Five of Us Went to the Theme Park, They Only… novel · Chapter 3 of 24

Chapter 3: Keys

In the lobby, in front of strangers, she takes back her condo key and refuses the four their keys; Daphne says she was only the one holding the phone, and the quiet man says she hasn't eaten.

Evan crossed the marble floor with his hand already out toward me.

Daphne's mascara had run down both cheeks.

Colin walked behind them with his cap pulled low, and Rohan came last, looking at the carpet.

"There she is," Evan said, loud enough for the whole lobby.

A family by the elevators turned to look.

"Wendy, we have been looking for you for an hour."

"You were eating steak."

"We were trying to fix what you broke."

He stepped closer and lowered his voice into the warm one.

"Come on, babe. Let's go upstairs and talk about it like adults."

Adam set my bag on a bench and stayed where he was, one pace behind my shoulder.

Evan glanced at him once and looked away.

"Who is this?"

"Staff," I said, because that was what I thought he was.

Adam said nothing.

"Wendy, the card," Colin said. "Fix it. Dad's going to hear about this."

"Dad is going to hear about it," I agreed. "I'll tell him myself."

Colin blinked.

He had never heard me say that.

Daphne grabbed my hand in both of hers.

"I'm so sorry about the caption," she sobbed. "It was a joke, I swear. You know how I am."

I took my hand back.

"I do know how you are."

"Wendy, please. We're best friends."

"Best friends don't laugh about me holding their stuff in a group chat."

"What group chat?"

"The one called The Four. I read it, Daphne."

She stopped crying as quickly as she had started.

Evan stepped between us and put both hands on my shoulders.

"Okay, listen. You're upset. We all got carried away."

"Take your hands off me."

He didn't.

Adam moved.

It was only half a step, but Evan's hands came off my shoulders on their own.

I took a breath.

I reached into my pocket and found his key ring, which he had handed me that morning because his shorts had no pockets.

I held it up where everyone could see it.

"This is the key to my condo," I said. "Mine. My grandmother left it to me."

"Wendy."

"You have until Friday to take your things out of it. After that the locks change."

"You can't throw me out of my own home."

"It was never yours, Evan. You never paid a month."

The family by the elevators had gone completely still.

A bellhop pretended to straighten a luggage cart.

Evan's face was red now, and his voice cracked up high.

"Everything in that place is mine too! I've been there three years!"

"Then you can take it with you."

I turned to the desk clerk.

"These four are no longer on my reservation. Please don't issue them keys."

"Wendy, that's insane!" Colin said. "We have no rooms!"

"You have your own cards," I said. "Get your own rooms."

"There aren't any! It's the busiest week of the year!"

"That sounds like a problem for four adults."

Rohan finally looked up.

"Wen, it's late. Where are we supposed to sleep?"

"I don't know," I said. "Ask the chat."

His mouth opened and shut.

I looked at all four of them standing in a row on the marble.

It was the same row as the photograph.

"You wanted a perfect foursome," I said. "You have one."

Daphne wiped her face with the back of her wrist.

Her voice came out thin and mean.

"You were never in the picture, Wendy. You were the one holding the phone."

The lobby was quiet enough to hear the fountain.

"Then hold your own," I said.

I put his key ring in my pocket, and I picked up my bag.

Adam was holding the elevator door open.

He had not said a word through all of it.

I stepped inside with my knees finally starting to shake.

He pressed the top button and stood beside me while the lobby slid away.

"You haven't eaten since breakfast," he said.

"How do you know that?"

"Because I watched you give your sandwich to a child at noon."

I turned and stared at him.

"Come upstairs," he said. "I'll have them send up whatever you like."

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