Kate (looking down at me lying on the sofa): Do you want to talk about last night?

Me (new tears rolling out of my eyes): I’m so sorry, Kate.

Kate: Thank you.

Me: It won’t ever happen again.

Kate (nodding):…

Me:…

Kate (putting her hand on my forehead like she’s checking if I have a temperature): Have you had food today? Water?

Me: No. And yes.

Kate (sitting down, putting my feet on her lap): I know you find emotions hard, Phoebe.

Me:…

Kate: But they make us human.

Me: I hate that.

Kate: I know. But what happened last night is not acceptable.

Me: I know.

Kate: I know you know, and that’s why we don’t have to talk about it again.

Me: Thank you.

Kate: Emma tells me you canceled your party.

Me: So?

Kate: So, when were you planning on telling Alex? He’s not on Instagram.

Me: Shit.

Kate: Yes, shit. But don’t worry, I spoke to his dad.

Me: I’m sorry.

Kate: You’re welcome to change your mind, you know. We can go to Morrison’s right now.

Me (shaking my head):…

Kate: Okay. But we are going to go out for lunch.

Me: I’m honestly not in the mood.

Kate: I wasn’t asking you, pet, I was telling you. I feel like telling the story of how your clever little head breached your mother’s vagina and you plopped out into my hands sixteen years ago.

Me: I guess I owe you that.

Kate: You do, pet.

10:43 P.M.

I wonder where I’ll be in a year from now.

11:15 P.M.

I’ve never cried as much as I have in the last twenty hours. I thought I was done crying, but then Kate made me a cheese toasty, and I started all over again.

Sunday, July 15 #HappyBirthdayToMe

12:01 A.M.

I’m sixteen.

11:35 A.M.

Thirty-five people have already messaged me wishing me a happy birthday, including Miriam Patel.

Emma hasn’t.

Kate gave me a card Nan and Granddad sent from Hong Kong. They say I should visit soon. Maybe I should spontaneously go this summer. It’s not like I’m doing anything else. Maybe I’ll ask Mum.

She hasn’t messaged me.

Kate, James, and I are going out to lunch now, but we have to go via the thrift shop, because Kate forgot her wallet there, and she’d never let James pay.

Monday, July 16 #HereBeDragons

So, yesterday was basically insane.

We got to the thrift shop, which was obviously shut because it’s Sunday.