Gabe is trying to get to us through the crowd of people exiting the theater.
“Fuck,” Hope mutters. She grabs her bag and turns to me. “I need to get out of here. Come with me?”
“Yeah,” I say, relieved by the invitation.
She speeds out of the room so fast I have to jog after her.
I catch up to her at the bay to the lifts, where she’s punching the up arrow like it’s the only thing between her and damnation. Luckily, it arrives right away. We step into it and she jams the “Door Close” button.
When the doors finally obey, leaving us alone, she leans back and bangs her head lightly against the wall.
“That was so embarrassing,” she says.
“For him,” I say.
“For me.”
There’s a heaviness between us. I don’t know what she’s feeling, or how I fit into it.
“Seems like he has some strong feelings,” I venture.
“Yeah,” she says, sounding exhausted. “Or something.”
“You look upset,” I say. “If you want to be alone—”
“No!” she exclaims. She straightens her posture and shakes herself out. “Sorry, that just freaked me out. Are you still cool to talk? This is all very bizarre and I really feel like I owe you an explanation.”
I was already feeling better about the situation given she fled the karaoke room, but her earnestness heartens me. She doesn’t have to give me an explanation, but I appreciate that she’s offering one.
“Do you want to come to my room?” I ask.
“Yes,” she says. “I want very badly to come to your room.”
“I’m happy to hear that.” Very, very happy, in fact.
“Tea?” I ask, when we get inside.
“Only if it’s exactly eighty-five degrees.”
She sits down on the couch while I fill the kettle.
“I wasn’t sure you would want me to come over,” she says. “After today.”
“I wasn’t sure you would want to come,” I admit.
“I invited you snorkeling. That’s girl code for ‘please forgive me.’”
“Are you quoting your ex?”
“Poor choice of words.”
“Well, is there something to forgive?”
She rubs her temple wearily. “Well, today was uncomfortable. I know you saw me talking to him.”
She means I saw him on the verge of kissing her, obviously.
“It seemed like an intense conversation,” I say.
