Chapter 33. Tessa
Tessa
The door flickers in front of me—an offer or a warning. Time is running out.
I gird myself. Enough. You can’t stand here forever. Be brave. Go find Reed. I’m about to step forward when something brushes against my shoulder. I startle, then stare dumbfounded at the boy beside me, black hair tucked behind his ears, adorable dimple denting his cheek.
He’s here. He didn’t leave me.
Reed shakes his head in relief, smiling from ear to ear, but then starts shivering as if adrenaline has caught up with him. He doubles over, hands on his knees, but raises one finger in the air while he catches his breath.
I can hardly contain my excitement. I’m lightheaded, giddy with it; a bubbly effervescence flows through my veins. When he stands his expression is glorious, a match to my own. “How could … Is it really you?” I stammer.
Rather than explain himself, he makes a big show of examining the countdown timer etched in light, head tilted to the side, just as cocky and sure-footed as ever.
“I was hoping to rework it like the sign at school, but … it’s numbers.
” He taps his chin. “So, I think I’ll go with my word scramble idea from before of neighborhood hellraiser.
That feels pretty on point.” He turns and slips me a sly, knowing smile.
I fling my arms around him, hugging him close. He’s solid. He’s here. I could hold him forever, but I pull back to check him over; he doesn’t appear harmed in any way. “How did you get here?”
“I don’t know. The last thing I remember is seeing the horrified look on your face as I was sucked backward. When I woke up …” He waves at the door. “I thought I was on the other side.”
“So you’ve been around the whole time?” I smack him.
“Ouch.” He laughs. “I forgot how feisty you are.” He reaches for my hands, possibly to hold them and possibly to prevent me from thwacking him again.
“I guess you can’t travel through someone else’s door.
” He shrugs. “I don’t know how long I was out, but when I finally came to, I wasn’t in the ballroom like before. I was at my gravesite.”
“What?”
“Yeah … and my mom was there.” He looks at me significantly.
“Whoa.”
“I know. But I really needed that.” He places his hand over his heart. “All I can think is maybe you reset to wherever your actual body is, like how we arrived here that first night.”
I nod slowly. “That makes sense. It’s either that, or the door knew somehow—knew you needed to say goodbye.” There’s still so much about this place we don’t understand.
He looks wistfully out the window. “Whatever the reason, I’m glad I got the chance.”
“I saw my dad, too. But …” I indicate the giant glowing portal in front of us. “I thought you were gone. I was ready to launch myself across space and time to find you.”
“You’d do that for me?”
“I’d do anything for you.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, he cups my face in his hands and brings his lips to mine. We’re kissing, urgent and deep, clinging to each other, all the fear, all the worry, all the loss poured into this moment between us.
Tilly’s safe. Reed’s safe. We’re safe.
I pull away. There’s something I need to say.
“Hal was right. People are trying to do the best they can. I judged you too quickly. I’ve judged a lot of people too quickly: Brandon, Jenny, Santiago, but especially you.
I’m so sorry for before. Of course you were upset about what happened.
I should have listened to you and instead—”
“You don’t need to apologize.” He stops me, stepping closer, tucking my hands back in his.
“I’m the one who should apologize. I was freaking out, but you were right.
He’s dangerous. And we are better off with him dead.
” He glances over my shoulder at the countdown timer.
“But with only twenty-one minutes left, is there any chance we can still take him?”
I can’t help my smirk. “Well, while you were having your little nap, I eradicated that asshole from the face of the planet. You might have beat me in high school, but I’m thinking I win the afterlife.”
“Always so competitive,” he says, laughter dancing behind his eyes. But there’s something else mixed with it. Respect? “So, how’d you get rid of him?”
“I called the smoke people into his house, and they surged and carried him through his door.”
“Wow.” He looks shocked. “That was actually a really good idea.”
“I know.” I blow on my nails and playfully rub them against my dress, throwing him a wry smile.
“I sure am lucky to have died with the smartest girl in school.”
“I didn’t do so bad myself.”
“So …” His eyes drift back to the golden portal glittering in front of us. “I guess it’s time, then.”
I nod. It’s still terrifying, facing the unknown, leaving the world and everyone we love behind, but I have Reed now. Whatever comes next, we can handle it. Together.
Without a second thought, Reed marches ahead of me with his long strides, toward the door.
“Nuh-uh-uh. Just what do you think you’re doing?”
“Um … walking through the door, like we agreed,” he states matter-of-factly.
“And you think you get to go first?” I scoff. “Because, what? You were valedictorian?”
He shrugs, like yeah, duh.
I roll my eyes. “You only got eight-tenths of a point higher than me, Reed.”
“Shouldn’t the title come with some perks?”
I stare, stunned.
“Then again, I suppose saving the world from the scourge that is Creepy Carl should bump your grade point average a bit, like some added extra credit or something.”
It’s possible my mouth drops even wider.
A slow smile spreads across his face. He’s been joking this whole time.
I shake my head, eyes alight.
“It’s always been too easy to get under your skin.” He’s absolutely beaming now.
It occurs to me that what I used to think was spite is really his way of pushing me, challenging me to be the best version of myself that I can be.
It’s hard to even reconcile him with the guy who made fun of my graduation speech back in econ, or at least with who I assumed that guy to be.
Now I understand. Reed doesn’t placate me or go easy on me, but I don’t mind.
I’m up to the challenge. He raises the bar, but I raise it right back.
How ironic that it took my dying to learn how to live better. “I want to be the person you’ve always known I can be.”
“Me too,” he says, more seriously. “For you.”
“Maybe we’ll get the chance to change, to do better, with whatever comes next.” I gesture toward the door.
He looks deep into my eyes and nods, an unspoken oath passing between us: Whatever’s next, we’ll keep striving, keep pushing to be our best selves—for each other. “So, together then?” He reaches out his hand.
“Together.” I place my palm in his.
“What was that quote Hal liked from Peter Pan?” he asks.
“To die will be an awfully big adventure.”
Reed turns to stare down our door and its infinite possibilities. “Are you ready for our next adventure?”
I realize I am—ready as I’ll ever be, anyway. I gaze at Reed Walker, first my nemesis, then my ghost frenemy, and now so much more. There’s no one else I’d rather embark on this next chapter with.
“Let’s do it,” I say, my resolve hardening.
With a deep breath, we inch closer to the precipice, hearts racing as the door dissolves before us into a vast, shimmering promise. It reminds me of the night sky we watched together from the roof: mysterious but full of potential.
He gives my hand a fortifying squeeze.
We walk up to the threshold, and step thr—