Jenna was thinner and her dirty blonde hair was longer and streaked with sun. She gave Lara a tight hug.

“Hi you,” she said into Lara’s shoulder. Then, pulling away, over her shoulder: “Ken, Lara’s here. Pour the lady some wine.”

Then, directed back at Lara: “You look amazing, by the way.”

It was true that Lara had made an effort, even beyond the transformation she had effected over the previous year. She had grown out her brownish-auburn hair just above shoulder-length, and she was wearing a black halter-top jumpsuit, a lace choker, and bright red, shiny shit-kicker boots. She had finished with glossy pink lipstick and cat eyes ridged with pink eyeshadow. It made her eyes seem wider and her entire face that much longer. She had learned that trick from a girl on YouTube whose room was bright and white, like a drawing.

Once they had all sat on the couch, Jenna launched into a recap of her last few weeks in Italy and Greece. Kenny wordlessly emerged from the kitchen with a glass of wine, which turned out to be a bright, astringent retsina Jenna had brought back with her.

Jenna had gone from a mousy girl with huge glasses to one of the most self-possessed women Lara had ever met, but Kenny had stayed the same. He was tall, somewhat plump, with stubble and glasses, an unsure body language, and a facial expression that suggested a perpetual mild confusion. Most likely, Lara thought, she used to be like that too.

“I managed to avoid all the other Americans,” Jenna was saying with evident satisfaction. “While they were all on planes back to the Midwest, I was in Rome speaking French. Like, really speaking it.”

Kenny met Lara’s eye and gave her a wry smile that Lara returned.

“Anyway, I won’t bore you,” Jenna said. “He’s already sick of all the Europe talk.”

“It’s more interesting than Baltimore,” Kenny said meekly.

“Neither of us have heard about you,” Jenna said to Lara.

“Well, I’ve been okay,” Lara said gingerly. “I declared the English major, finally.”

Jenna nodded. Kenny shifted in his seat a bit and looked at Lara, who shrugged.

“That’s about all that’s new with me. Besides, you know — ”

“Sure,” Kenny said.