Meg Cabot - Overbite

OVERBITE

Meg Cabot

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Baileyd

Contents

Friday, September 17

M eena Harper knew things, things no one else knew... things no one could know.

One of those things was that the man sitting in the car beside her was going to die.

There were also many things Meena Harper did not know.

One of those was how she was going to break the news of this mans impending death to him.

Meena, he said, gazing at her profile. You have no idea how happy I am to see you. Its funny that you called. I was just thinking of you.

Its great to see you, too, she said.

This was a lie. It wasnt great seeing him. How was she going to tell him? Especially when he looked so terrible. He smelled terrible. Or maybe it was the inside of his car. She couldnt figure out what the smell was.

I was thinking of you, too, she lied some more. Thanks for meeting me.

She looked around the dark, narrow street. She felt guilty for telling him all these lies, including that this was the street where she lived, then saying he couldnt come up because her roommates parents were visiting.

Are you sure you dont want to get a cup of coffee? she asked. Theres a place right around the corner. It would be much nicer than sitting in your car.

Especially considering the smell. And what she had to tell him.

Im sure, he said, smiling. You have no idea how much Ive missed you.

This was news to Meena. She hadnt heard from him in more than a year. Their split had been relatively amicablethough at the time, shed been convinced that her heart was broken. She was a dialogue-writer whod been trying to make a living scratching out scripts for a now-canceled soap opera. He was a dentist specializing in veneers whod wanted to move out to the suburbs and start a family.

Naturally, things hadnt worked out.

I thought you and Brianna were really happy, she said. What with the new practice and the baby and all.

Which made it even worse. How was she going to break the news about his impending death when he had so much to live for?

He let out a bitter laugh. Brianna, he said. She means nothing to me.

Of course she does, Meena said, surprised. What are you talking about?

Now Meena was really worried about him. David had dumped her for Brianna. Brianna meant the world to him.

It had to be a brain tumor. Thats what had almost killed him the first time. But shed sensed it and warned him, and the doctors had been able to find it in time to save his life.

Too bad the fact that shed known about it had freaked him out so much that hed run from her, straight into the arms of his radiology nurse.

But it was all right. Meena had built a new life for herself now. Sure, that life had been destroyed by Lucien Antonescu, the man whod taught her what a broken heart really felt like.

But she managed never to think about him anymore.

Almost never.

It was only that lately, shed been having such horrible dreams about David. In them, he was dead. It wasnt that she could see his corpse. In the dream, she could see Davids future.

And he didnt have one. Just darkness.

When shed woken from the dream for a third morning in a row, breathless from feeling as if the darkness was closing in on her, she knew she had no choice but to call him.

But she also knew she couldnt deliver news like this over the phone. They had to meet in person.

David had been surprisingly eager, offering to stop by on his way back to New Jersey after lunch and some dental meeting he had in the city.

But since Meena knew better than to give out her new address to anyoneeven old boyfriends with whom shed once livedshed automatically rattled off a fake one, and then met his car as he pulled up in front of the building.

Now, however, she was starting to regret this arrangement. Because David was acting so peculiarly. And what was that smell ?

You, he said. You were always the one, Meena.

David. Meena was confused. You dumped me for Brianna. You said you wanted to be with someone who gave people life, not someone who predicted their death. Remember?

I shouldve stayed with you, David said. I shouldve. We were so much better together, you and me, than me n Brianna. Why didnt I stay with you, Meena? Why didnt I? You were magical, with your... magic .

Finally, comprehension dawned. At least now she knew what was causing the funny smell. It made her job a lot simpler.

Okay, she said, looking around on the floor of the car for the bottle. Or maybe he was just still soused from his lunch? How many martinis did dentists drink when they got together in the city for lunch meetings, anyway?

Remember when you used your magic on me before, he said, and made me all better? Do it again. Im begging you.

Thats not really how it works, Meena said, still looking for the bottle. Im not saying I cant help you. Because I think I can. Youre just going to have to meet me halfway and tell me where the bottle is.

Thats when he lunged across the seat to kiss her. And she found the bottle. It was actually a flask, and it was pressing aggressively against her thigh through his pants pocket.

Oh, well, Meena thought. Thats what I get, I guess, for trying to play the rescuer. Why do I always do that, again?

Oh, right. Because it was her job.

Which was a good thing, since she didnt think she could live with the guilt of another soul dying on her watch. It had happened more than once, especially since shed hooked up with Lucien Antonescu, whod unfortunately turned out to be one of the demons the Palatinethe organization by whom shed been hired, after her unceremonious firing from the soap opera (before its cancellation)was hunting.

Not just any demon either. The ruler of all demons on earth, the prince of darkness.

Meena had never really had much luck in the boyfriend department.

And since most people didnt believe her when she told them they were about to die, shed never really had much luck in that area either.

She wasnt entirely sure what had ever made her think her ex, David Delmonico, was worth saving. As far as she could tell, the earth wouldnt be that much worse off if he simply disappeared from it.

But there was his new baby, she supposed. The baby deserved a father.

Meena, David kept groaning. Mercifully, his lips had moved away from hers, and were now clamped to her neck. Thank God, because his breath smelled even worse than the inside of his car.

Except that now he was trying to slip his hands down the front of the sweetheart neckline of her dress... the dress shed hemmed herselfwell, with a little help from Yalena at the thrift shop. Because though Meenas new job paid well, shed had to replace her entire wardrobe, thanks to her last one having been destroyed by a bunch of Lucien Antonescus relatives, the Dracul. So thrifting had become a new hobby.

David, she said, using an elbow to jab him in the shoulder. Although not too hard, because she felt a little sorry for him. He was a dying man, after all. This isnt why I called you.

Yes, he said with another groan. Oh yes, it is. Beautiful Meena. What a fool I was...

David. She yanked up his head by his hair and looked into his eyes. They were drunken slits.

Wha... ? he asked blearily.

Im sorry that you are having problems in your personal life right now, she said. But you chose Brianna over me, remember? And I moved on.

But... His eyes started to focus a little more. You said on the phone you werent seeing anyone.

She continued to hold up his head by his hair. Im not. Nice of him to rub in the fact that she was single. Like it was her fault her last boyfriend had tried to burn down half of the Upper East Side. But why would you think that means Im up for a fling with you?