She had on a fake-fur coat, skinny jeans, and red high-top Converse. She’d done nothing to her hair, apart from maybe brush it, and she wore zero makeup. I swear, I almost didn’t recognize her, but she was walking up with Alex, and you can’t miss him in his long military coat. I must have looked like such a tramp in comparison.

When we sat down, Emma was like: “Alex, what should I order?”

Turns out Alex knows the whole menu off by heart, including prices.

I told them I’d never been to Sprinkles, and Emma was like: “I’m not sure we can be friends with her, Alex, what do you think?” and Alex was like: “I don’t know.” And then Emma was like: “We normally only let fun people into the inner circle.” Alex laughed, but Emma just smiled and looked at me like she knows something I don’t, and I swear I forgot what we were even talking about.

I suddenly couldn’t read the menu like a normal person and ended up ordering a banana split because it was the only thing I recognized.

Emma (who ordered Butter Popcorn Extreme) was like: “Banana split. Classic choice.”

Does she think I’m boring? What does “classic” actually mean, anyway? So, of course now I’m thinking that instead of researching Down syndrome, I probably should have looked up the Sprinkles menu online.

And then Alex was like: “The banana split was invented in 1904.”

Emma and I just looked at each other, and he went: “You can check,” and Emma was like: “No, I believe you, I’m just fascinated by your knowledge.”

As am I. Plus, I love people who know random shit.

Emma was like: “Have you opened your birthday presents yet, Alex?” And Alex was like: “Yes, I got a KitchenAid,” which apparently is a big deal, because he’s majorly into baking, and when he’s not at the thrift shop, he goes to a college where he’s learning how to do it professionally.

Emma: Lucky us. Now you can make us cake every week.

Alex: Not every week. I’m busy.

Emma: Just putting it out there.

Alex: I’ll make a coconut cake.

Emma: I can’t wait.

Alex: Phoebe, do you like coconut?

Me: Yes, thanks. My mum likes to bake. When she’s at home. Which is never.

Alex: Where’s your mum?

Me: Working in Syria.

Alex: Do you miss her?

Me: Not really.

Alex: I would miss my mum.

Emma: I think what she does is so cool.

Me (shrugging):…

Emma: Really? You don’t think that?

Me: I hate that I think she’s dead every time the phone rings.

Emma: Yeah, I get that.

Me: No one gets it. Not really.

Emma: No, I absolutely get it.

Me (thinking: But you don’t.):…

Alex: Where’s your dad?

Emma: Alex—

Me: No, don’t worry about it, it’s fine. My dad’s dead.

Alex: Sorry.

Emma: I’m very sorry.

Me: It’s honestly fine. I never met him.

Awkward silence, everyone eating for a minute.

Emma: Do you know much about him?

Me: Not really. My parents weren’t, like, together together. Mum only found out about me after he’d died.

Alex: That’s cool. He died, and you were born. Death is not the end.

Me: Well, it was for him.

Alex: I don’t think so.

Me: I do.

Alex (to Emma): What do you think?

Emma: I think you should tell us more about your KitchenAid. Because it’s your birthday, and today is about you.

Alex: I’m going to make ice cream in it.

Emma: That’s cool.

Alex: Did you know that Neapolitan ice cream should actually be green, white, and red? Because that’s the Italian flag.