Back in my room, studying the drawing, I decided it was my forehead and eyes that said “Help me”; my mouth and chin said “Don’t mess with me.” I liked the fact that those qualities leaked onto the paper without me exactly putting them there, and I liked the fact that my qualities were apparent to other people. In any case, it was a good drawing; anyone could see that. I pretended Antonio was looking over my shoulder. Bet his children can’t draw like that. His other children.

Antonio,

I will think about it. But she is truly upset and worried about her friend, which is a much bigger thing to worry about. At least I think it is. And I’m the one who has to put up with her when she’s stressed.

Maddy

Vicky and Fiona came once or twice a week now instead of every other day. Fiona had drama club and Vicky had a lot of homework to catch up on, or so she said. Her homework was mostly Wade. Though I gathered the romance was not exactly going according to plan. She sat in my desk chair and unbuckled her gladiator sandals. “These are killing me.” She gave me a searching look. “How’s Maddy today?”

I liked being talked to in the third person. She only did that with us. “Doing fine,” I said. “About the same.” I had no intention of telling Vicky about Antonio. He was an astonishing fact that did not feel like a fact yet. “But how are you?”

“Oh, you know. Surviving. Wade’s being a dickhead. I tell him, Girls are like fires. You don’t tend them, they go out.” Vicky’s marimba ringtone went off. She rolled her eyes. “That’ll be him.” Glanced down. “No, it’s Billy. Do I answer it? He went out with Carina Butler last night.”

“Answer it,” said Fiona. Billy Quinn was this boy we had a soft spot for. He had narrow shoulders and a mournful face, and he was incapable of deception or spite. We were like his big sisters.

Vicky nodded, keeping her eyes on Fiona and me. “. . . Just say her bone structure is giving your bone structure . . . Kidding, Billy. Kidding. Hang on a sec, I’m putting you on speaker. I’m with Fiona and Maddy.” She held the phone over the bed, equidistant from all of us.

“We can help,” I said. “How did it go?”

“I think she wanted to kiss me.”

“Wanted to?” Vicky googled her eyes at us. “Wanted to kiss you?”

“I got the feeling she did. She was standing pretty close.”

“Did you kiss Wade on your first date, Vic?” I said.

“Course not.” She grinned. “Leave some excitement for next time, Billy.”

“How do I do that?”

“Put your hand on her cheek and lean in,” said Fiona.