Page 106 of Bad Words

Aiden’s text drew me up short. Messages continued to materialize, rapid-fire, my throat tightening with every bubble, every swooshing alert. Maybe we’d grown too loyal to each other in this group, defensive to a fault. I couldn’t imagine Aiden calling Selina a bitch when we’d first started chatting. I should have said something weeks ago.

I began to type.

Parker Navarro

Okay, wait, confession. I did this event at the Dog’s Ear right before Christmas and Selina Chan showed up. We talked afterward, and she isn’t that bad.

Carla Lew

WHAT???? parker ..….… you’re not serious right ..….……

J.J. Purnell

Isn’t that bad in what way?

Aiden Linville

if selina chan is holding you at gunpoint, try to secretly share your address. we’ll save you

Parker Navarro

She just takes her job very seriously.

Parker Navarro

She actually apologized to me. She said City shouldn’t have assigned her my second book and she shouldn’t have taken it on to review.

Jenny House

Well, that’s the least she could do.

Aiden Linville

i’m glad she wasn’t terrible to you for the millionth time, parker, but that’s not really a consolation, lol. an apology to one person doesn’t magically undo years of being publishing’s resident harpy.

Carla Lew

I’m with Aiden on this. Yeah, she SHOULD have left your second book alone! What is she going to DO to make up for what she did? Like, I’m noticing she hasn’t admitted fault publicly (because it would make her look bad) or backtracked in any way (because I DO think she’s a narcissist who’s incapable of exhibiting humility)

J.J. Purnell

You’re a sweet guy, Parker. Just make sure you’re not being played, okay?

Jenny House

But we support you even if you’ve been brainwashed by the Chan cult!

Aiden Linville liked Jenny House’s message

Carla Lew liked Jenny House’s message

J.J. Purnell liked Jenny House’s message

After typing and deleting a few beginnings, I hit Like on Jenny’s message, too. I was never going to convince these four to feel anything positive about Selina. This would have to be good enough.

My heart rate settling, I switched over to my conversation with her. We’d talked so late last night that I’d woken up past 10 AM again, which meant she was in Manhattan now, in the City offices.

When I was a kid, I’d envisioned the world within every book so vividly. Any old story could paint a full-color picture with a few vague words. Now, it was a rare book that excited my imagination that way.