VERY LATE THAT NIGHT, PARKER reunited with Julie at Jaime’s Big Bite, the only twenty-four-hour restaurant in Kirkland, a town twenty minutes away from Beacon Heights. On the wood-paneled walls, which dated back to the early eighties, were faded photographs of breakfast food. According to Beacon Heights High lore, an order of Jaime’s chicken and waffles with a side of maple bacon would magically soak up all the alcohol from your blood and leave you hangover-free the next morning. Back before everything bad happened, Parker and Julie used to stop there on their way home from a party, Parker stoned or drunk and Julie usually sober, since she was the one driving. They would split a massive order of fries and an Oreo shake and giggle over everything crazy that had happened that night. Looking around the restaurant, Parker saw versions of their younger selves doing that exact thing, girls with wilted hair and smudged makeup laughing at stupid drunk jokes. She felt a familiar pang in the pit of her stomach for what could have been . . . if only.
A waitress sat them under a portrait of French toast, and Julie ordered chili fries for both of them. She and Julie sat on the same side of the table, a habit they’d instituted early on, mostly a tongue-in-cheek parody of all the lovey-dovey high school couples who couldn’t bear to even spend a single meal not holding hands. Tonight, though, they held hands, too. Parker didn’t know about Julie, but gripping someone else’s palm kept her hand from wildly trembling.
“Thanks for getting me out of there,” Parker mumbled as the waitress placed the fries on the table mere seconds after they ordered.
“Of course,” Julie said, grabbing the ketchup bottle. “There was no way I was risking you getting caught. I don’t think you could have handled it.”
Parker nodded. “You’re probably right.”
They didn’t say much else while they ate. Parker’s hands continued to tremble as she swiped a cheese-and-chili-powder-covered fry in ketchup. She felt as if she hadn’t eaten in days. She’d had no appetite lately, with everything going on. But maybe, finally, the nightmare was almost over.
She looked up, getting an idea. “Next year, let’s go as far away from this shithole as we can,” she suddenly blurted.
Julie blinked, then picked up another fry. “Where do you want to go?”
Parker shrugged. “Your Spanish is good. Let’s go live in Mexico. Cabo, Cozumel, Cancún. Somewhere on a beach. I bet it’s cheap.”
“What about college?”
Parker snorted. “No one’s going to take me with my grades. And besides, there’s no way my mom will pay for it.”
Julie looked down at the plate. “Yeah, I don’t know how I’m going to pay for it, either. I think I’m going to be stuck here—UDub’s resident tuition isn’t cheap, but if I work, I should be able to manage it.” She saw Parker’s face and frowned. “Wait, are you serious?”
“Yeah,” said Parker challengingly. “I am.”
They looked at each other for a long moment. Parker’s head gave an ominous throb. She suddenly realized that, soon, she and Julie might be apart. She’d always assumed that, no matter what, she and Julie would be together somewhere. If Julie decided to move to Seattle, what would she do? She couldn’t stay here any longer. The place held too many bad memories.
Then Julie’s gaze focused on a point to the right. Her cheeks paled, and her mouth fell open. “Oh my god.”
“What?” Parker asked, looking up from the plate of fries. She followed Julie’s gaze . . . and her jaw dropped, too. Elliot Fielder was standing at the to-go counter, handing the cashier his credit card. He picked up a Styrofoam box and turned to go.
Then his eyes met Parker’s, and he froze. Her heart started to pound. She felt herself shrink into the booth. Then, to her horror, Elliot started walking toward them.
“Stay calm,” Julie whispered, grabbing her hand. “I’m here with you.”
There was a strange expression on Elliot’s face as he approached. Parker wanted to jump up and run, but she felt pinned like an insect to a tray.
Julie sat up straighter as he stopped at their table. “What are you doing here?” she demanded. “Did you follow us?”
Elliot didn’t even look at her; he kept his gaze on Parker. Suddenly, a strange smile flashed across his face. “You’re out together.”
“Uh, duh,” Julie said defiantly. “But I asked you a question. Did you follow us?”
“No.” He held up his take-out container. “I just came to get a burger. I promise. I’m not following you.”