Alex: I’d never agree to such a thing. We’ll have to get together so you can explain to me again why we really can’t get together. I’m not sure it’s coming through clearly enough over text…

Me: You’re the absolute worst. Were you on debate team in school or something?

Alex: Actually, yes. It goes with nerd territory, don’t judge.

Me: I would never. I judge no one.

Alex: Except men in rompers.

Me: I feel like you are really starting to know me.

I suddenly realize I’m smiling so hard at my phone that my cheeks hurt. Luckily, Jiyoon’s watching the movie with the rest of the girls—otherwise she’d for sure demand to know what has me grinning and cackling to myself like a hyena in The Lion King. She’s been extra sensitive lately anyway, her own breakup still being so fresh.

Ever since the Reveal scandal, I had been trying to hold back from texting with Alex, but now that the smoke’s cleared and the media has moved on, it seems innocent enough to chat with him again. After all, we’re just talking. About how we shouldn’t be talking! It’s very important to communicate that.

Still… I do need to be careful. I open up Instagram and go to my tagged mentions. I already did this last week, that same day I learned about Jiyoon being caught, but you never know if something rolled out after the fact. I take a breath and scroll through my mentions for the zillionth time since then, sifting through all the memes and fan-made edits until I come across the photo from the fan at Petal.

Still no Alex in sight. Thank god. He’s safe. We’re safe.

Even though there is no We. There’s definitely no We.

And I’m going to be more careful than ever to keep it that way.

SEVEN

My morning routine used to be this: Jump out of bed the minute my alarm goes off, slip my feet into the adorable peach-print slippers Umma got me last Christmas, and make a beeline for the bathroom, hoping that no one else is jostling for it. Then I’d get out my caddy of skin-care products, spritz on some facial mist, dab on some eye cream, and about a dozen other steps before finishing with some SPF. Only then, with my full skin-care routine complete, would I worry about any messages I might have gotten overnight, or about what I’d eat for breakfast.

Now? I stay in bed long after my alarm has gone off, scrolling through my phone and grinning at the screen. Cartoon hyena is my new morning look.

Alex: Hmmm okay. How about favorite vegetable? If you could only choose one to survive the apocalypse. On the count of three.

Alex: 1

Alex: 2

Alex: 3

Me: Cabbage

Alex: Cucumbers