“Well, I’m happy for you about your plans with your new friends,” said my mom brightly. But then she paused and looked at me thoughtfully. She knew something was wrong. “Have you thought about bringing your literary influence to Molly’s?”

“Yeah. Sort of. I just need to do it. I haven’t been really motivated.”

“Why don’t you go create a book and ice cream pairing right now?” she suggested.

“Yeah.” I just sat there, though.

“You know, you have to go back out there sometime,” said my mom after a minute.

“I know,” I said. “Skyping made me miss Tamiko so much again. It’s just different without her here as a buffer if I get annoyed with Sierra. She would make a joke out of everything, and we’d all be laughing in a couple of minutes. Right now it’s just awkward.”

“Allie, being alone with one of your best friends shouldn’t be a problem,” my mom said. “I think you need to go back out there and talk to Sierra. Explain to her what you’re going through. You’ll feel better, I promise.”

I sighed again and nodded. I retied my apron, blotted my face with a paper napkin, and took a deep breath.

The minute I got back to the counter, Sierra started talking. “Allie, what’s going on?” she asked. “Please talk to me!”

I sighed. I wasn’t sure where to begin. “Sierra, this is hard to say and even harder to explain, but I guess lately I’ve been feeling a little jealous of you.”

Sierra looked shocked. “Jealous? Of ME? Why?”

I shrugged. “Maybe it’s because Tamiko isn’t around. When it’s just you and me, it’s really noticeable how easy it is for you to make friends and be around new people. It isn’t like that for me. I just have you and Tamiko, and it’s really hard for me to make new friends. And even to keep old ones,” I added, thinking of Colin.

Sierra looked at me thoughtfully. “I wonder if it’s easier for me because I have a sister? And a difficult sister at that! I’m constantly trying to think of new ways to get—and keep—her attention.”

I wasn’t sure. “That might have something to do with it,” I said. “I know that having a messy younger brother like Tanner doesn’t help me in the friend department!”

We both giggled.

“I think it’s just your natural outgoingness. I don’t have that at all. Plus, the stuff you’re interested in is social: rock music, performing, sports, whatever. The stuff I like is more private, like reading and writing.”

“Yeah, it’s that introvert and extrovert thing,” she said.

I bristled. “You know, I actually don’t want to be called an introvert. I think it’s really silly! That sixteen personalities website really upset me.”