Chapter 66: CONNECTION 1

I grabbed the handle of my suitcase and rolled it toward the car, Lucy stepping in beside me as she reached for the other one.

"Here, I got it," she said, taking the suitcase from my grip with ease.

I didn’t argue. Instead, I stepped back and let her hoist it into the backseat, watching as she angled it carefully so it wouldn’t crush the ones already inside.

Xinmei had already walked off toward the vice principal and the Extracurricular and Students Life Department reps, leaving me alone with Lucy.

I turned to her as she adjusted one of the suitcases. "So, how are you getting to wherever you’re going?"

She pushed a lock of hair behind her ear and shrugged. "Cab, probably. Meimei lets me use her car sometimes, so lending it to her for a few days isn’t really a big deal."

I nodded slowly, watching her movements as she reached for the last bag. "So if you graduated last year… why aren’t you in college?" I asked, resting my arm against the open passenger door. "You didn’t apply?"

Her hands hesitated for a split second before she lifted the suitcase and stacked it onto the others.

Before she could answer, Xinmei reappeared, brushing imaginary dust off her skirt as she walked up to us.

"She had to turn down the D-I swimming scholarship from Stanford after an accident," she said casually, leaning against the car. "Unfortunate, really."

I blinked.

Lucy rolled her eyes, like she had heard the explanation a million times.

"She’s back now, though," Xinmei continued. "And, to show their condolences, Stanford gave her back the scholarship since she’s, you know, basically a mermaid."

Lucy scoffed, shaking her head.

"I am not a mermaid."

"That’s what a mermaid would say." Xinmei shot back, grinning. She clasped her hands together suddenly, turning her attention fully toward Lucy.

"You suck at coming up with excuses, by the way," she said, shaking her head. "Being claustrophobic only in buses but not in cars? That’s the most contradictory shit I’ve ever heard. I can’t believe I actually went with it."

I gestured at her to spill. "So, did it work or not?"

Xinmei sighed dramatically. "Of course It wouldn't, and it didn’t. Look who’s not the smartest one here."

"I'm going to shove your head up your ass“

She ignored that and continued. "Anyway, I had to tell the vice principal that I am prone to motion sickness in buses and that I was too embarrassed to say it before, which is why I lied about being claustrophobic."

She paused, and I could see it—the way her lips slightly curled, like she was enjoying the suspense.

It took everything in me not to find a plunger and use it to drag the rest of the words out of her mouth.

Finally, she sighed and continued staring at her nails.

"And he actually believed it, which is strang because that man literally walked around every blocks in school parading himself as the smartest men and correcting teachers' mistakes last semester"

I arched a brow. "He believed that?"

She grinned, crossing her arms. "Some people pity you when you make yourself sound like a helpless fool. Works every time."

I shook my head.

"And then," she added, lifting a finger, "he asked for the driver’s license if the car wasn’t mine. So…"

She stretched her hand toward Lucy, who sighed, then leaned into the car, rummaging through the glove compartment before pulling out a small plastic card.

She handed it over without a word.

Xinmei took it with a satisfied nod.

"BRB," she said, spinning on her boots before walking away again.

Lucy and I watched her leave.

I exhaled. "I have no idea how that worked."

Lucy smiled slightly. "You’d be surprised. She gets away with a lot of things."

I scoffed. "That, I believe."

I exhaled. "So… you’re leaving next year?"

Lucy nodded, shifting her weight.

"That’s the plan, she's aiming at Stanford too and I hope she gets in" she said.

I took that in, watching as she absently adjusted her watch.

Xinmei walked back toward us, throwing up Lucy’s driver’s license and catching it like it was a winning lottery ticket. She stopped in front of Lucy, holding it up dramatically.

"Alright," she sighed, dropping it into Lucy’s palm. "We’re officially good to go. I'm just praying we don't get pulled over, I didn't bring my license."

Lucy chuckled, tucking the card into her bag. "Good for you." She zipped up her bag, then turned toward me.

"This is probably where we say goodbye," she said.

"Probably," I said.

She opened her arms. "Come on, get in here."

"No, thank you"

"Not a hugger I see. Still..." I sighed heavily, as she stepped forward, wrapping her hands around me in a firm hug. She smelled like clean laundry and vanilla, and for a moment, I wondered if she was the kind of person who actually folded their clothes straight out of the dryer instead of leaving them in a pile on the bed for three business days or let the servants do it.

She pulled back and turned to Xinmei.

"Be safe, okay?"

She nodded. "You too. Please don't tell mom I took you car, she's going to flip and invite the entire family for a meeting"

Lucy smiled and stepped back as we climbed into the car.

I watched through the windshield as she turned toward the road, and hailed a cab.

\---

The bus rumbled to life few minutes later, the massive tires shifting as the engine roared awake.

Xinmei and I watched as the vice principal climbed into his own car, already pulling up the GPS.

I exhaled, glancing at Xinmei as she reached for the gear shift.

She also started the car, following behind the now-moving bus.

The vice principal’s car fell into place behind us, a perfect little

convoy heading toward our tour location.

I leaned back against the seat, watching the road ahead.

Eden. I'm coming.