Okay, that might not be the most even-handed presentation, but whatever. My mom, my side of the story.

“Oh, milaya, that doesn’t sound right.” Mama reaches out and strokes my bobbed hair, and suddenly I’m aware of how much shorter it is than the shoulder-blade-sweeping style I used to wear. “You two were so close. She’s probably trying not to be overly dependent on you for a social life. Make her own way and all that.”

“Why? She’d be well within her rights to jump into my social circle,” I say, even though I’m relieved she hasn’t. “Lord knows that’s exactly what I did with hers.”

“Yeah, but you know Jasmine. She’s very … independent. She wants to do things herself.”

My eyebrows shoot up. “And I’m not independent? Are you saying I’m a leech?”

“Bozhe moi.” She sighs deeply, like she always does when she thinks I’m pushing teenagedom to the max. “Lara, I did not call you a leech. But you do have a tendency to rely on other people rather than forging your own path, and that’s not what Jasmine’s like.”

“You know I’m even more offended now, right?” I say, pulling away from her hand.

She closes her eyes. “Of course you are. I think that’s my cue to go to bed. Spokoynoy nochi, milaya. We’ll talk tomorrow when it’s not so late.” She kisses the top of my head and pads off to her bedroom.

While my mom is following up her ill-fated motherly talk with a good night’s sleep, I’m wide awake in my room, pacing and looking through all my pictures, old postcards, and other souvenirs. My mom doesn’t know what she’s talking about; my whole world is evidence I’m a freaking social butterfly.

I mean, yes, okay, Shannon is definitely the social director of our group, but who cares? That’s one of the reasons I love Shannon—she’s such a caretaker in her own weird way, and she knows the rest of us can’t plan shit. It doesn’t bother Kiki or Gia how often she takes charge. And yeah, Shan usually chooses where we’re going, but in fairness, she’s always the one driving.

But also, it’s not like they’re my only friends. I’m friends with Jamie, and kind of with Taylor. And with Deanna, who sits next to me in Spanish—we talk during class all the time. And Chase! Chase and I are certainly friendly these days.

So there, Mother.

And it’s not just school. I had a great summer with Keisha, Derek, Owen, Brea, Jack, Carter, and She Who Must Not Be Named. She wasn’t even present when I marathoned the Star Wars movies with Keisha, or for either of the two times I joined Brea and Derek at hot yoga.