You Must Fall In Love

Chapter Three

Christine had always hated apologies. She didn't understand them. If you did something wrong, why make it harder on yourself by rubbing it in? Just suck it up and move on.

Perhaps other families had mechanisms for apologizing, or smoothing things over, but she didn't know how other families worked.

"I mean, you don't have to apologize, but it might help," said her phone.

Jen Travers was as bubbly as always, which meant that she was being both thoughtful and completely unconcerned.

Christine frowned at Skype, stepped back from the glass railing to check the WiFi bars, then realized that Jen had the camera off again.

"It doesn't matter," she said, glancing behind her to make sure she still had her suitcase. "She's the one who hit me. Why do I have to apologize?"

Like always, Changi Airport was abuzz with people — not that Christine particularly wanted to be around people right now. Or ever, for that matter.

"Well, someone has to do it."

A sheet of copper raindrops rose and fell in front of her in svelte patterns, flowing like a river, then like rivulets, then like a magic carpet. She felt a sudden urge to reach out and touch one. It just looked so smooth.

Kinetic Rain, it was called. A sleek and super-urbane experience for tourists, dignitaries, and even the locals.

Like rain could be anything but kinetic.

"Hello? Christine? Don't you dare duck me."

She came back to herself with a start.

"I was looking at the sculpture. The one in T1."

"What, Kinetic Rain? But you can see that whenever you want."

Mum liked to say that everyone had at least one curse on them at any given point in time, they just didn't know it. Jen's particular curse was being Christine's only actual friend, and Christine's curse was having a best friend who was both much smarter than her and very dumb in extremely specific situations.

If that even was her only curse.

"Not any more," she said. "I'm coming to Stagport, remember?"

"Oh yeah. I forgot."

She couldn't believe it. Well, actually, she could believe it, but still.

"Jen, I'm literally in the airport. Right now. Talking to you about what to do when I get to your freaking city. You're the reason I'm going!"

That, and she really needed to get away from Mum.

"I know," said Jen, without any hint that she really knew at all. "It's just that I'm looking into this grimoire, and, well... hey, is Mrs. Lau there?"

Christine rolled her eyes to the sky and found nothing, except sleek beige ceiling and light panels. It was disconcertingly vast, even after all this time. She turned her attention back to the Excitable Rain.

"Do you think my mother's here?"

"No."

"Then why ask?"

"Well, there was a certain question on the specific mechanics of the Pace of Yu..."

The what?

"Yùbù," said Jen, pronouncing the Mandarin perfectly. She had always shone in class.

"Oh, the lameass walk, right. Right."