Leave a girl alone in the dark at a table for thirty minutes, waiting to freak out her mother, and she’ll be exhausted. Leave her for forty-five minutes, and she’ll start to actually feel like a serial killer.

“What on earth are you doing down here with the lights off?!”

“Sitting.”

“In the dark?!”

I let the silence stretch for a beat. “I’ve been seeing Jamie again,” I whisper.

“Ja—” A look of terror crosses Mara’s face. “Wha—” She takes a nervous breath. “When, where? Was she the, the same as before?”

“No.” I tilt my head. “Older. I saw her in my room next to the bed this morning, and then again an hour ago in the living room. She seems upset.”

Mara seats herself at the table, bag still slung across her chest. She runs her fingers up the back of her head, tracing the hair into her bun as if a strand had fallen out of place. “You didn’t mention that this morning.”

I raise my shoulders a millimeter, executing the smallest shrug of all time. “I wasn’t sure how to bring it up. I know it upsets you.”

Her eyes dart around. “Okay, we’ll make an appointment with your old therapist.”

I catch her flighty pupils. “Do you hate Jamie?”

Mara stands from the table nervously. “Where were you today?”

Wow. Completely disregard the question. I push out of my seat. “Space, trying out the whole astronaut thing as a potential career option.”

Once I’m back in Siri’s room I pull out her iPhone. I have a new text waiting.

Zarar: These shows are fun

Me: They’re the most fun. We get a bad rep on mainstream media, but you’ll never have as much fun as you do at a good improv show

Zarar: I thought you did stand-up?

Me: I want to do stand-up, but I do-do improv;-) My team is called Duck Waterfall. Much more fun to be up there with people you love than up there alone

Zarar: I’d love to see Duck Waterfall someday and meet these people you love

Me: They’re pretty great. If you’re ever in LA.

Zarar: I’m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow

I smile at the phone. This dude is such a cheeseball.

Me: We doing lunch?

Zarar: Meet me outside the diner next to QCZ?

Me: You got it, dude. I’m kinda really glad you’re out here in the tristate area with me.

The phone bubbles next to his name as he types a response.