“No, that’s exactly what I need to do. I need to run away. Go back to Vancouver.”
“And what happens when Eli calls you to see why you left? Because you know he will.”
“You don’t know that. He might be freaked out just enough not to want to be near me at the moment.”
“That won’t be the case. He’ll chase after you.”
“Then . . . I’ll give him a reason. Some sort of . . . oh, I know. I’ll visit my parents, oh, and make Winnie meet me there. Tell him I’m doing some sort of recon mission to get her and Pacey back together. Think she’d go for that?”
“You know, it’s a good shot. She’s been staying with her friend Katherine, the safety police, and I think she’s about done with her. Why don’t you call her up? But I’ll say this, I think it might be better to talk to Eli.”
“No, no, it won’t. But thanks for the idea. I’ll keep you abreast.”
“Please don’t say abreast.”
“Talk to you later, bye!”
I hang up and quickly dial Winnie. The phone rings twice before she answers. “Hello?”
“Hey, Winnie. I know things are weird right now with you and Pacey, so I thought, why not come on a little girl trip with me to my parents’ house where we can sleep in my bunk beds and stare at the pictures of Jess from the Gilmore Girls hanging on my wall and toss peanut butter pretzel balls in our mouths and drink lemonade while wearing slippers and pajamas and not worry about boys at all? We can relax and do each other’s nails and sing karaoke on the karaoke machine I got when I was twelve and then do some latch hook because a girl hang is nothing unless you do a mindless craft together.”
“Uh . . . wow. Okay, first of all, hi. And secondly, Penny, is everything okay?”
“Nope. Please meet me at my parents’。 Please, I’ll explain later. And I know you probably need the break from Katherine.”
“Yeah, that is very much true. Okay, but aren’t you in Banff right now?”
“Don’t worry about me. Just get a flight out today. I’ll meet you at the airport.”
“Okay . . . are you sure you don’t want to talk about what’s going on?”
“Let’s save the raunchy details for later when we see each other. Text me your flight details. Bye.”
I hang up and set my phone down, feeling momentarily relieved but now, I have to pack and leave without Eli trying to stop me.
Eli: PENNY, ANSWER YOUR GODDAMN PHONE!
It’s the tenth text I’ve received in half an hour, not to mention he’s called me several times.
I’m only ten minutes away from the airport. I can hold out. Lucky for me, Eli was still working out, running actually, when I packed up and then convinced Stephan, the chef, to drive me into Calgary because Eli—conveniently—wasn’t going to be home in time. He went right with it and said he needed to pick some things up anyway, so it worked out for him. I loaded up in his truck, and then on the way down the mountain, I booked a flight after I gained service again. I just needed out of the house as soon as possible. Eli must have been on a really long run because it took him a very long time to text me.
My phone buzzes again.
Eli: Penny, this isn’t fucking fair to me, to disappear like this with no explanation. You know I have abandonment issues. You can’t just fucking leave like that.
Oh God, I didn’t think about it like that.
Guilt immediately swarms me, and I find myself texting him back right away.
Penny: Just got service. I’m sorry, Eli. Headed to my parents’ place with Winnie, as she needed some time away. I’ll call you later.
There, short and to the point, and there are no I love you’s anywhere to be found. Hopefully, that will help me gather myself before talking to him on the phone.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Stephan asks. “You’ve been incredibly quiet.”
“Just thinking. I’m fine. Thank you.”
My phone buzzes, and I glance down at the text message.
Eli: STEPHAN TOOK YOU? What the actual fuck? He’s not going to have a goddamn job when he gets back here. The boys are furious.
Oh, shit. Stephan is an innocent bystander in this mess. I don’t want him getting in trouble because of me.
Penny: You all were working out, and Holmes was reading. Stephan had to go to Calgary, so I just hopped a ride with him. Don’t be mad at him.
Eli: You couldn’t have waited for me? What the hell is even happening? Why did you leave so abruptly?