister-sister, Wren said, giggling.
Are you out?
I am on the tenth floor of Schramm Hall. This is where all the tourists come when they visit Schramm Hall. The observation deck. See the world from Tylers roomthats what it says on the postcards.
Wrens voice was warm and liquid. Their dad always said that Wren and Cath had the same voice, but Wren was 33 rpm and Cath was 45. This was different.
Are you drunk?
I was drunk, Wren said. Now I think Im something else.
Are you alone? Wheres Courtney?
Shes here. I might be sitting on her leg.
Wren, are you okay?
Yes-yes-yes, sister-sister. Thats why I answered the phone. To tell you Im okay. So you can leave me alone for a while. Okay-okay?
Cath felt her face tense. More from hurt now than worry. I was just calling to talk to you about Dad. Cath wished she didnt use the word just so much. It was her passive-aggressive tell, like someone who twitched when they were lying. And other stuff. Boy stuff.
Wren giggled. Boy stuff? Is Simon coming out to Agatha again? Did Baz make him a vampire? Again? Are their fingers helplessly caught in each others hair? Have you got to the part where Baz calls him Simon for the first time, because thats always a tough one. Thats always a three-alarm fire.
Cath pulled the phone away so that it wasnt touching her ear. Fuck off, she whispered. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.
Okay-okay, Wren said, her voice an edgy singsong. Then she hung up.
Cath set the phone on her desk and leaned back away from it. Like it was something that would bite.
Wren must be drunk. Or high.
Wren never would never.
She never teased Cath about Simon and Baz. Simon and Baz were
Cath got up to turn off the light. Her fingers felt cold. She kicked off her jeans and climbed into bed.
Then she got up again to check that the door was locked, and looked out the peephole into the empty hallway.
She sat back on her bed. She stood back up.
She opened her laptop, booted it up, closed it again.
Wren must be high. Wren would never.
She knew what Simon and Baz were. What they meant. Simon and Baz were