“I know, my roots are the worst, right?” Kimmie began, but was interrupted by Natalia.

“No, no, sorry, I wasn’t root-shaming. I meant, have you ever thought about dying your hair a different color? You’re already a smokeshow, but a little pop of color would make your hotness otherworldly.”

Kimmie had never considered dying her hair a color other than honey blond in her entire life. But that was the old Kimmie, a person she desperately wanted to bury. “I’d be down to go for it, if you know someone who could do it for me.”

“You’re looking at her,” Natalia boasted. “I’ve changed my hair color every other month for the last two years so I’m a pro, if you’re up for it. I swear you’ll love it.”

Kimmie nodded happily. “Yeah. But I want something fierce. Maya’s got me in a ball-kicking mood.”

It didn’t matter to Kimmie that Natalia had never heard of Maya Angelou; in fact, she found it refreshing. She was sick to death of snooty private school girls who pretended to read The New Yorker for the articles and not just the cartoons; what she liked about Natalia so much was that she was just so real.

Natalia’s bf was leaning against a maroon Volvo SUV smoking a cigarette when the two girls exited the building. There was something familiar about the black hoodie he had on, but Kimmie figured it was a popular brand.

Natalia gave her boyfriend a deep tongue kiss, and Kimmie watched as he grabbed her ass in return.

“I’m Kimmie,” she said, once the lovebirds came up for air.

“Cool,” the boy said with a grin. “Call me Nick.”

“Hey, Nick,” Kimmie said, returning his grin. “You have the same taste in cars as my dad.”

Nick and Natalia cracked up over her comment, and when Kimmie asked what was so funny, Natalia said she always made fun of Nick’s “dad car,” too.

Natalia pulled a pack of cigarettes out of her denim jacket and offered one to Kimmie. Without hesitating, Kimmie grabbed one, knowing she may make a fool of herself. Deciding to own her truth the way her new friend always did in group, Kimmie announced, “I’ve never smoked before so…”

“Don’t you worry. I’ve got your back.” Natalia hooked her arm in Kimmie’s, something Lolly often did when they were younger. “Let me show you how to smoke like a badass.”

Kimmie couldn’t remember ever wanting anything more.

III