I slap my hands against my thighs. “Okay, here we go.”

Thirty minutes pass before I finish up and check the phone again. Siri still hasn’t gotten back to me. I guffaw as my millionth call goes to voicemail. Seriously?

41. Angst and Jamie’s Room

SIRI

September 3, Thursday Evening

California

Dawn follows me up to Jamie’s room so I can deliver on my promise to share what’s going on with me. My insides are wringing themselves out as I try to formulate a viable way out of this without hurting her feelings. I don’t know what’s going on with Jamie! She’s been so vague about her life. I know nothing!

I come to a stop and linger for a few awkward moments outside Jamie’s bedroom door. It’s covered in glow-in-the-dark plastic stars.

“Are we going in?” Dawn asks behind me.

Guilt floods my chest as I turn to face her. “I’m not feeling well.”

Her brows descend suspiciously. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m really tired … and I haven’t had dinner. Can we talk tomorrow?”

Disappointment swells in her pretty, dark eyes. “You’re gonna blow me off, after leaving me hanging for seven days?”

I hate this. “I’m really sorry! I promise tomorrow I’ll tell you everything!”

Dawn doesn’t leave; she stares me down. “Why are your facial expressions so warped today?”

What? “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I’ve never seen you frown in that way. It’s unsettling. What the hell is going on?”

I try to take a step back and hit the doorknob. On a cowardly impulse I spin and slip into Jamie’s room, closing the door slowly but surely in Dawn’s face.

“Really? Wow.” Her voice is much quieter through the door. Hurt.

I hate this. There is no silver lining to hurting Dawn. I hate this!

“I pinky promise tomorrow morning after practice, I’ll make it up to you,” I whisper-talk into the crack where the door meets the frame.

I listen to her footsteps as she retreats, and with a shaky exhale, I slide to the floor.

Jamie’s Chocolate buzzes with another message. Her GODAMNIT CALL ME BACK texts have been coming in for hours, and I haven’t been able to respond. I pull the phone out to catch the latest.

Jamie: Gave Mara’s shrine a makeover.

I gasp as a picture loads underneath it. Mom’s Game of Thrones books have been shuffled around and are now on the shelves backward, pages out. All her memorabilia have been repurposed in a sort of modern art fashion, spewed about the floor!

Mom is going to kill her. Every time she gets a new piece of memorabilia, we spend an hour reorganizing that shelf to perfectly display it!

Another buzz comes in.

Jamie: I’m an evil mastermind, I know.

There is too much going on right now.