Smitten

“Where’s Alessandra?” I ask, coming to a stop in front of Reed. “Did she go inside?”

Reed looks down at an empty tumbler in his hand. “Yeah, I think so. I’m not sure.”

I furrow my brow. “She didn’t say where she was going?”

“No. But I can tell you where she hopes I’m going. To hell.”

Anticipatory dread streaks through me. “What happened? What does that mean?”

Reed looks at me flatly. “It means I said something that upset her, apparently. She ran off, on the verge of tears.”

My heart drops into my toes. How could I have been so stupid to have left Alessandra alone with Reed, when I knew full well about his total lack of a filter? I know Reed has said some seriously thoughtless and fucked-up shit to me over the years, but I figured his relationship with Georgina would prevent him from doing the same to Alessandra. Not to mention, Alessandra is literally the sweetest person who ever lived!

“What’d you say to her?” I choke out.

Reed shrugs. “I told her the truth, without sugarcoating it. I told her I listened to her demo and, basically, that she’s got to get past the bullshit if she wants any shot—”

“Goddammit, Reed!” I shout, rage and regret exploding inside me. “Why are you always such a prick, man?”

Reed leans back into the bench and sighs. And, for some reason, the smug look on his face sets me off even more. Why can’t this asshole ever show the slightest bit of empathy? Why can’t he realize it’s not always about him and his big swinging dick?

I shout, “Before you came out here, Alessandra and I were having the most amazing conversation! She was telling me how she got into music after her dad died when she was a kid. She was telling me about her stage fright. Asking me for tricks to overcome it. And then you had to come out here and tell her she sucks, and her music is bullshit? Goddammit, Reed! Fuck you, you fucking prick.”

Reed’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise. But he says nothing. Which is fine with me, because I don’t want to hear a word out of his stupid fucking mouth, anyway.

With an angry wave of my hand, I turn on my heel and sprint away, determined to find Alessandra and make things right with her. To let her know whatever Reed said to her was stupid and wrong. That he’s not God, after all, although he obviously thinks he is. And, most of all, to let her know I’ve blown it tonight—that I think she’s beautiful and talented and the coolest girl I’ve ever met—and that I’ve wanted to kiss her for hours now.

Inside the house, I look high and low for Alessandra, but she’s nowhere to be found. As I’m standing in a corner, surveying the packed room, Aloha approaches, riding piggyback on her former bodyguard, Barry.

“What are you doing here all by yourself?” Aloha says. “Aren’t you supposed to be outside, giving Alessandra the ‘kiss of a lifetime’?”

I’m physically shaking. “Have you seen her?”

“Who? Alessandra?”

“Yes! Obviously. Apparently, she ran inside the house after talking to Reed.”

“I haven’t seen her.”

Aloha says something to me as I run away, but I don’t hear it. I do another lap of the party. And, again, Alessandra is nowhere to be found. But when I run into Kat and Josh partying with their best friends, Henn and Hannah, I get lucky. Kat says, yes, she recently noticed Alessandra racing up Reed’s staircase, looking upset. So, off I go.

My pulse pounding, I make my way through the dense crowd to Reed’s staircase and ascend the steps as fast as my fish-legs will carry me. At the top, I turn left and barrel down the hallway, simply because I had to make a random choice between left and right. But, quickly, when I hear the faint sound of female crying coming from behind a closed door, it’s clear I chose the correct direction to run.

I stop in front of the closed door and rap my knuckles on it. “Alessandra? Is that you in there?” There’s no reply, but the crying stops. I rap again. “It’s Fish, sweetheart. Is that you in there?”

“It’s me,” her tiny voice says from inside the room.

“Can I come in?”

There’s a pause. A sniffle. And then, “I’m a snotty mess. Could I have a few minutes to pull myself together? I texted Georgina, but she hasn’t replied yet.”

I press my palms on the wooden door, feeling like my heart is physically ripping in two. “Do you want me to try to find Georgina and tell her to come?”

“Yes, please. Thank you.”

“You bet, sweetheart. I’m going now.”

“Thank you, Fish. Matthew. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. Just, please, don’t listen to Reed. He’s a prick.”

“Could you find Georgie for me?” she squeaks out.