14
Vadim hasn’t shown up at the university today.
He wasn’t here yesterday either.
Or the day before.
He hasn’t answered any calls, texts, or emails. He hasn’t logged into the college messaging platform once. He has simply disappeared from the face of the earth.
In class, I don’t even try to explain his absence to Abrams or the other professors.
I try to work on my own, but without him, it’s impossible to make progress on our short film project.
I’m not in the mood to listen to Clémentine’s gossip and giggle the way we would before.
I still agree to go get coffee with her at the Sunset after class, just so I don’t have to go home and face my father’s questions about my gloomy mood, my brother freaking out over the photo incident, or my mother’s insistence that I eat more than two bites at dinner.
What I really want is to be alone. But Clémentine says that showing my face in public is the best way to prove to Tim that I’m not moping over our breakup, that my life is going on without him, and that his threats haven’t scared me.
By breaking up with him, I also lost all of his friends and almost all of the social life that kept me busy when I wasn’t thinking about Vadim Arcadi.
“Have you ever heard of the Coué method?” my best friend asks me with a smile. She links her arm through mine to give me courage as we stand in front of the café. “It’s a concept that came from the psychologist émile Coué. You just have to fake being happy until you actually feel it.”
“Clémentine D’Aragon, I love you with all my heart, but I don’t think I’ve got it in me to pretend like that. Even for you.”
“Oh yes, you have, you’ll see! Tell me something, anything. I’m going to laugh really loudly so people think we’re having the best time.”
“No.”
“Yes! It’ll be awesome. We’ll walk in, we’ll laugh like crazy, heads will turn, and we’ll practically shower everyone with happiness!”
“It’s a big, fat no.”
“Ha-ha-ha! I didn’t even have to force it. You’re funny when you’re sad. Come on, let’s go sit in the back.”
A few people do turn to look at us. Not because they’re captivated by—or even envious of—our little performance. It’s more of an awkward, mocking vibe, perhaps even outright contemptuous. Looks like Tim did his job well.
Then, suddenly, in the scattered Thursday night crowd that only half fills the Sunset, two clear, gray eyes stop me dead in my tracks.
There they are: those luminous eyes I’d almost forgotten.
Those piercing irises, glittering with provocation.
The eyes that I love so much. I watch as they drift away from me and settle on the very pretty girl sitting across the table from him.
“Oh my God, what a player—he’s with someone else!”
“I saw.”
“Don’t look at him, Alma. That’s exactly what he wants. Turn around!”
“Keep your voice down… What’s he doing now? Can you see?”
“He’s talking to her, and she’s laughing.”
“Does she look smart? Do they look like they have things to talk about? What’s she drinking? What does her laugh sound like? Please tell me she has a piece of food stuck between her teeth.”
“Well, to be honest, she’s… Well, she has… How should I put it…?”
“Okay, okay, I get it. Shall we go now?”
“Definitely not! Never flee the enemy. Even when she is blonde, slim, tanned, and fit, with a high ponytail, full lips, and perky breasts.”
“Is that the second part of your ‘fake it till you make it’ thing?” I ask with a grimace.
The server interrupts our conversation, setting two glasses down on the table in front of us. “Girls, these are on the dark-haired guy over there. The tall one. And he also wanted me to give you this.”
She trots off after sliding a folded paper napkin onto our table. Feeling my pulse begin to race, I open it and try to decipher the smudged, black letters.
“Can you believe this?”
“Let me see! ‘Not brave enough to… come…’ I don’t know what that says! ‘…fight… with me?’ Is this guy crazy or what? Does he think you do MMA or something?”
“Fight for me, Clem. He wants me to prove myself to him. Publicly.”
So, you want to play that game, do you, Vadim Arcadi?
“He’s looking at you, Alma. Whatever you do, don’t turn around! Oh wait, you just did. Fine, don’t listen to me then!”
At the other end of the café, Vadim shoots me a defiant look, followed by his trademark smirk.
Detestable. Adorable. I’m tempted to march over and remind him that I’m not a dog you can whistle for whenever you feel like having fun—or one you can make pee on the neighbor’s wall just to test its loyalty.
“Do it, Alma. Go tell him where to shove it!”
“He’s looking to get a rise out of me, and I’d just be giving him what he wants. I’m better off ignoring him…”
“Go on, do it! It’s just a shame that asshole Tim isn’t here to see this. Come on! Go!”
“Um… Yeah, I think I’m going to do it.”
“You can do it, Lancaster. Who’s stopping you?”
“I’m going to do it! I swear I’m going to do it!”
“I’ll be watching you!” Clémentine grabs an imaginary crown and puts it on my head. “Go, Queen!”
Fired up, I cross the crowded café, two glasses of lemonade in hand, concentrating on not spilling them before I get there. I pause in front of the pretty blonde, who is now staring at me, surprised to see me standing there and perhaps a little worried about what I’m planning to do.
“Here, this is for you. I’m sorry about your date. I never normally do stuff like this. You’re really beautiful, and I’m sure you’re smart too. I don’t think girls should be bitchy to each other. We should stick together. It would make life easier for all of us.”
I slide one of the glasses over to her as an apology, then turn to Vadim and, with all my strength, hurl the contents of the other glass directly in his face.
“And this is for you, Arcadi. Next time you feel like buying me a drink, you’d better make sure you don’t disrespect anyone else in the process. And next time you want to challenge me, you’d better remember who you’re dealing with.”
Vadim stands up, spreading his long arms wide, his mouth curved into a surprised smile. Lemonade drips down his beaming face. His tongue catches the sparkling drops running over his damp lips. Then, he places both hands on my cheeks and kisses me full on the lips right in the middle of the Sunset.
I let him. Of course I let him. I let myself slip into this whirlwind of heat, passion, and madness. And it’s a struggle to pull away from his lips so I can whisper to him, “It’s about time, Arcadi.”
“I’m very impressed, Lancaster.”
I can feel all the eyes in the room on us, and I can see pride in Vadim’s. It carries me away. It thrills me. And it also reminds me of what I’ve just done—this gutsy side of me I didn’t know existed. But my courage is already faltering, and I feel my cheeks grow hot.
“I’m really sorry,” I say to the stunned blonde. “It wasn’t anything against you.”
With a look of disgust, she dries her toned, tanned arms, which got splashed when the drink hit Vadim. “Yeah, right! Anyway, this wasn’t even a date.”
“It’s on me,” Vadim adds. “To make up for Alma’s clumsiness. She’s not always fully in control of her limbs.”
“You’re both crazy! Here, this is what I owe you.”
The furious girl pulls a small wad of cash from her purse, slams it down on the table, and turns on her heels. Vadim quickly shoves it into his pocket and watches her walk away, running a hand through his hair.
“Why did she give you that?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Vadim, don’t start this again.”
“Really, it’s not important. Just a little business between her and me.”
“Okay, are you going to explain, or should I leave?”
“Alma…”
I march straight back to Clémentine to gather my things. I hear Vadim sigh behind my back. Then, he runs to catch up with me.
“Eight o’clock tonight, in front of my place. I’m taking you to out to dinner.”
“That’s not what I asked. Save your secrets, your big mysteries, and your little games for someone else.”
“Come tonight, and I’ll tell you everything.”
Everything?