It’s never good to wake up to people whispering. At least, not when you’re expecting to wake up with your girlfriend lying next to you and the midmorning sun streaming in. Maybe, if you’re really lucky, the early afternoon sun. There is sun, I register, while I’m only half awake. But then I go on to further register that the whispers sound a hell of a lot like dread, which freaks me out enough that I’ve already started bracing myself by the time I open my eyes.

Rose and Molly are sitting on the floor with their backs to Rose’s wardrobe, and they snap their heads up when they hear me grunt.

“What?” I ask, and my voice comes out all thin and croaky. Oh god, fuck me, my head is pounding. I clear my throat and try again. “What is it?”

Rose crawls to my side and takes one of my hands in hers. “Danni, I’m really sorry,” she says, and my heart stops. My first, horrified thought is that something’s happened to Mom. Or maybe Rachel. Behind her, Molly looks at the ground like she can’t handle seeing my reaction to whatever Rose is going to say next, which only freaks me out more. “Someone took a video of Harriet kissing you last night. The screenshots are everywhere.”

Oh.

Oh.

For a second, I consider grabbing for my phone so I can see for myself, but then I realize I don’t want to. I don’t want to see a picture of myself tasting Harriet’s mouth, trying to figure out how to get away from her without causing a scene. I don’t want to know what half the country has seen. I don’t want to hear what they think about it, or about me. I only want to sleep. This is a step further than I can handle.

I roll onto my side and hook one arm under my pillow, drawing the blankets up over my shoulders. Rose and Molly give each other worried looks, like they think I’m about to have a nervous breakdown or something, which is probably fair, because maybe I am.

Rose squeezes my hand. “What do you want to do?” she asks. “It’s your call.”

“What is there to do?” I ask dully. It’s out now, isn’t it? And so, I guess, am I.

“You can still deny it,” Molly suggests.

Rose nods earnestly. “If you wanted to. You were drunk. You can just say you didn’t want to do it. It’s the truth anyway.”

“Or just say you were dared or something,” Molly adds. “I’ll back you up. Shit, I’ll say I’m the one who dared you, if you want.”