On that, he drifted off to his room, and she went to hers and sat on the bed again. She closed her eyes, just to see what appeared in her mind—where her brain wanted to go.

It wanted to go to Max. It wanted to replay the whole experience over and over again.

She opened her eyes with a jolt and grabbed her textbook as protection. She had to learn. There was no more time, no more room in her mind for anyone.

Dakota was waiting for her on the front steps of the school the next morning.

“Can you just do one thing for me?” she asked. “Can you just explain…this?”

She held up her phone, revealing a large photo of a cake-covered Spencer.

“Oh yeah. Spencer, um…” Scarlett rubbed her eyes hard. “…he, um, the cake. At Lola’s party. Sorry, I didn’t…”

“Did you sleep?”

“Not really.”

“I figured this might happen. Look what I have for you.”

Dakota produced a large cup of coffee and pressed it into Scarlett’s hand. This was the kind of friend Dakota was. Always one step ahead. Always with the provisions.

Scarlett took the coffee and sipped it, letting it burn her mouth. The morning was overly bright. She had a floaty feeling for a moment, and as she drifted back into her body, something seemed off.

“Oh my God,” she said. “I’m not sure if I’m wearing underwear. I think I am. But I have no memory of putting it on. Dakota…what if I forgot to put on underwear?”

“Can’t you feel it?”

Scarlett couldn’t. She tried to get some sensation, but all was numbness. She shook her head.

“Reach around in the back and see if it’s there,” Dakota said.

Scarlett carefully reached around and felt just underneath the waist of her skirt, until her fingers hit a ridge of elastic.

“Why can’t I feel my waist?” she asked.

“Everything will be fine.” Dakota put her arm over Scarlett’s shoulders. “Drink your coffee. I’ll quiz you. We’ll get through it.”

“I made out with Max,” Scarlett admitted.

Dakota slipped her hair out of the crooked ponytail it was in and played with the band, stretching it between her fingers for a few moments.

“In detention?” she finally asked.

“At Lola’s party.”

“At the party?”

“He just kind of showed up,” Scarlett explained.

“And you made out.”

“That about sums it up,” Scarlett said.

Dakota finger-flexed a bit more.

“Have I always been like this?” Scarlett asked.

“You’ve always been entertaining, if that’s what you mean.”

“Of course,” Scarlett said, picking up her notes and staring at the words swimming on the page. “That’s exactly what I meant. And maybe…maybe he just won’t show.”

Max showed.