Forty-Three
DM EXCHANGE:
@Angela: I’m so happy you’re still psyched about the scavenger hunt despite all the changes. Also, I need to thank you and apologize to you. You stood up for me when everyone was turning their backs on me. Meanwhile, I haven’t been fair to you. I never meant to lead you on or hurt you, and I genuinely hope we can be friends after this.
@LetiIsTrying: I’ll admit, I did get my hopes up that something would happen between us after the scavenger hunt, but I knew you were talking to other women online besides me. For all our joking about dating, I knew it was never serious between us.
@Angela: Still. I hope you know that I really did like you. I wasn’t trying to mess with your head.
@LetiIsTrying: I get it. You fell for someone else. And you know what? You’ve given me hope that there’s someone great out there for me too.
After spending half an hour getting ready, I don’t look like myself. At least, not my usual self. I’m wearing a short-sleeved button-down and close-fitting slacks, but not close enough to show off any kind of silhouette. I even bought a tie especially for this moment, the first masculine accessory I’ve ever bought that dresses up the outfit just that much more. Along with my newly close-cropped hair and face clear of makeup, it’d be easy to mistake me for a guy at first glance.
It’s ironic that my outfit choices these days highlight everything I used to be so insecure about growing up. Now I’m more than happy with my flat chest and lack of a “feminine figure,” both easily hidden away by a baggy shirt. Maybe one day I’ll return to brighter, feminine colors and incorporate them into masculine fits.
The reaction I get from Marcela and Julian is priceless. I kept my new haircut a secret for an entire day—the most dramatic change to my appearance—and their wide eyes and exchange of shocked glances don’t go unnoticed.
“Well?” I do a little faux-curtsy as I make my way down the stairs. “What do you think?”
“You look great.” Marcela grins ear to ear. “The short hair really suits you.”
“Agreed, and you reminded me I’m due for a trim soon,” Julian says, tousling his over-long curls with a hand.
The day of the scavenger hunt has arrived, and I couldn’t be more nervous. What if no one shows up? What if it gets awkward? The tie around my neck is starting to get tight as we arrive at the bar.
What if she doesn’t show up?
Krystal never replied to my message the other night, or the one I sent this morning. I spent the entire day checking. Even now, I’m checking my phone for any missed messages from her and come up empty.
“Full house tonight.”
Julian’s right. Inside, the bar is packed. I recognize Leti and a few women I’ve messaged online, as well as others from the profiles I sifted through a few weeks ago, but most are regular bar patrons.
“You nervous?” Marcela asks, placing a hand on my shoulder. “It’s not too late to back out, you know. Best friend drives the getaway car.”
“I call shotgun.”
“You can’t call shotgun if I’m the one running away.” I roll my eyes at my cousin. “And I’m not running.” Though the longer I look out at the crowd without seeing Krystal’s face, the more I sort of want to. My throat feels so tight, even loosening the tie around my neck doesn’t help.
She’s not coming.
I shake my head to myself. There’s still time for her to show up.
Cristina, the bar manager, gets the crowd to settle down and introduces me. She helps me onto the bar, giving me a perfect view of the crowd. I try to spot Krystal while I’m up here, but I’m nervous and overstimulated and trying not to choke over my words as I explain the rules. If she’s here, I don’t see her.
“Thanks for coming, everyone!” I call out. “I’m Angela, your host for tonight’s scavenger hunt. Just a quick reminder that clues will be posted on TikTok every thirty minutes, so be sure you have the app downloaded and that you’re checking for new updates periodically. The first video will go up in”—I check the time on my phone—“five minutes!”
I set a timer on my phone, and then Julian helps me down from the bar. I’m not any less anxious as I try to force myself to stop looking for Krystal in the crowd.
“Are you okay?” Marcela asks when I start biting my nails. “Are you still looking for—”
“Angela.” Leti appears in front of me, cutting off Marcela’s question. A welcome distraction from having to talk about Krystal, and why she’s not here when just last week she told me she wasn’t going anywhere. I let Leti pull me into a side hug as she says, “I wanted to say hi before the scavenger hunt began. I’m excited to start.”
“I’m so glad you’re here! Thanks again for being cool with me changing the incentive at the last minute.”
I cut it pretty close when I posted my last update yesterday, but only because I’d needed to check with Erika first. Instead of the winner getting to be my first kiss, they’ll get to choose which charity organization I donate the money I earned from my most recent sponsored post.
“Of course,” Leti tells me. “I’m happy you found someone. Really.”
My stomach sinks even as I look over her head for any sign of Krystal. That constricting feeling tightens my throat again.
“Are you coming to the after-party?” I ask, if only so I don’t have to correct her.
“Wouldn’t miss it.” She smiles. “I’m gonna go line up behind the door with everyone else and wait for the first clue.”
A glance behind her shows me she’s right—there’s a group lined up behind the exit. I let out a laugh and let her go. I step back and almost trip over something on the ground. And then I really start freaking out when a hand on my ankle rights me from falling over.
“ Julian? ” He’s on his hands and knees behind a barstool. “What the hell are you doing down there?”
“I dropped my phone,” he says as I help him off the floor, but there’s something shifty in his expression that stops me from believing him. He looks behind me to the line behind the door, shoulders tense in agitation. “How do you know that girl?”
“Leti?” I follow his gaze to where Leti is chatting with someone in line. “It’s… kind of a long story. Why?”
“I know her,” he replies, but doesn’t explain how.
“Okay, cryptic much?” I cross my arms over my chest. “How do you—”
The alarm on my phone goes off before I can ask him how he knows her. Time to get started. I glance back at him and give him a look that says this is far from over before turning to my phone and hitting post on the drafted video.
“The first clue is posted!” I shout, and watch as everyone pulls out their phone.
CAPTION:
ON YOUR MARK… GET SET… GO!
@ANGELA CLOSED CAPTIONS: Hey, y’all. I’m here with your very first clue. In a blue house of rarities, the second clue awaits you.
For a moment, I’m taken back to a few months ago, when the scavenger hunt was still just an idea that came to me out of nowhere. Find me in a house painted blue, where the smell of aging paper envelops you and books line every wall. If Krystal is watching somewhere, she’ll remember the callback.
Marcela drives us to Cheever’s, where we wait for people to arrive. In the car, I lose the tie altogether before we walk inside. How do men even wear these things? I start to feel better as the cool air from the store hits my skin.
The second clue might be my favorite of Natalia’s art pieces. Two weeks ago, when she unveiled the faux display of books created especially for me, it nearly brought me to tears. I direct Marcela and Julian to a side room where the display is tucked away beside a stack of worn mass market historical romances.
At first glance, the display is unassuming. The faux books are so lifelike, if you didn’t know what you were looking for you’d mistake them for real hardback novels. Until you look closely at the titles and realize they’re far from real. The first spine reads The Woman in Wanting , followed by Angela’s Ever After . But the next clue is on the last title, Ferris Wheel Death Trap , the cover a perfect rendering of downtown San Antonio during Fiesta. On the bottom of the display is Natalia’s signature.
“Angela, this is amazing!” Marcela exclaims. “I can’t believe Natalia made this.”
“She really outdid herself with this piece,” I agree. “And the best part is I get to take it home with me after the scavenger hunt.”
We make our way toward the back as I’m checking my phone for the time. They should be arriving behind us any second now. At the ten-minute mark, Marcela splits from us and heads to the front of the store. She’ll text me when the first arrivals enter Cheever’s.
“While we’re waiting, you never told me how you know Leti.”
Julian sighs as he leans against a shelf of children’s books. “It’s a long, awkward story that doesn’t make me look very good.”
“After I found you hiding behind a barstool, I didn’t think it did.” I raise my brows at him. “What happened?”
“We met a few years ago.” He lets out a long breath. “I don’t think she likes me very much.”
“Wait a second.” Something clicks into place as I stare at his sheepish expression. “She mentioned something about the worst first date in history. Did you go out with her?”
His whole face turns pink, and I have my answer. Before he can reply, Marcela calls to let me know Leti and a few others have arrived. “I lost track of some of the participants after a huge group walked in. Either way, I think you’re good to post the next video.”
“Thanks,” I tell her. “You didn’t see Krystal by chance, did you?”
“Sorry. I was too busy trying not to get trampled by the newcomers. She could’ve slipped in, but I have no idea.”
“Right. Well, I guess we’ll see.” Once we hang up, I open TikTok and post the next video.
CAPTION:
@ANGELA CLOSED CAPTIONS: Back again with your second clue of the night. Something is not what it seems inside these walls. Can you spot the difference? I sure hope so, because it’ll lead you to the next clue.
“Come on.” Julian follows me out the back exit so we don’t run into anyone. We meet Marcela by the car, and then we’re off to the next location. Clouds are rolling in by the time we make it to Fiesta, but far from being dead the streets are packed with bodies. It looks like everyone’s getting their final hours of fun in before they’re rained out.
There’s so much of Krystal in this next clue, which makes sense given that she’s the one who gave me the idea when we were here weeks ago. The line to the Ferris wheel is long, extending all the way to the street, but that’s okay. In that way, it was just for us. Besides, the participants don’t need to actually ride the Ferris wheel to spot the next clue.
Though we’re an entire block away from the Ferris wheel, Natalia’s newest mural is in full view. The Woman in Wanting stares back at us from the next building over. Even though the details are almost exactly the same as the mural I first saw from the Tower of the Americas, something is different about this new mural. Maybe it’s my imagination, but this version seems bolder, more full of life than its predecessor. Beside the mural, a poster is taped to the wall with information on Natalia’s art exhibit at the McNay museum.
“It’s going to get harder making sure everyone’s keeping up with the clues,” Julian says after two back-to-back passersby shove by him. “Do you see anyone?”
I glance around, like I haven’t been looking for signs of Krystal all damned day, but he’s right. It’s even harder to make out familiar faces through the droves of people out today. Luckily I figured something like this would happen and set up a timer. After another fifteen minutes pass, I hit upload on the third video in my drafts folder.
CAPTION:
GETTING WARMER…
@ANGELA CLOSED CAPTIONS: Are we ready for the third clue? My friend has a view for you that can be seen from the top of a Ferris wheel. Hope you guys are better at interpreting art than I am.
As soon as I post the video and glance up from my phone, I spot her.
There. A mass of dark brown curls I recognize by heart, piled on top of her head. Just to be sure, I move through the crowd to follow her. Julian calls out my name, but I ignore him.
Turn around , I think frantically. Just once.
I’m surrounded. There’s no way for me to move faster, to catch up to her. I call her name, but I barely hear myself over the roar of voices. Again. And then, miraculously, her head turns. I only catch her side profile, but it’s enough.
It’s her. She came.
I’d run to her if I could. Fall at her feet and apologize for being so dense. Because how could I not see then what I so clearly see now? There’s no one else for me but her. I love Krystal. I’ve been slowly falling for her for months. Years, even.
“Angela!” I’m pulled out of the crowd by a hand gripping my arm. When I turn around, Marcela looks anxious. “You can’t just run off like that. We almost lost you.”
“Sorry, I—” I turn my head back, but if the person I saw in the crowd really was Krystal, I have no way of knowing. She’s gone. “I thought I saw her.”
“Krystal?” When I nod, she asks, “What are you going to do?”
There’s only one thing I want to do—something I should’ve done a long time ago. Julian and Marcela follow as I ditch the crowds for a grassy lawn outside a nearby building. Once we find a secluded area that isn’t too noisy, I press the camera app and hit record.
NO CAPTION
@ANGELA CLOSED CAPTIONS: Krystal, if you’re watching this, ignore the last video I posted. I don’t know if you got any of the messages I’ve been sending you, but just now I thought I saw you, so if you are here—and if you’re still in this—meet me at your spot. You know the one. I like to think of it as our spot now. Hopefully I see you, and it will be.
“You’re really doing this, huh?” Marcela’s eyes are sparkling, and Julian is wearing a cheesy grin once I hit post. They crush me in a hug from both sides, sandwiching me between them. “I’m so proud of you, Angela.”
“Go get your girl!” Julian agrees, shaking my shoulders.
“All right, fine, yes, but we have to hurry!” I say, pulling away from them. “Can you drop me off at home? I need to get my car. I have to be alone for this.”
They agree, and then we’re running back to Marcela’s car. Julian says they’ll let me know who wins the scavenger hunt later, and for a moment a pang of regret hits me that I won’t get to see it through. But only for a moment. Because with every fiber of my being, I’m praying that I’m right. That Krystal is really here somewhere, searching for me. That we’re not too far off from our happily-ever-after.