Lies We Tell ✔

The Thirty-seventh Dance

The university didn't formally release a statement incriminating Mandy for inciting the string of hate incidents, but word of mouth traveled far and wide. Pretty soon, everyone who'd known the girl was swearing up and down that they'd sensed there was something off about her.

"I mean, she clipped her toenails in the sink and just left them there all the time," I overheard a redhead from my floor complain in the dining hall. "What kind of sicko does that?"

Mandy might've gotten expelled and taken into police custody, but the racist and homophobic graffiti kept popping up in the bathroom stalls, seemingly overnight. The university released more statements condemning the people behind the graffiti. Tensions ran high. Everywhere I looked, students were rushing to get to and from class and home with their necks buried deep into their scarves, frightened expressions on their faces.

The search for Olivia went far and wide, the news of her disappearance looming over the student population like a heavy cloud. The campus newspaper, The Brookings Daily, posted daily updates on the progress of the police search. I spent any spare moment combing the outskirts of campus, hoping beyond hope to find a trace of my cousin among the trees in the Richards Arboretum. North campus. Even as far as the next town over. Found nothing.

The entire third floor of West Hall attended a public forum held by the Brookings campus police and the Chinese Student Association, to discuss community support for the search for Olivia. They threw out a lot of fancy terms. 'Solidarity' and 'groupthink' and 'technological provisions'. What I took from the presentation was that the police had made practically no progress with finding her, but were now enlisting the help of the FBI and making Olivia's search a nationwide priority.

"We're going to find her," Nigel reassured me solemnly after the forum had concluded and left us no closer to finding Olivia than before. "Ashley and Malik are having the Black Student Union arrange car rides tonight to spread our search parties further."

It was strange. Police involvement didn't reassure me nearly as much as the comfort I got from my fellow classmates. Seeing student organizations mobilize in the search for my cousin, someone they didn't even know, gave me a newfound surge of bravery. Of hope.

On Wednesday night, Louis and Patrick turned up with a crew of Gay-Straight Alliance volunteers to help Chris, Sidika, and me search for my cousin.

"Homework, schmomework," Louis scoffed when I tried to insist that it was a school night. "You guys attended our protest. We're returning the favor."

"Now shut up and lead the way," Patrick added.

It was crazy to see how the movement spread over and transformed campus. By day, everyone went to lectures as usual. By night, campus came alive with flashlights, shouting, mobs of students rallying in support for my cousin. Spreading out to comb every corner of campus, some going even beyond that.

That was why, when Parker asked if I'd be able to perform in Dancerush that weekend, I steeled my resolve and said yes.

"You're sure you'll be okay?" he asked dubiously after we wrapped up a long but stress-relieving rehearsal on Thursday night.

"Parker," I sighed, trying not to let my dance leader's super-protective-dad-mode get on my nerves, "Dancerush was my idea. I'm going to perform in it, no matter what. I feel fine." And if everyone from the Black Student Union to Gay-Straight Alliance was sacrificing homework and sleep to search for my cousin, I had no excuse to miss out on the most importance performance we'd had all year.

"How can you get attacked by a psychopath and walk away feeling fine?"

I didn't feel fine. I didn't think I would ever feel fine, ever again. But, as the saying went, I just had to fake it until I made it. "Easy. By being a badass. Any other stupid questions?"

At my words and the indignant expression on Parker's face, Sawyer let out a laugh. She stood up, breaking away from the pow-wow circle that the Dance Sensasians had formed around our dance leader. Then she elbowed Parker in his side.

"Ow! God, woman, I swear—"

"Danny boy, I'm stopping you for your own good. You're going to turn into a cranky old man before you even graduate." Before Parker could protest, Sawyer put up her hand and stopped him. "We knew the newbies we picked this year were something fierce. How could we expect any less from Amelia?" She winked at me, securing the pink baseball cap on her head. I gave her a grateful look.

"If she says she's good to perform, then she's good to perform," Jessica insisted.

"Oh, I love it. The freshmen are ganging up on you, Parkie," Sawyer cackled in delight.

"I said stop calling me that." Parker sighed and rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. He gave me a look that carried a dash of annoyance, mixed with a dash of pride. "Alright." He turned to address everyone else, who'd been watching the exchange with rapt attention. "I expect to see you all on Saturday, three P.M. sharp, at the Quad. I'm going to get some well-deserved rest. I suggest everyone else do the same."

With that, the last rehearsal before Dancerush came to a close. Rest. I hadn't rested since my roommate had disappeared. Tonight, though, I couldn't summon any energy to think about finding Olivia.

I went home before anybody could grab me and ask me about what had happened the night I'd ended up in the hospital. If I had to retell the story of Mandy's confession and attack one more time, I'd have to attack someone myself.

I'd gotten halfway across the Quad when my phone started vibrating with an incoming phone call. I checked the caller ID. Chris.

"Hello?" I asked, hating that there was a slight nervous tremor in my voice. It was Chris. Just Chris. Chris who I'd kissed now, Chris who made the butterflies in my stomach flutter. I shook my head, trying to free myself of all these thoughts.

"Hey." The word was abrupt. Emotionless. Empty. "Where are you?"

"On my way back to the dorm from rehearsal."

"Great. Get here as quick as you can."

"What's up?"

His breath hitched. "Sidika just came back from the police station. The police found Olivia."

*****

A/N - Yet another cliffie lol. Why am I like this? Mwahahahahahahaha. I suppose you'll have to tune in next week to see what happened with Olivia :O

Oh, and I promised to keep you guys updated on agent news and- I HAVE A CALL WITH AN AGENT TOMORROW. It could be a request to revise and resubmit the manuscript, or it could be an offer of representation, which means I'm one step closer to getting my work in front of publishers. Let's hope it's the latter, lol.

As always, thanks for supporting my work an please comment/vote if you enjoyed!