“Hey, uh, I have something for you?” he says, as if it’s a question, as if he’s asking permission to give me something. I tilt my head, and he takes out a braided bracelet. A friendship bracelet? “So, it’s Rakhi right now, which is, like, a Hindu holiday where sisters give their brothers this kind of bracelet. Anyway, my sister was making a ton of them today and wanted me to give you one. You don’t have to wear it or anything, but she’d kill me if I didn’t pass it along. She’s six and terrifies me.”

I smile at him and take the woven bracelet. It has tiny blue beads on it and red string, and it kind of matches my dress. “Of course I’ll wear it. I’m terrified of six-year-olds. Thank you. And, you know, her.”

He looks away, and I see a similar bracelet on his wrist. He starts playing with his, twisting his finger around it, and says, “I didn’t know your favorite color, so I went with red, because of that Star Wars scene. And then Rey’s lightsaber color for the beads. Because she’s your favorite.”

I’m struck by this. How he put so much thought into something so small. How he’s sharing his culture with me. How he’s here with me, right now. I don’t know what to say, so I just kind of look at the bracelet, then him, then the bracelet, then him, until I look away and laugh. Good going, Viv.

“Uh, we should get going . . .” Nik says, and I nod and follow him out of the mall.

We walk along the lake, on this running track, and it’s still light out, so everything has a pinkish glow, reflecting off the water. Jazz music is playing over a speaker, and I turn as a duck splashes into the water.

“May the Force be with you,” he says, and grabs my hand and squeezes it. He lets go before I can react, but I know one thing: the simple gesture made me smile.

The party has already started; I can tell just by walking in because there’s a row of rose petals leading to the ballroom, which has a shut door and music blasting out of it. Great, dancing is happening. No one notices if you sneak in when the lights are low and there’s dancing.

I hold my phone tight. Go time.

Just as we approach the door, it opens and two waiters holding trays walk out, looking exhausted. I hold the door open for them and look in. Just as I expected—it’s dark and everyone is occupied. I grab Nik by the arm and sneak in. We make ourselves invisible in the back.

“You good?” I ask Nik, and he nods. It’s loud, but we can hear each other.