I smile inside. I’m trying not to seem that drunk.

“I don’t want to leave her here like this,” Kimberly says. “It’s a girl thing.”

“You wanna stay?”

“No,” Kimberly says. “But—” She looks over her shoulder at me.

Damn it. I come forward and hug her. “I love you,” I tell her. “I promise it’s okay. I’m okay.” Nothing will happen. I’m perfect. I’m beautiful. The music will never end and I’m here for it.

“You have your phone?” she asks. “You’ll call me if you need me?”

“Of course.”

They fade into the crowd. Everything fades, except Jose and me. He knows how to tango, how to swirl me right. Perfect. Beautiful. Music and music and music.

KIMBERLY

“She didn’t seem very drunk,” Zeke says. “And she wanted to stay, what were you supposed to do?”

“I don’t know. Friends shouldn’t leave each other in that kind of situation, is all.” It’s wrong. All wrong. “I shouldn’t have left her.”

“She seemed okay.”

“No, she didn’t.”

Zeke rubs my back lightly. “Text her, if you’re worried.”

“I did, but she’s mad, so…”

“So, not responding doesn’t mean anything bad.”

“I don’t even know what she was doing there. She hates those guys.”

“They are a lot to take.”

“They’re kind of a joke to me. I mean, not exactly. I know they’re dangerous and all. But I grew up with them.” I guess I want Zeke to be impressed with my chill or something. The Kings used to scare me, big time, but Jennica helped me see them for the puffed-up little boys they are. I know they could still hurt us. But they’re quick to flinch if you don’t cower.

“It’s crazy, the way they jump at Brick’s every order.”

“We don’t have to work with them,” I say.

“Yeah, we do.” Organizing 101. Consolidate community leadership around a common goal.

“They want to fight the cops. SCORE can’t get into that kind of thinking.”

“If all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail,” Zeke says. “We can give them some alternatives to the hammer.”

The image in my mind is Brick, holding a big-ass hammer that suddenly turns into a flock of butterflies, fluttering around his head. The expression on his face makes me giggle out loud.

“Maybe Sloan will have some ideas.”

Ice water.

JENNICA

On the dance floor everything feels fine and good. In the bathroom, the whole world tilts and I can’t tell which way is up anymore.

Someone knocks on the door. “Hurry up. There’s a line.”