I hesitate, then sit on the bed next to her, looking ahead. “People have already started that with me,” I say. “It’s pretty much all over the internet. There are all these strangers out there now who hate me. Like, hate me. They don’t even know me.”

“Screw them all,” she says. “Screw every last one of them. Your friends know you. No one else matters.”

It still hurts, though, I want to say. And I don’t know if it’s something you get used to. People despising you without meeting you. Or if it keeps hurting every day for the rest of your life.

It’s not the first time I’ve felt like the world hates me. It is the first time I’ve been kind of right about that, though.

“My parents are barely talking to me,” she says in a thin voice. “I don’t know what’s going to happen now. Maybe they’ll have cooled off a bit by school holidays. Maybe it’ll be worse by then. Who knows?”

I wince. “I’m really sorry to hear that. You don’t deserve that.”

“Thank you,” she says. “I’m sorry to put that on you. You don’t have to feel sorry for me. I just thought maybe you’d get it.”

“I do.”

“What about your parents?” she asks.

“They’ve been good.”

She breathes out, long and hard. I guess she was terrified I was going to give a different answer. That she’d taken my family from me, too.

“I did this to you,” Harriet whispers.

I shrug.

“I didn’t mean for this to happen,” she presses.

I give her the side-eye. “So, what were you doing then? Why kiss me in public?”

Harriet’s round face turns pensive, and she runs a hand through her tangled hair. “I’m sorry.”

“You said that already.”

“Danni, I…” She lets out a breath. “Look. I’ve known I’m bi for a long time. Pretty much forever. I’ve always been kind of … a serial romantic. I’ve had more crushes than you’d believe. And so. Many. Times. It’s been on a girl who could never, ever like me back. And every single time, I had to make sure the girl never realized how I felt. And you’re … my type. I liked you as soon as I met you. I thought you were straight, but then you weren’t, and I … I think I misread your signals. I promise, I thought you wanted me to kiss you. I was just drunk and I wasn’t thinking clearly. I’m so sorry.”

“You could’ve just asked. You could’ve even just slowed down and given me a chance to step back. You kind of ambushed me, Harriet.”