Chapter Twenty-Three More Mind-Blowing Revelations #2
That’s what all of us on this street are doing—our best. Our best to keep afloat in this expensive city. Our best to look out for one another. Our best to keep the little community that has always had our back.
I hug Zuri close. I don’t know how I’m going to leave this street. And I don’t know how I’m going to forget Miles.
There’s a knock on the apartment door. Keeping Zuri on my shoulder, I open the door. It’s Cara, and she’s holding some brown paper bags. Why is she here? “I have cake and empanadas. I heard you might need them.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be working?”
She nods, then comes in and closes the door behind her.
“I am working. Technically on the clock. Jenn told me my duties for tonight are to support my friend who needs me. She called Mrs. Kotch and Ben and told them you needed some cheer-up treats, and they donated these day-olds. Ajit is currently making a masala chai for you and a matcha latte for me, and Charlene will bring them over when they’re ready. ”
I shake my head, amazed. I love this community. Cara starts unpacking the food onto the table. Looks like we have two of Mrs. Kotch’s Cakes for Two and four big veggie empanadas.
“Wow. This is a lot,” I say.
Cara nods. “Yep. Grab some plates and then talk, because I have no idea what happened.”
I get plates and forks, and we each take an empanada. Charlene shows up with our drinks, wearing a dancing hamster T-shirt. She smiles as she hands them to me, until she notices Zuri at my feet. She glares at my cat, then leaves quickly. I snort a weak laugh at that.
I hand Cara her latte and sit on my armchair with my food and tea. The sweet milky and lightly spiced scent of the chai calms me instantly. I relax after taking a sip.
“Okay, now, what happened?” Cara asks. “Something to do with the festival?”
I shake my head. “No. Well, sort of.” I tell her about Su Lin and the condo developers’ visit to Cosmic Vintage.
“Oh my god. She brought actual developers into the store?” Cara shakes her head. “She’s got some nerve to bring those vultures through. No wonder you’re pissed.”
“There’s more. One of them mentioned that they finalized negotiations to buy the flower shop and the apartment over it.”
Cara’s already-wide eyes grow about three times bigger. “Holy crap. This apartment?”
I nod. “Mom is selling… has sold this building.” My voice cracks again. I still can’t believe it.
“Damn. Are you moving?”
I nod.
“When?”
“Don’t know yet.” I sigh. “I feel betrayed. My mom, my dad, Miles… they all kept this from me.”
“What does Miles have to do with it? Or your dad?”
“Miles took a job as an intern with the same developers. My father referred him for it. And my dad’s the real estate agent who brought this opportunity to Mom.” I tell her about Mom’s plan for an online flower shop.
“Holy hell.” Cara seems as shocked as I was.
“I know.” I shake my head. “I get why she sold. I just wish she’d told me beforehand. And I can’t believe Miles would keep this from me. I thought I knew him.”
But I always knew, from the very beginning, that Miles didn’t really believe in love. Not in the same way I do.
I take a bite of my empanada. It’s filled with kale and mushrooms—my favorite. The slightly spicy filling and the rich, flaky dough are exactly what I need tonight. Carbs. Precious, delicious carbs.
“You had no idea Miles was hiding anything from you?”
I exhale. “Actually, I did know that he was keeping something from me,” I say.
“Something about Sarina being into someone that she didn’t want me to know about.
Maybe that was a lie, and maybe it was really about this internship?
I should have known he would keep secrets from me.
I’m such an idiot.” I take another big bite.
Cara squeezes her lips together and goes very still. I feel that familiar thud of my heartbeat picking up again. She looks like she’s hiding something too.
“What?” I ask.
“What, what?”
“What are you trying not to tell me?” I ask Cara. “Don’t tell me you knew about this internship too—”
“No,” Cara interrupts. “I promise, I had no idea about it. And I don’t know if Sarina knew. It’s just… I do know Sarina’s secret. It’s not about your dad or real estate or anything like that.”
So Cara has been keeping something from me too? Cara… my friend . I put down my empanada. “Not you, too. Everyone I care about—my mother, Miles, my father, hell, even Jenn has been keeping stuff from me. Clearly no one actually trusts—”
“Stop, Sana. I…” Cara exhales, then looks at me. “Miles did set Sarina up with someone. Me. Sarina and I are… dating .”
I blink, looking at Cara. Did I hear that right?
“I must be hearing things because I know you didn’t say you are dating my straight stepsister,” I say.
She doesn’t answer. “What about Hannah?” Cara hasn’t mentioned her hockey player girlfriend in a while, but I assumed that was because Cara knew I didn’t approve of Hannah.
She shakes her head. “I haven’t seen Hannah since she stood me and my parents up for hot pot. And Sarina isn’t… straight. We’ve been dating pretty much since I stopped seeing Hannah.”
“Holy crap.” I shake my head. “Really? And Miles set you up?”
“She was apparently into me when we went to High Park that day. That’s why she came—she thought you were inviting her for me , not Miles.
She told Miles everything in the Uber because she was upset.
She didn’t know I would be there with Hannah.
When things went bad between me and Hannah, he arranged a get-together with me and Sarina. ”
I exhale. “To a place on College Street?”
“Yeah, we went for dinner, then to a board game café.” She’s smiling small.
I shake my head. Cara and Sarina? Dating? On that day at High Park, Cara went with Hannah, but then Sarina hurt her ankle, and Cara came to her rescue. They had a freaking meet-cute. “And no one thought to tell me?”
“Sarina didn’t want Miles or me to tell you because she was afraid her mother would find out. She’s not out to her family.”
I look out the window, hurt. I wouldn’t have told Noureen or Dad about this, and I would think that my friend Cara would know that. But apparently everyone would prefer to lie to me than give me a chance to support them.
I don’t say anything for a while.
“You’re not mad, are you, Sana? Sarina’s amazing. She’s not like your stepmother at all. Really, you two have so much in common—”
My gaze jolts to Cara. “You, Sarina, even my own boyfriend all lied to my face.” I shake my head. “Yes, I’m mad! I brought her there that day for Miles—”
“Yeah, but you’re with Miles now, so everyone is happy!”
“Are we all happy? Because the way I see it, everyone is fine keeping me out of the loop on what’s going on in their lives. Because, what…? I’m not mature enough to talk to about heavy stuff? I’m Sunny Sana—fun to hang out with, but not the person you talk about your life with.”
“Sana, it’s not like that!” Cara says. “Sarina didn’t want to come out to her mom. What did you expect me to do?”
Honestly, I kind of get it. I get why Sarina wouldn’t want me to know. We’ve never been close, so she wouldn’t know that I’d have her back. And it’s messed up to out someone who doesn’t want to be outed, so I get where Cara and Miles were coming from too.
It just hurts to know that everyone was okay with keeping me in the dark.
Cara looks at me for a few moments. “I’m sorry, Sana. Do you want me to go?”
I nod. I really don’t want to see anyone right now who doesn’t respect me enough to be honest with me. Zuri has never lied—all I need right now is my cat.
Cara takes her matcha latte and leaves my apartment.
I pull out one of the Cakes for Two and eat the whole thing in one sitting.
Which is depressing, but it helps. It does remind me a little bit of Miles, but this is a vanilla cake, not red velvet, so the memories aren’t that strong.
Mom’s still not home by the time I go to bed, which is not unexpected.
When I’m in bed, I check my phone. I’d muted Miles earlier, but now I can’t resist knowing whether he tried to reach me at all. There are three texts from him.
Miles: I’m sorry. I know I screwed up. I should have told you about the position with the developer. I’m sorry.
Miles: I have to keep the job, though. I need it. I wish you’d talk to me, but I understand if you don’t want to.
Miles: I hope we can still work together on Saturday. If you never want to see me again after that, then okay.
I shake my head. I can’t avoid seeing him because he’s supposed to work in the bookstore all summer just like I’m supposed to work at Cosmic.
And Miles loves working at Second Story Books.
He loves helping customers find their next read and talking about politics with Reggie.
He even loves the smell of old books like I do.
With this new condo development, the bookstore isn’t going to be around for long, and I know Miles would want to be there while it’s open.
I’m so mad at Miles for not being honest with me, and I’m mad at myself for falling so hard for someone who doesn’t want to preserve Love Street the way I do.
But… I don’t want Miles to leave the Love Street community.
I want Reggie to be looking out for him, and I want him to be doted on by Mrs. Kotch.
I want him to shop at Cosmic and drink chai while talking about Bollywood with Ajit.
Because he needs this community. Who else is going to support him every day?
His parents care more about hurting each other than about taking care of their son.
His uncle said that found family—people who are there for you because they want to be, not because of some familial obligation—is as good as gold.
Other than that uncle, Miles only has his Love Street family right now.
I write back.
Sana: No. I’m not going to avoid you. We’ll have to work together for the festival, and we’ll see each other on the street this summer.
Miles: But you don’t want to talk, right?
Sana: I need space.
Miles: Okay. Maybe one day we can be friends again.
I don’t respond to that. And it’s not because I’m too angry. It’s because I’m not sure I can bear being just friends with him again.