Cath tugged at the hem of her T-shirt. Nah. Its already late. Im just gonna write. She reached for her phone out of habit and checked it. Shed missed a text messagefrom Wren.
at muggsys. COME NOW. 911.
Cath checked the timeWren had texted her twenty minutes ago, while she and Levi were dancing. She set her phone on the desk and started putting her boots on over her pajama pants.
Is everything okay? Levi asked.
I dont know. Cath shook her head. She felt ashamed again. And scared. Her stomach seemed thrilled to have something new to twist about. Whats Muggsys?
Its a bar, he said. Near East Campus.
Whats East Campus?
Levi reached around her and picked up her phone. He frowned at the screen. Ill take you. Ive got my car.
Take her where? Reagan asked. Levi tossed her Caths phone and put on his coat. Im sure shes fine, Reagan said, looking at the text. She probably just had too much to drink. Mandatory freshman behavior.
I still have to go get her, Cath said, taking back the phone.
Of course you do, Levi agreed. Nine-one-one is nine-one-one. He looked at Reagan. You coming?
Not if you dont need me. Were supposed to meet Anna and Matt
Ill catch up with you later, he said.
Cath was already standing by the door. Your sisters fine, Cath, Reagan said almost (but not quite) gently. Shes just being normal.
* * *
Levis car was a truck. A big one. How did he afford the gas?
Cath didnt want any help getting in, but the running board was missingit was an especially shitty truck, she noticed now that she was up closeand she wouldve had to climb in on all fours if he hadnt taken her elbow.
The cab smelled like gasoline and roasted coffee beans. The seat belt was stuck, but she still managed to get it buckled.
Levi swung into his seat smoothly and smiled at her. He was trying to be encouraging, Cath figured.
Whats East Campus? she asked.
Are you serious?
Why wouldnt I be serious right now?
Its the other part of campus, he said. Where the Ag School is?
Cath shrugged impatiently and looked out the window. It had been sleeting since this afternoon. The lights looked like wet smears on the streets. Fortunately, Levi was driving slow.
And the law school, he said. And there are dormitories and a perfectly adequate bowling alley. And a dairy. Seriously, none of this is ringing any bells?
Cath let her head rest on the glass. The trucks heater was still blowing cold air. It had been a half hour now since the text. A half hour past 911. How far is it?
A few miles. Ten minutes from here, maybe longer with the weather. East Campus is where most of my classes are.
Cath wondered if Wren was alone. Where was Courtney? Werent they supposed to be skinny-bitching together?
Theres a tractor museum, Levi said. And an international quilt education center. And the food in the residence halls is outstanding.
It wasnt right. Having a twin
sister was supposed to be like having your own watcher. Your own guardian. BUILT-IN BEST FRIENDtheir dad had bought them shirts that said that for their thirteenth birthday. They still wore them sometimes (though never at once) just to be funny. Or ironic or whatever.
Whats the point of having a twin sister if you wont let her look out for you? If you wont let her fight at your back?
East Campus is just so much better than City Campus in every way. And you dont even know that it exists.
The light ahead turned red, and Cath felt the tires spin beneath them. Levi shifted gears, and the truck rolled to a perfect stop.
* * *
They had to park quite a ways from the bar. This whole street was bars, block after block of them.
Theyre not going to let me in, Cath said, wishing Levi would walk faster. Im underage.
Muggsys never checks.
Ive never even been in a bar.
A dozen girls spilled out of the doorway ahead of them. Levi grabbed Caths sleeve and pulled her out of the way. I have, he said. Its going to be fine.
Its not fine, Cath said, more to herself than to Levi. If it was fine, she wouldnt need me.
Levi pulled on her sleeve again and opened a heavy, black, windowless door. Cath glanced up at the neon sign over their heads. Only the UGGSY and a four-leaf clover lit up. There was a big guy sitting just inside on a stool, reading a Daily Nebraskan with a flashlight. He flipped the light up at Levi and smiled. Hey, Levi.
Levi smiled back. Hey, Yackle.
Yackle held a second door open with one handhe didnt even look at Cath. Levi patted him on the arm as they walked past.
It was dark inside the bar and crowded, people pressed shoulder to shoulder. There was a band playing on a couch-sized stage near the door. Cath looked around, but she couldnt see past the crush of bodies.
She wondered where Wren was.
Where had Wren been forty-five minutes ago?
Hiding in the bathroom? Crouched against a wall?
Had she been sick, had she passed out? She did that sometimes. Who had been here to help her? Who had been here to hurt her?
Cath felt Levis hand on her elbow. Come on, he said.
They squeezed by a high-top table full of people doing shots. One of the guys fell back into Cath, and Levi propped him back up with a smile.