When he examined himself in the mirror, he felt a thrill of excitement. He looked like sex on legs, and more importantly, like his old, party-animal self. It was comforting to know that at least his outside hadn’t changed.

Zack made sure Ziggy had food and water and then watched mindless TV while he waited. Alexa texted him an hour later and said they were on the way to pick him up. Ten more minutes passed before he heard a honk outside. Kira’s yellow Bug was idling by the curb. Alexa got out and pulled the passenger seat forward for him.

“You look like sin,” she said as Zack approached. He gave her a saucy wink and wriggled into the cramped backseat. It had never once been clean in the entire time he’d known Kira. Luckily, this time he only had a pile of unfolded laundry to deal with, instead of the usual books, granola bar wrappers, and empty water bottles.

“Good evening, Zackary,” Kira purred. She had on a pretty teal top, and her braids had been wound into a spiral at the base of her skull. She had a bag of fake flowers open in her lap and seemed to be in the process of pinning them into her hair.

“It seems I’ve stumbled upon a modern-day forest nymph,” Zack said. He leaned forward and gestured to the bag. “May I?”

“You may,” Kira assented.

Zack nimbly nestled flowers into her braids.

Alexa pushed the seat back and clambered in. “Where are we headed tonight?”

“I was going to suggest a bar, but . . .” Kira indicated Zack with her thumb, “I sense somehow that he’s looking for a party.”

“I wouldn’t mind it.” He ran out of flowers just as Kira put the car into drive and pulled away from the curb.

Alexa admired his handiwork with a small smile on her face. She’d added pink streaks to her hair and slicked it up into a fauxhawk that brushed the roof of the car.

“Can’t leave your hair alone for one week, can you?” Zack joked.

She winked at him. “Never.”

Kira turned on the radio, and they belted out pop songs as they drove. Before Zack knew it, they reached a strip of bustling bars and clubs. Zack paid for parking, which earned him dual kisses on the cheeks from his friends. The area looked vaguely familiar, and when he happened to glance left, he understood why. They were two blocks down from the Library, the club where he’d first met John.

He whirled around in a panic.

Kira saw his face and held up a hand. “Fret not, Zackary. We wouldn’t take you back there so soon after your breakup. We’re going to that club.” She pointed in the opposite direction toward a neon-lit building called Howl. It looked fun enough: decent-sized and energetic, with a line of young, laughing people waiting to get in.