The Romantics(58)

The halls were already swelling with students. In the main hallway, Danny caught his eye and waved, but Gael just gave him a quick nod and kept walking. Mason knew his parents better than anyone else from his friend group. Gael was hoping Mason would find a way to somehow make it all okay.

But as he pushed through clacking lockers and giggling freshmen, getting closer to Mason’s locker, Gael saw Anika standing with Mason down the hall. Gael stopped short, causing a brawny football player to run into him, cursing.

“Sorry, dude,” Gael said over his shoulder and then trained his eyes on his friends.

Anika’s hands were balled up at her sides. “That’s not what I meant!”

Mason stood stock-still, looking utterly and completely lost. “But why else wouldn’t you want to hang tonight? We had it all planned out. I even got reservations.”

Gael remembered what Mason had texted last night. Was Anika really that mad that Mason had assumed they’d hang out that night? Sure, she was independent, but it seemed ridiculous, even for her.

“I just said I changed my mind, okay? I’m allowed to change my mind.”

“I know, but I don’t see why,” Mason pleaded.

Anika shook her head and stepped back. “You know, maybe this isn’t working, okay?” And she flipped around and stomped straight toward where Gael stood frozen, watching it all play out.

Anika stopped suddenly when she saw him. “How much of that did you hear?”

People pushed around them, but it didn’t seem to matter if anyone overheard. It felt for a second like it was just the two of them, like it used to be sometimes. “The important parts, I think,” Gael said.

Anika shrugged. “Well, now you know that I’m a bad person all around,” she said. “Have a good one.”

“Wait,” he said. This wasn’t right. He’d seen the way she was with Mason. That’s what had made Gael and Anika’s breakup so hard.

Anika stopped. “I don’t need another lecture, Gael.” Her eyes flitted around the hallway. “And in front of everyone again. I really don’t.”

A few passersby stole looks at them. She was right, the rumor mill would be busy today. But Gael didn’t want to lecture her. That was the last thing on his mind. “Did you guys really just break up?”

Anika sighed, and he could see that her eyes were beginning to water. “I don’t know,” she said.

“What happened?” Gael asked. “Mason really cares about you. I’m sure there’s an explanation for anything he did—”

“He didn’t do anything,” Anika said. “Besides give me the time of day even though you were his best friend.”

Gael scrunched up his eyebrows. “You’re telling me you’re mad at him, even though you’re the one who, technically speaking, cheated?”

Anika’s arms dropped to the sides. “It’s messed up. I know. But . . . well—” She fooled around in her backpack and pulled out a book. She pushed it into Gael’s hands.

Relationship Karma: What Goes Around Really Does Come Back Around

Gael took the book from her. It looked like something his dad would read. In fact, it looked like one of the books his dad had already given him.

“What’s this?” he asked.

“It’s just a book I found on Amazon, okay? I ordered it after your birthday dinner. I don’t know, I was feeling a little bit bad about being a complete and utter harlot, all right?”

Gael shook his head. “You’re not a harlot. Geez. And who says harlot?”

“Anyway.” She took the book back and stuffed it in her bag, looking around to see if anyone had read the bright words of the new age title. “It basically says that anything that starts in chaos ends in chaos. And that it’s not good to rack up such bad vibes in relationships. It will affect your relationship karma for the rest of your life—and maybe your lives after.”

Gael laughed. “You needed a book to tell you not to cheat on your boyfriend?”

She crossed her arms. “You know, forget it. I’m sorry I told you.” She started to turn away.

But Gael reached for her shoulder. And instead of shaking him off, Anika turned to face him again.

His hand dropped back to his side. It was the moment of truth, the chance to detail out just how shitty she had treated him, but not in an explosive, hysterical way like he had at his birthday dinner. This time, it would make an impact, he could tell. This time she was actually listening.

And yet . . . he had a feeling she already knew how much she’d screwed up.

He had a feeling he should maybe worry about his own relationship karma.

“Look,” he said. “You really hurt me, and that’s not going to just disappear.”

Her mouth fell to a frown. Gael held his hand up. He wanted to finish what he had to say. She looked down at her feet as he spoke: “But I did put a lot of pressure on you by saying ‘I love you’ so fast. And you definitely handled it in a completely shitty way, but I don’t know, maybe it’s how it was supposed to happen. Maybe you wouldn’t have done something so crazy if there hadn’t been good reason for it.”

Anika didn’t say anything, just stared at the dusty tiles beneath her feet. She was wearing the red Mary Janes again. He’d always love those Mary Janes, even if he didn’t love her anymore.