Chapter 3
1128 Words
3
“No, you don’t say that,” I want to tell Jake. That wasn’t how it was last time.
Last time I stayed at Sarah and Daniel’s house by myself. Daniel and I talked through the night while I caught him up on everything that had happened to me in the past few days: waking up in Halli’s body, having to pretend to be her during that whole bizarre weekend at her parents’ island, and yes, even as much explanation as I felt comfortable giving him for why he’d seen me, the girl he thought was his girlfriend, kissing Jake. Not the best part of the evening.
What was the best part was finally having someone I could talk to about all of it. Someone I could be honest with. And also someone with enough science background to try to help me puzzle through the physics of how it all happened. It’s not like we came to some great conclusion—if we had, I wouldn’t be back here right now, playing out this whole scene again—but it was just … nice. Nice having him there for me. Nice being with him again.
Which is why I realized it was him I really wanted, not Jake. No matter how charming Jake can be. Which is very charming when he wants.
But right now? Trying to horn in on my private time with Daniel and Sarah? Not so charming. Especially since it’s their parents that I need to talk to most.
“You can’t come,” I tell Jake. “I just want to be with my friends by myself.”
“I’m afraid I have to come,” he says. “You know the rules.”
“The rules?” I can’t believe he just said that to me. To Halli Markham. Halli Markham doesn’t abide by anyone’s rules.
“Miss Markham, please,” he says, taking half a step forward. Red immediately growls him back to his place.
Jake casts a glance over at Bryan, who is now off chatting with Sarah and Daniel.
“Halli,” Jake says, keeping his voice low. “You know that won’t work. I have to stay with you. They’re checking on me.”
I can guess who they are. And I know how they’re checking: Jake has a microchip, too. Everyone here does. Halli’s parents must have the password to Jake’s tracking information. Great.
But why should I care about that? I’m here for one thing, and that’s to save my own life. I won’t let Halli’s parents or Jake or anyone else interfere with that.
“I’m going to my friends’ house by myself,” I tell him. “You’re not invited. I don’t care what my parents’ rules are. They’re not in charge of me and neither are you.”
I almost feel like backing that up with a growl of my own.
“Of course, Miss Markham,” Jake answers. Then he smiles, more to himself than me. “I told them you wouldn’t like it.”
“I don’t. You were right.”
I’m starting to get the hang of this, being Halli. She says what she wants. She does what she wants. There’s nothing like seeing her take over my life and discard the people and things she didn’t like to teach me how to do it myself.
Truth is, it feels good. It feels strong.
“I understand,” Jake says. “Listen, I appreciate you letting me stick around as long as I did. Thank you. It was an honor to finally meet you. I wouldn’t trade that for anything. I’ll go give the driver your instructions. Thank you, Miss Markham. It’s been a pleasure.” He tries to take a step forward again and offer me his hand, but Red puts a stop to that. Instead Jake just gives me a solemn nod, then turns and walks away.
It’s all too … easy.
And something doesn’t feel quite right. What he said sounded so final. I suspect in a way it is.
“What will they do?” I call after him.
“Don’t worry about it,” he says back.
“No, Jake, wait.”
He pauses, and so do I. Because right now I have a decision to make. If I don’t ask, I won’t know. And that’s probably for the best.
But then I won’t know.
“Are we ready?” Sarah asks, seeing that my conversation with Jake is over. “I’m famished. We’re taking you to the loveliest café, where they serve the most mammoth cinnamon buns, and they have scones so sublime they will make you weep—”
“Just a second,” I tell her. “Red, stay.” The dog looks at me, seems to accept the command, but I can see that he’s still tense. He doesn’t want me going off on my own—not to go talk to him.
I catch up to Jake. “Just tell me.”
He shrugs. “You can guess.”
“They’ll fire you.”
“It’s all right,” he says. “I can find work someplace else.”
“But where will you live?” Jake and his whole family work for Halli’s parents and live on their private island. If he’s out of a job, he’s probably out of a home, too.
Am I really going to do that to him?
“Halli, I meant what I said,” Jake tells me. “It was worth it. Why do you think I took the apprenticeship with your father in the first place? I could have looked for work someplace else.”
“But you wanted to meet me.” He already confessed that to me last time, so I assume he did it this time, too.
Jake nods. “And I did. And it was great.” He smiles and offers me his hand again. Without my guard dog here, I can shake it.
“I’ll be fine,” Jake says. “Thanks for everything. I’m going to go talk to the driver now.”
He heads toward the door outside.
Aaaarrrrgggg …
“Hold on,” I tell him.
I jog back to the others. Sarah is laughing at something Bryan the reporter just said.
She threads her arm through his. “Do you know he’s just been telling me the most fascinating stories of all the people he’s interviewed? Of course you and your grandmother are top of the top, but do you know he actually met Spirelli?”
“Yeah, that’s great. Hey, Daniel, can I talk to you for a second?”
“Certainly.”
I lead him over to where Red is still obediently sitting in a stay.
“I have a situation.”
“Right,” Daniel answers, immediately serious. That’s what I like about him—so entirely reliable.
“There are things I need to talk to you about,” I say. “Audie things.” Now he’s really paying attention. “I don’t want Jake to hear any of it, for obvious reasons.”
“Understood,” Daniel says. He’s well aware that he is the only person in this universe—at this stage, at least—who knows about Halli and me. Eventually, last time, I told his parents and a few other people, and that didn’t end up so well.
“So I don’t want him coming with us,” I continue, “but my parents will fire him if he doesn’t. Is there someplace close to your house where he can stay, but not too close?”
“There’s an inn. Not far.”
“Will that work?” What I really want to know is whether the tracking will show that Jake is with me, but I can’t come right out and ask it. Halli would probably already know the answer. I need Daniel to believe I’m her.
“I think so,” he says.
“Okay.”
I have no idea if I’m doing the right thing. Maybe I’m doing exactly the wrong thing. I could be rid of Jake Demetrios right now. Let him go fend for himself while I do the same.
That’s what the real Halli would do.
Jake pushes through the glass doors and calls that the car is ready.
I’m on my own here. Every decision is mine.
“Okay,” I answer. “Let’s go.”
- Writer
