Page 52 of You + Me – Against the World

“Not only can we do this, but we have to do this! And come sit down. You’re making me dizzy!”

Sitting cross-legged on her bed, in the small dorm room where I rushed after leaving Abrams, Clémentine grabs me by the arm and pulls me down beside her.

“Do you know how to do graffiti?”

It’s the best idea I’ve come up with—right before realizing it might also be the worst.

“No, but if some meathead from Timothy’s crew managed it, we can pull it off.”

“For all we know, it was my brother who did it.”

That thought makes me sick.

“We’re getting off track here! Focus, Alma! Graffiti tore you apart, and now it’s going to bring you back together. Your idea is awesome!”

“Yeah, but doing it in the gym is risky.”

“You’re the one who told me the back door is never locked! At least something useful will come out of dating Tim. Do you know any other place on campus we can sneak into in the middle of the night?”

“What if the guard does his rounds and we get caught?”

“The gym is really isolated; he’ll go by there once at most. We won’t make any noise, we won’t turn on any lights, and you’ll bring Vadim there when we’re finished.”

I smile at the thought. Me, Alma Lancaster, about to break the rules. For a guy.

All this for your gorgeous eyes, Vadim Arcadi.

“Plan approved. I’ll go buy the spray paint,” I say, standing up.

“No, it’s better if I do it. I should get red, right? Yeah, red graffiti is romantic. You can go home and you tell your parents we’re going out, like every Friday night. We’ll meet at the gym at 9 p.m. If you spot the security guard, you whistle.”

“Clem, he’ll hear me if I whistle!”

“Good point. Just imitate a bird call; I’ll know it’s you.”

“Oh, this just gets better and better,” I laugh. “Wait—I know a magical and discreet way we can contact each other! It’s called texting. But don’t forget to put your phone on silent.”

“Now that’s a good idea! We really make a killer team!” Clémentine cries out, holding up her hand for a high-five.

Instead, I hug her until she can hardly breathe.

“You’re amazing! The best friend ever.”

“Say that again. I think the lack of oxygen is affecting my hearing.”

***

I stand in the dark, a little unsteady on my feet, in the middle of the basketball court. In front of me, large, red letters drip down the wall.

It gives me chills.

I didn’t want to do anything more complicated or more original. And I had my work cut out for me convincing Clem not to add a massive heart next to it.

I want him to know that what he and I have is real. It’s important to me. But I sent Vadim a message to meet me here twenty minutes ago. It should take him less than ten minutes to get to the gym from his apartment.

What if he doesn’t come?

I hear the back door open with a quiet click. Maybe it’s the security guard, deciding to be extra vigilant tonight? Or perhaps Clémentine, too excited to go home?