A good mood? Just ‘a good mood’ didn’t begin to do it justice. More like a state of utter bliss. I played it cool, though, and just shrugged. “I guess.”

“Well, I’m happy you’re feeling better, honey.”

I nodded absently. My mind was elsewhere. I was just a car ride away from seeing Riley again, after all.

I told myself that I had no fears of him being absent from school this time. Not after how obviously difficult it had been for him to part with me last night before my parents got home. Like removing suction cups. It had been excruciating for me as well, but I knew if my folks found out I’d had a boy over, much less left the house with him, they would have made my life all the more unbearable.

I’d made sure Riley had taken my number, though when I’d asked for his, he only vaguely suggested that there were better ways to call him. I wasn’t sure how I could manage that without a number, but the sudden realization that his digits would be stored in my phone if he’d called or texted since last night, had me diving into my backpack to dig it out.

But when I found it, there was only an unread text from Bree, time-stamped 7:42 p.m. yesterday:

‘What did u do to Vik???’

My mouth fell open. I texted back furiously, ‘Me??????’

Her reply came almost immediately: ‘nm’

I glowered down at the phone, but before I could think of a suitable retort, another text from her came through: ‘r u ok?’

I frowned in uncertainty. I was more than okay! I was better than I’d ever been in my life. But did Bree deserve to know that after the way she’d treated me? I considered for a few moments before I answered, ‘I’m fine.’

Again, her response was immediate: ‘Sorry bout yesterday :( :( :( Buy u lunch???’

And just like that, our fight was over. I had my best friend back, and Riley and I would be together again in mere minutes. I smiled serenely out the car window at what I knew was going to be a gorgeous day.

Riley was waiting at the desk beside mine in English class and the sight of him almost made my heart stop and start over again once more. But he looked… different than usual. There was something hidden behind his halo of perfection, behind his infinite, emerald green gaze. Lurking in his eyes was the look of someone taking a few nervous steps into a foreign land after only having observed it from afar.