But it was in that soft glow that I used to make out with the boyfriend my sister stole. And all the best-friend magic of those paintings faded the moment I came crying to Claire and she admitted she’d known for a while. My parents bought me those candles and sayings, and I didn’t need to bring any reminders of the people who responded to every shitty thing Sierra did with some variation of “She’s just acting out; move on.” As if breaking into all my social media accounts and posting a picture of me in my underwear in response to my making the debate team as a freshman when she didn’t is equivalent to a toddler drawing on the wall in crayon.

So no, I don’t put pictures all over the place anymore, or anything else I used to do back when I was “Sierra Riley’s little sister.” Having bare walls is a small price to pay for finally being allowed to put up any walls at all.

“I’m a minimalist,” I lie as I slide on the T-shirt and fluff out my hair before emerging from the bathroom. “Better?”

“Also fine.”

“You’re supposed to be helping,” I remind him.

“How is this any less than you did by telling me to change and smell less bad?”

I take a dramatic sniff of him and note that the stench of weed has been replaced by something pleasantly woodsy instead, a little stronger than the pine-scented soap the other day. Like he might actually have ventured into the world of cologne. “That’s two tips! And you took both!”

“Okay, well, you already smell fine, so I have no other advice.”

“Nothing? I look boring, Salem! A T-shirt and jeans screams ‘nice girl.’”

“So add a leather jacket,” he says, rolling his eyes.

“Do I look like I own a leather jacket?” I ask, and as I’m saying it, I realize. “You look like you own a leather jacket. Lend it to me?”

“What if I don’t have one?”

“You do.”

Another deep sigh, and then he slogs up to his room and brings it down. It’s too long, and the sleeves are definitely too long, but with the addition of a couple of long necklaces, I actually kind of love this look. “What do you think now?”

“I think we should go before the movie ends and you made me get dressed for nothing.”

“I’ll take it.” I swipe on some lip gloss and off we go to make our debuts as the Sociable Athlete and the Tough Hot Girl.

Salem completely ignores me on the walk to the Student Center, opting instead to listen to music so loudly I can make out lyrics through his headphones. But when we arrive, he seems to remember that he’s supposed to be picking up some chivalrous skills, and he holds the door open for me.