Ace shrugs. “It’s fine with me. I don’t really care.”

Well. If everyone is okay with it, I’m not going to be the one to disrupt the peace.

“Cool,” I say, my shoulders slumping.

Ace frowns at me, but I turn my gaze away. It’s nothing for me to be upset over. I’ll just have a salad or something.

When we get there, we order inside and take it to go. I step up to the counter and ask for a salad, but they look at me blankly and say they don’t have a salad option. Of course they don’t.

“It’s fine,” I say tiredly. “I’ll just have a water bottle.”

I move out of the way so Daniela can order, heading for the back to wait for everyone. Mia and Ace are speaking to each other quietly, but Ace falters when he sees me, his eyes searching my face.

I frown. “Is something wrong?”

He stares at me for half a beat before swiping a knuckle gently across my cheekbone. “You had an eyelash on your cheek.”

“Oh,” I say. “Should I make a wish?”

Ace shrugs and holds out his hand, the dark eyelash stark against his pale skin. “Go ahead.”

What do I want to wish for? There are so many things I want, but using a wish on something that has such a small possibility of happening seems like a waste.

Then again, it’s not like any wish I make is going to come true because I blew on an eyelash, anyway.

I wish for happiness, I think wistfully, in whatever form it might be.

I blow, and my eyelash disappears, lost to the wind.

“What did you wish for?” Ace asks, head tilted.

I smile faintly. “I’ll tell you if it comes true.”

Ten minutes later, we pull up in front of Ace’s house instead of mine.

“Why are we here?” I ask, puzzled. This must be what Ace and Mia were whispering about. Samir is too busy staring at the Clyde residence in disbelief to pose a similar question.

“Mia and Daniela are getting out because I have to go somewhere after dropping you off,” Ace says, flicking a finger at his sister. “Let me drive.”

Mia unbuckles her seatbelt. “I still don’t understand why you won’t tell me where ‘somewhere’ is,” she grumbles.

“Don’t worry about it,” Ace says, booping her nose as they switch places.

Mia blows a raspberry at him before coming around the back. I’m surprised when she hugs me tightly. “Come by again soon. Ace is so much more fun when you’re around. It’s nice.”

Something warm passes through me. “You’re so sweet, Mia. Thank you for inviting us to come out with you.”

“Any time,” Mia says, finally pulling away. “Bye Rafiq! Try not to bruise your ego any further!”