DJ
IT’S OVER. It’s really over. And I’m off the hook.
My family isn’t exactly rejoicing, though. We’re all kind of freaked out by everything we just learned.
And me? I’m just limp with relief.
It’s quiet on the walk to Orsen’s house, where I’m to pick up my stuff before driving back to Long Island with my family. “I need a few minutes,” I say after I unlock the door. Immediately I head into my room. I open my laptop so I can text Lianne on the full keyboard. Because this won’t be easy to explain in just a few words.
Good news, I say first. The college dropped the case.
My fingers hover over the keyboard while I try to find the best way to explain what happened. Even though I’m happy to be cleared, I feel sick about that meeting, because I’m pretty sure that Annie’s troubles aren’t over. I begin fumbling through my explanation.
Turns out Annie’s father overheard his daughters talking about me over the summer. And Annie wasn’t wearing her purity ring anymore. (Do you know what that is? I didn’t until Vi explained it to me a few minutes ago.) The dad freaked.
I stop typing for a second just imagining the scene at their house. From what I can gather, after he heard their conversation he was verbally abusive. Like, awful. He said either she was guilty of a major crime, or I was. So after a while she broke down and chose me. After screaming at her for a week or so, he handed her the phone and stood over her while she reported to the college that it wasn’t consensual.
Maybe she even believed it, too, by the time he was through with her. I still have no idea what was going through her head. Yet it’s a lot easier to forgive her than it was a few hours ago. Anyway—her sister showed up to tell the dean that Annie was not unhappy after spending the night in my room. I read that last sentence a few times before hitting send. It’s hard to talk to Lianne about this. Texting is probably the chicken way out. I was right about one thing, though, I add. She was upset that I didn’t want to start dating. That’s what she told her sister, and that’s when their dad overheard.
In other words, if I’d been more careful with her feelings, it’s entirely possible that I could have avoided the whole mess.
While I’m thinking this over, Lianne texts. I’m just happy that you’re okay. Can I call you in five mins?
Of course.
I carry my duffel bag into the living room. I leave the boxes I’d packed behind—turns out I’m going to need that stuff to finish the semester. Maybe I should be giddy about that, but I’m too emotionally drained to celebrate.
“That poor girl,” my mother says. “Imagine growing up with people who equate religion with shame.”
“That poor girl almost stole your son’s future,” my father returns. But that sounds dramatic, even to me.
“Hey, Dad?” Vi asks, and I can tell from her tone that she’s going to tease him. “How come I never got a purity ring? I like gold jewelry. I mean, it’s a little weird to wear your hymen on your finger. But bling is bling.”
My dad looks up from his phone. “If you stop dating losers, I’ll buy you one.”
Leo snorts and high fives our father. “Wait—is it that lacrosse player who says ‘yo’ every third word?”
“It’s not every third word,” Vi argues.
“He could at least drop it at the dinner table,” my father grumbles. “Yo, pass the carrots.”
“Leo should talk.” Vi pouts. “Amy is the worst.”
“She’s okay,” Leo grumbles, which is hardly a ringing endorsement.
Vi’s gaze cuts to me, and she smiles. “You know who’s having the best luck in the dating pool right now?” I give her a warning look, but it’s no good. “Danny is.”
All the parental eyes in the room turn to me, while Leo and Vi smirk.
“The girl from the picture?” my father asks.
“What picture?” my mother asks.
Fine. I guess we’re doing this now. “Her name is Lianne. And I want to ask her to visit over the midterm break.”
My mom’s eyebrows shoot up. “All right,” she says. “I didn’t know you had a girlfriend.”
“It’s new,” I say at the same moment Vi says, “He’s keeping her a secret.”
Thanks, sis. Thanks a lot. I tug on her ponytail in retribution. But it really doesn’t matter, of course. Before today I didn’t know some of my classmates had families where this sort of announcement would be like dropping a bomb.
That’s when my phone rings, of course. And I’m definitely answering, because it’s Lianne on the line. “Excuse me,” I say, while Vi giggles and yells after me to say hi for her.
“Hey, smalls,” I say into the phone. Then I close my eyes so I can hear her better. I can hardly believe it’s really over. Lianne and I can have pizza wherever we want to.
Or have other things.
“Hi,” she breathes. “Are you headed out of town?”
“Yeah. But only for a week. And I want to see you anyway. What are you doing for the break?”
She clears her throat. “Well, I’m staying here. But I’ve been summoned to New York on Wednesday night.”
“For that premier?”
“No, I’m skipping that. But my manager is coming to town for it, and he asked me to meet up for drinks. He knows I’m on break, so I don’t have an excuse. And I’m hoping he’ll finally listen to me about the Scottish play.”
“I’ll go with you,” I offer. “I mean, if I wouldn’t be in the way.”
“Really?” she squeals. “I’d love that.”
“Why don’t you come to Long Island before that? Monday or Tuesday. Hell—come right now if you want.”
“Won’t I be in the way?”
“Not a chance. I already told my mom I wanted to invite you.”
“Wow. How about this—I’ll finish my Brecht paper this weekend, then come down on Monday. If it’s really okay.”
“It’s better than okay.” I catch myself smiling into my phone. “If you take a car service to the ferry in Bridgeport, I’ll pick you up in Huntington.”
“Wow, okay. I can’t wait.”
“DJ!” my brother yells from the living room. “Let’s go!”
“I heard that.” Lianne sighs. “Call me tonight?”
“Absolutely.”
When I go back into the living room, my sister is tapping her foot. “Well? Is she visiting.”
“Yeah, Monday.”
Violet squeals. “This is awesome. My friends will die.”
“Why?” my mother asks, bewildered.
“I have a little picture to show you,” Vi says, scrolling through her phone as she and my mother head for the front door. “See if you can identify this girl…”
“Oh my goodness,” Mom says. “Isn’t that…Princess Vindi?”
“Yes it is!”
Leo just shakes his head and follows them.
My dad waits for me to shoulder my bag. “Feeling better, D?”
“Hell yes.”
He squeezes my shoulder. “I’m sorry we’ve had a rough time, you and me.” He holds the door.
“Me too, Dad.”
“I wasn’t ever giving up on you, though.”
“I know,” I say, and find that it’s true.
Then I get in the car with my family.
