Chapter 40
FORTY
OLIVIA
Malik bolted as soon as he saw the gnarly bundles of Christmas lights. “Peace out, dudes.” He flashed them a peace sign and strolled away without another word.
“Sorry, Liv, I guess it’s just us,” Hugo said, holding the wad of tangled lights with one arm and watching Malik cut through the crowded workstations.
“It’s fine. We’ll get it done with the three of us,” Olivia said, forcing a smile and tugging on a strand of lights.
Malik was a mystery. She couldn’t figure out his angle or why he kept showing up only to bounce a few minutes later.
But she wasn’t going to let him get under her skin—they had a task to complete and new clue to find.
They spent the next hour wrangling giant balls of Christmas lights like they were in a game of Twister.
It was hard to tell if they were making much progress because every strand that they loosened, whether by force or gentle coaxing over a shoulder or under a leg, revealed dozens more mangled up against each other, waiting to be set free.
“This is taking forever,” Cass wailed, shaking her fingers like she was trying to bring back feeling. “My hands keep going numb and I’ve broken two nails. How dare they? The organizers are just cruel at the point. I thought this was supposed to be holiday fun, but it’s more like holiday torture.”
“No, come on, guys, we’ve got this,” Hugo chimed in, dropping the strand he was holding. “We can’t give up yet. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, or maybe I should say bundle.” He caught Olivia’s eyes, looking at her hopefully. “You’re not thinking of bailing, too, are you?”
“Me? Never.” She shook her head.
“Whew, I was worried Mr. Model got to you.”
“Mr. Model?”
“You know, Malik.” He sounded surprised that she wasn’t catching on. “You know that’s his goal, right?”
Olivia used both hands to pry a long section of lights into a straight line, pressing them onto the floor carefully so as not to break any bulbs. “What are you talking about?”
“Malik—he wants to be a model. That’s what all the pictures on his social are for. He’s trying to land an agent.” Hugo was matter-of-fact, relaying this huge piece of news. “I thought you knew that. Malik is his stage name. None of it is real.”
“Wait, what?” Olivia ignored the lights, which were curling back into themselves. “What are you talking about?”
Hugo caught Cass’s eye. They exchanged a look that must have been a signal for her to give them some space. “Hey, I’m going to grab us snacks. Be back in a second.” Cass took off without another word.
Olivia furrowed her brow and stared at Hugo, who had suddenly become even more interested in the ball of lights at his feet. “Seriously, Hugo, what do you mean Malik is his stage name?”
“Sorry, I thought you knew, but then I overheard you asking him about Byron in the backseat.”
“What does Byron have to do with this?”
“The guy doesn’t read, Liv. He wants to be a model.
Those photos on his social are from a photo shoot he did with a talent agency.
He’s leaving for LA as soon as we graduate.
He already has some gigs lined up. His name isn’t even Malik—it’s Mike, but the talent agent thought Malik had more of a mystique to it. ”
Olivia pressed her hand to her stomach, feeling lightheaded as her voice ticked up a notch too high. “His name is Mike?” She didn’t mean to sound so shrill and pitchy, but she couldn’t believe it. Everything about Malik’s persona was false. He didn’t even read.
How had she been so wrong about him, and why had no one told her?
“Yeah.” Hugo nodded, his mouth falling slightly open. “I’m so sorry. I seriously thought you knew. It’s not like it’s a big secret. All our teachers called him Mike at the beginning of the school year, but he told them he prefers Malik.”
“I guess I wasn’t paying attention,” she said softly.
Not wanting to add that she’d been so caught up in his stylish and good looks, drooling over him and doodling hearts in her notebook on the first day of classes that she probably hadn’t even heard any of their teachers calling his real name.
“I’m such an idiot. I’m a complete fool. ”
“No! Don’t say that.” Hugo rushed to her defense. “It’s not you. I should have mentioned it sooner.”
She appreciated his pep talk, but she couldn’t believe she’d had tunnel vision when it came to her crush. How had she been so wrong?