Tell Us Something True (17 page)

My eyes took a moment to adjust to the midday sun and then another moment to make sense of what I saw.

Daphne.

Sitting alone on a concrete bench.

She stood up slowly and waved, her silver-painted nails catching the light.

I rushed over and asked the world's most obvious question. “What are you doing here?”

“I had a feeling,” she said. “I just…I know you, River, and I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away. And I thought you might need someone. You know, afterward.”

“But how did you—”

“You aren't the only one with Google.”

I sighed and sat down on the bench, suddenly weak all over. She sat next to me but didn't take my hand. If this had been a year ago, or really just a few weeks ago, I would have believed that Daphne had come here today to tell me she loved me too and that nothing mattered but our love and that everything would be okay between us. I would have believed that next we'd get into my truck, we'd buckle our seat belts, and I'd drive her off into the sunset. We'd costar in a perfect ending.

But I'd grown up since then.

“How'd it go in there?”

I thought before I answered. “It was good.”

I looked up at her. Her dark, beautiful eyes. “Daphne, I wasn't trying to get back together with Penny. I—”

“I know you weren't, and it doesn't matter anyway. We…it was a mess. And I knew I was getting into a mess when we started. You knew it too. We should have listened to those voices. Our better selves. The ones that told us we shouldn't start anything. I hate to admit it, but Everett's pamphlet was right.”

I stared at the tattoo of roses on the vine that wound around her beautiful wrist.

“My mom says you're a really nice boy. She says you're a good person even though you made some mistakes.”

“And…who wants to date a boy her mom thinks is nice?”

She shook her head. “I don't want to date an addict. Whether it's—drugs, love, lying. I can't be with someone who needs me to make him okay with himself. I've had enough of taking care of other people. And really, we need to fix ourselves first. So what I want, River, is to be your friend. I want you to be my friend. And eventually…we'll be better people. I hope.”

“Daphne, I—”

“I know. You're sorry. I heard you last night. And I believe you. And I know you miss me because, well…I miss you too. But that doesn't mean it's all okay, and it doesn't mean we should be together. What it means is you should find another group to go to, or at least someone else to talk to. Something.”

After a minute, I nodded.

She finally reached out and took my hand, but she held it in a handshake. “Friends?”

I wanted to hold on to her hand like I'd held on to the rope that day in Echo Park Lake. But I let go.

“I'll try.”

“You'll try?”

“Yes. That's the best I can offer: the truth. I'll try to be your friend. A good friend. But I won't give up on the idea that someday…you'll see me differently. And when you do, it'll be because—”

“Because you bulked up? Filled out those skinny-ass arms?”

“No!” I nudged her with my shoulder and leaned into her. “It'll be because I earned it.”

She smiled.

“And I'm not going far. I'm going to UCLA. Not because I want to save Thaddeus Dean some money, because you're right, he owes me. And not because I'm afraid to go away. And not because of you. I'm going to UCLA because this is where I want to be. Like Everett says. Here. I want to be here. I want this. Now.”

“Good for you.”

“You're way smarter than me, Daphne. I know you need to take a year off and figure things out. But go to college soon. Get a degree or two or three and then take on the world. I can't wait to watch you do that.”

She put up her hand, shielding her eyes from the sun. “Let's go to a diner or something. We'll start with French fries and then take on the world, okay,
guapo
?”

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the keys to Leonard's truck, dangling them in front of her. “I'll drive.”

“Look at you!” She snatched the keys, looked them over and tossed them back to me. “My community service project! Getting around this big city all on his own.”

I stood up and helped her to her feet. “Without you I'd probably still be waiting at the wrong bus stop.”

“Without me you'd probably still be bumming rides.”

I laughed. We started across the street.

“Nah…River, you didn't need me. You'd have figured it out somehow.”

She was right. So was Leonard. There is always a way through the thicket. It might have taken me a little longer if I hadn't met Daphne Vargas, but luckily I had. Was it luck that brought us together? Fate? The stars aligning? Some otherworldly force? Or was it just real human connection?

In the end, it didn't matter. I was going to take this girl out for a plate of French fries.

I held the truck door for her. She climbed in and buckled her seat belt. I got in behind the wheel. Pulled down the visor because the sun shone right in my eyes, and then I started driving toward it, just like they do in perfect endings.

But this wasn't an ending.

And it wasn't perfect.

It was better than perfect—it was good.