Chapter 3

Elise's POV

Three days later, Preston's flashy red sports car pulls up at the end of my street.

I open the door and find Vanessa already sitting in the passenger seat.

She's dressed up today, a floral sundress, full makeup, looking like some kind of pampered princess. She catches sight of me and giggles behind her hand. "Sorry, Elise, I get carsick, I had to take the front seat. You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all." I shut the front door, face blank, and climb into the back.

The whole ride, the car is full of their laughter. Vanessa peels a grape and feeds it to Preston, and he catches her fingers between his teeth, laughing. The two of them flirt back and forth like I'm not even there.

I lean against the window, watching the streets go by, and I feel strangely calm. No jealousy, no resentment, just this quiet sense that I'm about to be free.

The amusement park is packed.

Preston and Vanessa walk ahead of me, and I trail behind like some assistant carrying their bags. They ride the roller coaster, I hold their stuff at the bottom. They get ice cream, I stand in line for water.

By evening, the park is getting ready to close.

"Elise, I want that fresh-squeezed lemonade from the stand by the east gate, can you grab me one?" Vanessa says, looping her arm through Preston's.

"Okay." I take the cash Preston hands me and head toward the east gate.

The east gate is a good twenty-minute walk from where we are. By the time I make it back with two lemonades, the spot is empty.

It's completely dark now, the park lights flickering on one by one. I stand there in the crowd and call Preston.

It rings for a while before he picks up. I can hear an airport announcement in the background.

"Hey? Oh, Elise." Preston sounds distracted. "Vanessa wanted to see the ocean, so we're headed to Cabo. We're at the airport right now. First class only had two seats left, so I didn't get you one."

Before I can say anything, Vanessa's laugh bursts through, like she can't hold it in. "Preston, don't waste your breath explaining. Elise, it was just a joke. There were plenty of economy seats, we just wanted to see how freaked out you'd get on your own at the park. You're not crying, are you?"

Preston laughs along with her. "Alright, alright, you had your fun, princess."

"So, Elise, if you want to come, just buy your own ticket. If not, just grab a cab home, I'll pay you back for it later. Vanessa and I are gonna be gone a few days. I'll swing by on move-in day and take you to UCLA."

The line goes dead.

I stand there holding two lemonades, the ice inside long since melted.

Twelve years of my life, and it turns out to be one absurd joke.

I walk over to a trash can and toss both cups in without a second thought, then call a car home.

I don't want to run into either of them again before I leave this city.

So I take the scholarship money I've saved up over the years, grab my parents and my sister, and book a spontaneous trip across the whole country.

"Sweetheart, what made you want to take us on a trip all of a sudden?" my mom asks, a little surprised.

"Mom, I got into a good school. I wanted to spend some time with you guys before it starts." I hug her, laughing, then ruffle my sister's hair.

Before we leave, I get a new phone number and delete every social media account, disappearing completely from Preston's world.

Over the next couple weeks, we make our way across the country, coast to coast, city by city.

September first. Move-in day at colleges everywhere.

The last stop on our trip is the airport, where I say goodbye to my parents and my sister at the gate.

"Let us know you got there safe." My mom's eyes are red as she fixes my collar.

"I will." I hug them each in turn, laughing, then grab the handle of my silver suitcase and board the flight north by myself.

The second the plane breaks through the clouds, I look out at the blinding sunlight and slowly take off the black-framed glasses I've worn for years.

Goodbye, LA. Goodbye, Preston.

A few hours later, the plane lands in Chicago. Fall's already arrived up north, and the air has a bite to it.

I've just finished checking in at Northwestern's new student office. I pop in my new SIM card, and the second the phone turns on, some unknown number starts calling over and over, refusing to stop.

I pick up.

"Elise! Where the hell are you?!" Preston's voice comes through so loud it nearly blows out my eardrum. "UCLA starts today! I've been honking outside your place for half an hour and there's no sign of life! Where are you?"