I stand there, ringing with her words.

I abandoned her. I broke her.

I know it’s true. I know what I did, the mistake I made, but I was just a kid. I was a scared fucking kid afraid of his abusive father.

But I’m the rich one. I’m the one with a father that has millions and millions and can pull strings to get me jobs, even when I tell him to stay away from me. Our lives turned out so differently, and I benefitted while she struggled through it.

And now here I am, standing alone in this bizarre science room, trying to figure out how I can come back from this, because I’m not sure I can.

There’s a small knock at the door. My father’s face pokes in, a smile on his lips.

“Hey, son,” he says. “I saw Remi walking away from here. Everything okay? She looked upset.”

I stare at him. “No, dad. Everything isn’t okay.”

He steps inside, sliding the door shut behind him. “Look, son. I know bad things happened back then, but we have to move on, right?”

“No,” I say softly. I laugh a little bit, like this whole thing is absurd. “Do you remember hitting me when I was ten years old? You put a tennis ball in a pillowcase and you hit me with it until I cried. Do you remember that?”

He winces like I physically smacked him in the face. “I know,” he says softly. “I was a different man. I’ve been sober now, I’ve been making amends.”

“I don’t want your amends. I told you Remi would be here, and that I didn’t want you to come. You showed up anyway.”

“Justin, son. I just want a relationship with you.”

“Okay, fine, but I don’t want one with you. If you really have changed, you’ll respect that, and fuck off.”

He stares at me, his face sinking into a grimace. “She means something to you still, huh?”

“More than you ever will.” I laugh ruefully, shaking my head. “She was a real friend back then and I abandoned her for you. That was the biggest mistake I ever made.”

“I never should’ve asked that of you. Honestly… honestly, I forgot I did it.”

“Right,” I sneer. “Because you were drunk.”

He nods, not hiding it. “I was drunk for a lot, son. It’s why I’m trying to make amends.”

“Cut out the fucking program bullshit. I don’t want your amends. I don’t want a relationship. I want you to leave.”

He watches me for a long moment before nodding slowly. “Okay,” he says.

“Good.” I cross my arms, nod at the door. “Go. Don’t come back. Don’t call.”

“I’ll go,” he says. “But I want you to know that I’m sorry for what I did, and I want to be a better man. Maybe not a father, since that ship has probably sailed.”

I don’t respond. I just stare at him, too angry to care about what he wants.

“Anyway.” He turns to the door. “Go after your girl. She’ll forgive you.”

“You don’t know her.”

He shrugs. “I know people.” He leaves without another word and I’m left standing there, trying to make sense of this disastrous morning.

Slowly, I start to move. It’s like my body’s on autopilot. I head back toward our rooms and bang on Remi’s door. After a couple minutes, Tara appears, looking sheepish. “She left,” Tara says. “Maybe ten minutes ago.”

I turn to the girl. “Where?”

“She requested a ride back to the airport.”

“When did she leave?”

“I think Rick’s taking her.”

“Did they leave yet?”

“I don’t know,” she says, eyes wide. “Do you… do you want me to take you?”

“Yes,” I say. “Let’s hurry.”

We rush through the labyrinth again. I don’t pay much attention this time, my heart hammering fast in my chest as we make it through and step outside, out in front.

But there’s nobody.

“They must’ve left,” Tara said, an edge of panic in her voice. “I’m really sorry, Justin.”

“Get me a ride to the airport,” I say.

“Okay.”

“And, Tara.”

She turns back to me.

“Hurry.”

She nods, and runs back inside.

I’m left standing on the steps, trying to figure out how I can get through this in one piece.

I reach the Honolulu airport after an agonizingly slow ride through the jungle with a Russian driver named Dmitri. He says two words to me the whole time: “Arms in.”

I spend the rest of the drive staring out at the forest crawling past as we head back into civilization.

Once Dmitri drops me off, I turn back to him. “Wait for me,” I say.

The man stares back. I take out my wallet and shove two twenties at him.

He takes the money. “One hour.”

I nod and turn back to the terminal, walking fast inside.

I stare around, not sure where I’ll find Remi. I check out the outgoing flights and find one single direct ride from here back to the city, taking off in a half hour.

I buy a ticket. I don’t plan on getting on that plane, but I need it to get through security.

They pat me down, give me a weird look for not having any baggage, and I practically run to C23. My heart’s racing the whole time.

Remi’s sitting alone, her legs crossed, earbuds in her ears. Her bag is sitting at her feet.

I walk up to her slowly. She doesn’t notice me until I sit down across from her.

She doesn’t look happy. “What are you doing here?” she asks.

“Flying back with you,” I say.

“Flying—what? No, Justin. I’m done with this.”

“Remi,” I say softly. “You don’t know what you’re doing.”

She looks pissed, and she’s fucking beautiful when she’s pissed. I want her now more than ever.

“What am I doing, then?”

“I told my father to fuck off,” I say.

“Good for you.”

“He’s gone, Remi. Come back with me.”

“No.” She shakes her head, eyes flashing. “It’s not just about him.”

“What’s it about, then? You’re still angry with me for mistakes I made years ago?” I lean toward her, my own eyes glaring daggers. “I’m tired of your spite. I know what you really want, and I know I can give it to you.”

She blushes softly and looks away. I know she’s thinking about that night in the pool. “I can’t,” she says.

“You will.” I stand up. “You need another taste, and you can’t leave this project unfinished. You’re not that kind of person.”

She looks back at me, conflicted. “He has to be gone.”

“He will be.”

“And… you need to keep your distance. I’m not okay with you.”

“I know you’re not.” I lean down toward her. “You don’t have to be to get fucked by me.”

She glares again, and I reach out to grab her wrist. She doesn’t fight as I pull her to her feet.

“I’m not coming back because of you,” she says. “I’m coming back because the flight’s delayed until tomorrow.”

I hesitate before looking over her shoulder at the big board near the check-in desk. Sure enough, it’s marked as delayed.

I laugh softly to myself. “Nobody told me up front.”

“Of course not. It just happened like two minutes ago.”

“Lucky me, I guess.”

“I guess.”

I pull her closer against me. “You might hate me, but you’re going to work with me.”

I kiss her, hard and fierce. She returns my kiss with the same amount of anger.

I don’t know why we push each other away, why we keep each other apart. We hate the same things, hate the same people, and feel good when we’re together.

But nothing’s ever simple. Nothing’s easy.

We break the kiss off and she glares at me. “Don’t be an asshole.”

I squeeze her hand. “Let’s get back to work.”

She follows me through the terminal. I know I have a delayed flight to thank for this, but I still believe she’s coming back purely because she really wants me.

I’ll find out, one way or another.