My eyes analyze the symbols and letters and my jaw drops.
“You got me a ticket to Japan?”
My mom claps her hands. “Two tickets. I thought Jasper could go with you.”
Dad growls. “Or Meredith, or basically anyone else.”
My mom swats him. “Be nice, she likes the boy.” Turning to me where I sit in a complete state of shock, she says, “I know you wanted to do this on your own, but your dad and I talked about it and we wanted to do this for you. You deserve it, Willa. We’re so proud of the woman you’ve become.”
“Um, what am I?” Harlow points to herself. “Chopped liver?”
“You, young lady, are only about to be a junior in high school so cool your jets,” Mom warns Harlow.
“All I’m saying is Paris looks like an awesome city.” Harlow holds her hands up innocently.
“Thanks, you guys,” I breathe. “I don’t know what to say. I … I doubt Jasper will be going with me. He kind of hates me right now.”
“Why?” My mom’s jaw drops. I look at my dad and the asshole is grinning from ear to ear. If I wasn’t so upset I might kick him in the shin.
“He found out, didn’t he?” Harlow asks. “Did you tell him or—?”
“Found out what?” my mom asks, her head swiveling between Harlow and me.
“I got his brother’s kidney.”
“Wait, what?” my dad interjects. “This escalated quickly. How do you even know that?”
“Well, I assumed after I saw the write up in the newspaper that I got T.J.’s kidney. I didn’t know at the time Jasper was his brother and then … things spiraled out of control and I fell for him, and it felt impossible to tell him. Then today, his mom announces at the cookout that they’re going to be contacting some of the donors who signed up to be contacted if the donor’s family wanted and …” I shrug. “I checked yes all those years ago, so here we are.”
“Willa,” my mom starts, but I can tell she doesn’t know what to say.
“It’s okay,” I say, though it isn’t. “Good things never last.” I slip off the stool. “Thanks for these.” I pick up the box with the tickets.
“They’re for two weeks from now,” she tells me. “A hotel is already booked too. Maybe it’ll be good for you to get away. Just what you need.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
But we both know nothing, not even my dream trip, can erase this feeling.
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Heartbroken doesn’t even begin to cover how I feel.
“Cheer up, buttercup, the party has arrived,” Meredith chirps, barging into my room.
I lift my head from my pillow, dried tears clinging to my face.
She stops and shakes her head. “Isn’t this a pathetic sight? Come on, girl, get your shit together.”
“Why are you here?” I ask, my voice cracking as I sit up.
My bed’s a mess, the covers twisted around me, and my hair is a complete bird’s nest. Perry lies cuddled beside me, always wanting to be close.
“Harlow called me,” she supplies. “And I brought ice cream.” She shakes the plastic bag she holds.
Harlow pops into my room next like the sound of her name was some sort of summons.
“I thought Meredith could cheer you up. Moping doesn’t solve anything, and ice cream makes everything better.”