Chapter 23

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

TAM

83 bobas left until they both die … (the same day)

The restaurant that I picked out is hidden behind an upscale bar and a luxury goods market, through a thick curtain and past the plastic edges of a large dining tent. It’s positioned inside the old warehouse room and decorated like an upscale, fine dining restaurant.

There’s a set menu, but Lake picks one of the two extra items that are offered—deep-fried blue crabs—and we sit together in silence, each of us nursing some soju.

My diet is trashed, but Lake always seems to do that to me. She shakes me up. She messes with my sense of self. I’m so confused around her that I don’t know what I’m doing. The biggest part of me likes her company, but there’s a dark pit in my lower stomach that likes other things. I feel like I’m betraying Kaycee just by looking at Lake.

She’s sitting there in a wrinkled hoodie with the sleeves pushed up, arms covered in small scratches. But it’s the way my bloodied handkerchief hangs messily out of her jeans pocket that’s the most distracting. Her hair is a mess, she’s not wearing makeup, and I don’t remember being attracted to her the first time I saw her.

But now?

Is she getting prettier or am I imagining things?

“I’ve never eaten blue crab,” Lake remarks absently, tracing a finger in a circle around the top of her soju glass. “I didn’t even know blue crab was a thing.”

“Me neither,” I admit, but that’s no surprise. I’m realizing as I go out today that I’ve been existing in a bubble of my own making. It has its own gravitational pull at this point, that bubble, and I pull people into it rather than seeking new experiences outside of it.

I create culture. Everything I wear. Everything I do. Every song and video and concert stamps something new into society. But yet, I don’t have any clue what’s going on around me. Never has that been more apparent than when I’m with Lake.

She never caters to me or panders to my likes, even though she says that she should be doing that. She gets angry with me and leaves when she’s done with my shit. We’ve only seen one another maybe a dozen times in total, a time span equivalent to a day and a half. And yet, she feels like someone I’ve known my whole life, like Jacob or Daniel or something.

You stupid asshole, not like that at all. I keep getting hard when Lake is around, and it’s … inconvenient.

I down the soju and then pour myself another.

“How old are you?” I ask randomly, and Lake laughs.

“Twenty-two. And you’re twenty-six. You’ll be twenty-seven this year. That’s old as fuck.” She laughs into her glass, and I turn a look on her. “Doesn’t your career have an expiration date?”

“How old are the Rolling Stones?” I demand, and Lake laughs again.

“Aren’t they dead?” she replies, and I wet my lips, setting my glass down to give her a look.

“Seriously? Well then, how old is Beyoncé?” Lake gives me a look like how would I even know that? “Taylor? No? My point is that I’m going to be doing this job until the day I die.”

“Which will be on August twenty-fourth of this year,” she says with a self-deprecating laugh. Lake puts her forehead down on her arm, and I’m torn between calling Daniel over so that I can make a quick exit or … staying right where I am.

“Are you supposed to fall in love with me, too?” I ask, taking the shot and then pouring another. “Or is it only the other way around?”

Lake lifts her head up to stare at me.

“Uh. I guess it’s supposed to go both ways?” She sounds confused as to why I’m even asking. I’m not sure why I asked either, and I’m glad she doesn’t demand clarification about that. “Without the curse, I think we’d get along better.” She states this firmly and then tries to reach for the soju bottle. I pour her a shot before she can take it, and she lifts a dark brow at me.

“Would you have followed my tour around for months on the off-chance that we’d meet?” I retort, and Lake laughs so loudly that people in the restaurant turn to stare.

“Hell no. I should be at home finishing my degree. I should be hanging out with Joules and Joe—” Lake stops talking and throws back her drink. Joe. I’ve been thinking a lot about Joe lately. Out of everything, her expressions and the sounds she makes when she talks about him, those are the things that are convincing me that she’s telling the truth—as far as she knows it. Not saying that her family is totally innocent, but whatever is going on with this curse business, Lakelynn believes it. “I should be at home with my family.” Lake sighs, and her eyes glaze over as she gets lost in thought. “I think I’ll go home for my birthday.”

“When’s that?” I ask, and then our crab order comes and the waitress tells us that we can just use the provided scissors to cut it in half. Okay then. Lake dives in like she’s done this before, taking the crab and cutting it into pieces small enough to eat.

“June twenty-fourth,” she tells me without skipping a beat. “I’ll be twenty-three, and I told my mom that I want a dinner out and a barbeque. Just in case I die.” She puts my half of the crab onto a plate and then digs in. “Holy crap, this is better than I thought it would be.”

I take a bite and find that she’s right. It’s damn good. Doesn’t taste like shellfish. There’s something in the batter that makes it a little spicy, and I find myself imitating Lake by sampling the side dishes between bites. The kimchi is particularly good.

We eat in silence for a while, but it isn’t awkward anymore. It feels good, like there’s no reason to force conversation between us.

Then the drinks start to really settle, and I find my attention drawn repeatedly to Lake’s mouth.

“I should probably go,” I tell her once we’re polishing up our dessert. It’s bingsu which is basically shaved ice with some syrup on top. It’s a shared dish, too, so we’re sitting close and digging into it with spoons that clink when they touch.

“Can you drop me off at my hotel?” she asks, putting another bite in her mouth and letting it melt. I smile as I watch her eat, and then I’m looking at her mouth again—

It’s time to go.

I promise myself right there that if this ever happens again—me and Lake alone like this—that I’ll cancel. I can’t do this anymore. It’s not right. If Kaycee isn’t around, no deal. Speaking of Kaycee, she hasn’t texted me once today. Not a big deal. She’s busy, and I understand, but I’d be curious to know if she found the time to message Joules.

“Of course.” I pay the bill and we stand up, heading outside to find that the weather’s cooled substantially since we entered the warm tent. Lake shivers, and I try to hand her my jacket. She refuses by putting her hand up, but I toss it over her head anyway. “Just put it on. You’re stubborn, you know that?”

“Me?” she breathes, pulling the jacket down to rest on her shoulders. “That’s rich coming from you, Sir Tom.”

I knock my shoulder into hers as we walk, and she does the same, and then we’re shoving each other like we’re fourteen years old. I end up laughing harder than I should, and Lake is laughing, and I’m staring at her mouth …

I need to go. I’m a bit tipsy, but if I drink some water and hit the gym, I can run it off.

I don’t talk to Lake until it’s time to say goodnight, and then I find myself watching her until she disappears into the hotel’s lobby. I can see the vaguest shape of a man—Joules, probably—waiting for her.

“Let’s go,” I say with a sigh, not looking forward to Jacob’s input on the day. He was mad enough when he thought that there were going to be four of us going out together. What’s he going to do when he finds out that I basically took a random girl on a date?

Today was fun, but it would have been better if you were there. I type that up for Kaycee, but then I can’t bring myself to send it. With a sigh, I just turn my phone off, tuck it into my pocket, and then close my eyes until we get back to the hotel.

I change my clothes, chug a bunch of water, and start running.

I stay in the gym for nearly three hours.

82 bobas left until they both die …

Kaycee and I are meeting up for breakfast for what feels like the first time in months. It might actually be the first time in months. No cameras, either. Just me and her, seated across from one another in the hotel restaurant. We’ve got a private room to ourselves, but it’s too big, intended to be rented out by large groups.

I feel odd sitting in here with just the two of us. Even Daniel is waiting outside the door.

“How was the shoot?” I ask, wondering why we’re even at a restaurant when neither of us is allowed to eat. I need to be especially careful after last night. We each order a fruit plate, some sparkling water, and a pancake off the kid’s menu—to share.

When I reach out with my fork, Kaycee hesitates with hers, and then I pull mine back so that she can have a chance to take a bite first. I think about Lake and the way our spoons clashed, and I almost think about her mouth. Makes no sense when Kaycee is sitting right in front of me, swathed in a cream blouse with a keyhole neckline, chic wide-legged trousers, and a full mouth that people write songs about.

Literally.

Adam has a song called “Wet Gloss” that’s specifically about Kaycee’s lips. She’s even featured on the same album. I take a bite of pancake and wish I had a stack of them instead of one the size of my palm that’s cut in half. No butter. No syrup. I probably won’t eat again until late tonight, and even then, it’ll be a room service salad.

“It was fine,” Kaycee says, but her mouth twitches a little. “Joules came.”

I look up at her, and I can’t decide if I should eat this pancake, or if I should use my fork to stab Joules in the dick. He’d deserve that, wouldn’t he?

“He’s actively trying to date you,” I tell Kaycee, and she looks startled, like I’ve just said something aloud that I’m not supposed to say. “He wants us to break up, so that Lake and I can date. Did he tell you that?”

“What are you even talking about?” Kaycee asks, frowning and setting her fork down hard. “Why the fuck would he … that’s insane.”

“They haven’t told you about the curse?” I ask, and then I feel like I’ve been kicked in the stomach. Why am I bringing this up? Why am I telling Kaycee about this? Because she’s my girlfriend, and she’s the one that I owe my loyalty to. “They think they’re cursed, Joules and Lake. They believe that if I don’t fall in love with Lake by the end of August, that we’ll both die.”

Kaycee’s already large eyes are wide enough to be comical, but I realize very quickly that she doesn’t find any of this funny.

“What the hell?” she breathes, and I shrug. I switch my fork out for a spoon and dig into the sugarless grapefruit. Jacob is pissed off at me, and the easiest way to appease him is to behave myself for a few days. I wait until he’s not peering through one of the windows, and then I eat the single sausage link that came with the pancake. “When did you find this out? Yesterday?”

“It doesn’t matter. They’re harmless, and Lake was respectful.”

“I asked them to stay with us at the villa,” Kaycee blurts, and I look up in alarm.

“You what?” I ask, completely and utterly blindsided. “You invited Joulesto stay with us?”

“I thought it could be fun, having more people in that massive house. Isn’t it weird when it’s just the pair of us in these oversized spaces?” She gestures around the room, echoing the thought I was just having about it being a little lonely in here. “But now, there’s no way. I’ll tell him to find somewhere else to stay. Tam, when did you find out about this? That’s creepy as hell.”

My phone buzzes with a text, and I pick it up to see that it’s a selfie of Lake wearing the foam Tambourine costume. She’s flipping me off with one hand and taking the picture with the other. I see a new tote bag hanging from her arm.

Told my manager that another Hype employee drew a dick on mine, and she gave this to me for free. So thanks for that. Also, I want my bonus.

I smile and then find myself frowning again. I look up at Kaycee who’s staring back at me with her arms crossed tight over her chest.

“She’s trying to date you?” Kaycee sounds as frustrated as I feel when I think about Joules. “And he’s trying to date me?” She scoffs and shakes her head before reaching up to fluff her newly dyed blond hair. Her eyes latch onto mine, and I see a hint of sadness buried underneath all of the anger. “That’s disgusting. These creeps will go to any fucking length just to get to us, won’t they? Why the hell can’t I just … All I wanted was a friend.”

Kaycee stands up suddenly, shoving her chair in. When I try to follow her, she whirls on me.

“I don’t want you to see Lake anymore; I won’t see Joules again. Block them both, okay?” she asks, and then she waits for me to agree. A moment passes, and then another. “You know, what? Fine. But I’m not staying at the villa if they’re there. Block her today, Tam, or block me.”

Kaycee turns and leaves the dining room, letting the swinging door nearly hit me in the face.

“What did I tell you?” Jacob says, appearing on my right side as I let my head hang back. Kaycee isn’t being unreasonable whatsoever. She’s completely within her rights to ask what she asked, and I should’ve just readily agreed to it.

“Leave me alone, Jake,” I whisper, and then my phone buzzes again, and I check it to find another message from Lakelynn.

I’ve never stayed in a villa before. Is there a pool? Even if there isn’t, can I make dinner for you and Kaycee while we’re there? I should contribute something. Also, do you like tacos? *taco emoji*

I exhale and drop my phone by my side.

And then I lift it up, purse my lips, and I block Lakelynn Frost’s number.