Tamiko took a big bite. “I’m telling you—we have to figure out a way to start serving these at Molly’s. I know we’d sell out every day!”

I laughed. Tamiko was just the same as always: dressed in a quirky outfit, enthusiastic about her little obsessions, opinionated and kind of a know-it-all, in a good way.

“Well, it definitely looks more appetizing then the cold cereal I had for breakfast,” I said, finally finding my voice.

Tamiko laughed. “Oh, that’s right. I forgot about the time difference. Good morning to you! So what’s up? Fill me in. What’s new?”

I hesitated. “Nothing really. I just miss you a lot.”

“Aww, I miss you guys too,” Tamiko said. “How’s everything going at Molly’s? How’s Sierra?”

“Everything’s fine,” I said. “And Sierra’s… Sierra.”

“Uh-oh,” Tamiko said. “What does that mean?”

I sighed. “Nothing’s wrong. Really. It’s just…” I hesitated, and then just blurted it out in one long surge. “Remember how we were talking about how perky she is? How she can’t go five minutes without making a new friend? Does it ever seem to you like life is so much easier for Sierra? I’m not even really sure how to explain what I mean. It’s just—” But before I could finish my sentence, Tamiko interrupted me.

“You mean sweet, pretty, talented, sunshiny Sierra? The one who everyone likes and who is always in a good mood?” Tamiko took another bite of taiyaki. “Of course I’ve noticed! How could you not? She’s like a constant ray of sunshine at Molly’s.” Tamiko paused for a second. Then she leaned toward the screen and said in a low voice, “It gets on my nerves sometimes, if you want to know the truth.”

I felt a rush of relief. “I’ve been feeling that way lately, and also feeling crummy about myself in comparison. I don’t know how to handle it,” I said. “What do I do?”

Tamiko shrugged. “There’s nothing to ‘do.’ That’s Sierra! That’s the way she is! That’s what we love about her, even though she can drive us crazy sometimes. You can’t change your best friends. And anyway, why would you want to?”

I gulped. “I just wish maybe I could be a little more Sierra-like,” I said. “Not all the time, but once in a while, maybe.”

Tamiko considered this while taking another bite of her taiyaki. “Well, that’s something for you to figure out. It has nothing to do with Sierra.”

I sighed. “That’s basically what my mom said too.”