Arrows by Melissa Gorzelanczyk Page A

He gestured for me to turn around.
    “Why’d you throw your locket into the river?” he asked. I bowed away from the sound of his voice in my ear.
    He fastened it around my neck, fingertips brushing my skin. I had ripped it off on impulse, the way I’d done too many things in the past year, making a fool of myself. I could add Aaryn to the list of people who’d gotten to see the real Karma, the dance prodigy who couldn’t help spinning out of control if the circumstance allowed. I was a lot like the necklace. Flying through the air, not knowing where I’d land.
    “It’s complicated. And stupid.”
    “I can handle complicated.”
    I hugged myself and shook my head, blinded for a second by the sun. “I better get going. Danny is probably wondering where I am.” A panicky feeling rose in my stomach as I imagined asking him about the party. He wasn’t a morning person. Maybe I shouldn’t.

    “Can I walk with you?”
    “It’s a free country.” A cliché I hated.
    “Free country?” He turned on his foot with one eyebrow up.
    “Yeah. You know.” I shrugged. His face tipped a little, waiting for my answer. “Uh, America?”
    “Oh.” He chuckled loudly, then cleared his throat. “Right. ‘Free country.’ ” He made air quotes.
    We walked toward the parking lot in silence, not the kind of silence that pressed against my chest but a safe, expanding silence. We were practically strangers—the word strange fit him pretty well at times—but being with him didn’t feel awkward.
    “I shouldn’t have lied,” he said. He shook his head. “You deserve better than that.”
    “Oh, it’s okay. Seriously, I’m over it.”
    At my car, we looked at each other for a while, and for a second I wished he’d hug me, the way little kids are supposed to say sorry, which had to be the most stupid thing on top of all the other stupid things.
    “Bye, Karma.”
    When he was gone I called Peyton.
    —
    We decided an emergency Auntie Night was a must. I drove to Shining Waters after dropping off Danny’s burger—he hadn’t felt good enough to eat it—and Peyton came outside to get Nell; she was wearing yoga pants and one of Nick’s baggy T-shirts. Her hair was a mess. She hugged me. “I can’t believe Jen said all that.” Nell was really happy to see her, clutching the shirt, hands all over her face. “Talk about passive-aggressive,” she mumbled, because Nell was gripping her bottom lip.
    “I’m so sick of being lied to and explained to and ditched.” I grabbed my three bags and slammed the car door. “I tried talking to Danny, but he didn’t feel good.”

    “Oh, whatever. You deserve to know what’s going on. What the hell? What is going on? How weird is it that Aaryn would lie for him? How weird is it that Danny would go anywhere with her ?”
    It felt so good to have Peyton on my side. Also, judging by the look on her face, frightening.
    “I don’t want Juliette to hear any of this,” I said. I held my phone.
    “Okay.”
    The morning had been awful, with Jen being such a bitch and Danny barely thanking me for the food. Me feeling weird about Aaryn. But I was safe again. I was loved.
    We sat on the porch steps as I scrolled for his contact.
    “Put it on speaker,” Peyton whispered, then snuggled Nell to see if she was in a noisy mood. Danny didn’t answer his cell phone. I hesitated, then called him at home.
    My response to his mother’s answer felt all too familiar.
    “Oh, he’s not home?”
    “He went somewhere with Dmitri a little while after you left.” Judy was the type of mother who hadn’t taught her sons not to spit in public or lie. Yet when they needed her she had the ferocity of a mother bear. “He’s been busy.” Her voice had a tinny sound through the phone.
    Peyton rolled her eyes and shook her head.
    I angled the phone close to my mouth. “Do you know when he’ll be back?”
    “He didn’t tell me.” She clucked her tongue. “Oh, honey, is something wrong? You