“Aw, they are so cute,” said Julia. “They even remind me of …”
“I know!” Madison exclaimed. “I was just going to say that! That day even.”
Julia looked to us to explain. “We were here right after Christmas, and she was wearing that silver necklace Max gave her. Do you remember it, Blake?”
Blake stared at the menu on the table and said quietly, “Yes.”
“It was from Tiffany & Co.,” Julia explained to me. “He’d had her name engraved, and the date they got together.”
“Oh, she looked so pretty that day. She had on those cute riding boots—they were the same ones Kate Middleton had been wearing in this one picture … well anyway, they were so cute.”
The waiter came over and took our order. I ordered lobster bisque and Croque Monsieur. I hoped to God they’d stop talking about Becca when the waiter left. But no.
“When we were here that day, we were just talking, whatever, like we always did, and then Max came in. He just showed up. Johnny was with him, but he was in here talking to us. That was the day I realized Johnny had feelings for Becca.”
Blake looked at her. “Do you think Becca ever had feelings for him?”
“Are you serious?” Julia scoffed and carried on. “Anyway, they sat on that bench there. They were there for like ten minutes. He looked at her necklace, and then they kissed … I was so jealous.”
“Me, too,” Madison said. “I want a boy to love me that much. He was always trying with her. He refused to let her go.”
“He really fought for her.”
“They were on their way to getting back together right before she … right before she went missing.”
“They broke up?”
“Yes, for a little while. I don’t like to talk about it,” Madison said, as if it were her own breakup.
The Bobbsey Twins went silent, then began chattering on about where they thought she was. I shut them out until Julia said the words I had also thought.
“You know, I think Dana knows more than she lets on.”
“Why do you say that?” asked Blake.
Julia nodded. “She’s been acting so freaky and everything. I just think she knows something. Remember the night of her meltdown?”
“Oh, yeah, when she said ‘You know’ to Max? I think that meant something.”
“Me, too.”
“Speaking of Dana,” said Madison, “what happened with you guys?”
“Yeah, we heard you screaming at each other.”
I was afraid they’d ask me that. “She just kind of freaked out.”
I didn’t want to give specifics.
“She said you just started randomly throwing things at her.”
“No.” My cheeks were getting hot. “She was hurling insults at me, and so then I took down all of Becca’s pictures and gave them to her.”
Gave was a bit of a stretch….
“I just didn’t want them up on my wall anymore. She’s the one that wants them up, and I just feel weird looking at her pictures all the time since I didn’t even know her. It makes me feel like I’m intruding on her space.”
Neither of them looked like they knew what to say.
Blake shrugged. “It was weird. It’s not a shrine, it’s a dorm room in a school.”
“That’s not quite fair….” said Julia slowly.
“Sure it is, it’s my side of the room now. She was being a bitch.”
Everyone looked shocked. Blake smiled and took a sip of her drink. The other two changed the subject, and said nothing more about Becca for the rest of the meal.
“Thank God you called. Seriously, I’ve been desperate,” Leah was saying into her end of the phone.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“It’s Michael.”
Ah. Big surprise. Something was always happening with Michael. That’s another thing I wasn’t looking forward to at FSU—another four years of Ronnie-Sammi-esque drama. “What happened?”
“I am just so done with him. So done with him. He keeps acting superjealous, when I’m not even doing anything. I was with Emma yesterday and he got infuriated when I didn’t answer his texts. It’s so annoying.”
I really hoped she was finished with him. If this continued on into college, and I really was her roommate, I’d absolutely kill myself. Or them.
“Just let go of him, Leah, seriously. You guys have been beyond finished for like three years.”
“What do you mean?”
“I just mean, he’s done everything you hate. He’s read your texts, your Facebook messages, your emails, he’s followed you when you left your house … How have you stayed with him?”
“I don’t know. Because I love him? I really care about him. Ugh, I wish I could just let go, but it’s so hard. How’s your love life by the way?” she asked, brightening.
“Oh … um, nonexistent.”
“Really? There’s no one at all?”
“Really. Well. There’s this guy … but.” Suddenly everything about Becca seemed like it was difficult to explain. I couldn’t say that there was a missing girl and everyone misses her and it’s really screwing up my life without sounding like a total jackass. Or maybe just thinking it made me one. “He’s got a girlfriend.”
“Aw, that’s too bad. Does he love her?”
“Apparently.”
“Aw. I’m sorry, that sucks. Well, is there anyone else you like?”
“Nope. I don’t even really know anyone. Leah?” She was talking with the mouthpiece covered up.
“Can I call you back? Michael is here.”
“Not really, I have to turn my phone—”
“Love you!”
And she was gone. I looked at my phone. It was nine already anyway. I sighed and stood up to return my phone to its own little jail cell.
I walked up to see that Max was returning his phone. I took a deep breath and walked toward him. He spotted me as he
