Lucy couldn’t resist a grin. “You forgot the best one: work hard, play hard. We’ve been doing so much of the former, we deserve the latter. Who’s in?”

*   *   *

While Maddie and Delia went pillaging for snacks, Lucy logged in to the ValleyStart forum.

The daily message sat at the top:

ValleyStart: Week 3, Day 3. Smack dab in the middle, but don’t dismiss this as drivel. We’re now halfway, so there’s no time to play. For we are ALREADY halfway!

Lucy snorted, copied the text, and added: “Let’s prove them wrong. Party in the common room. Tonight.” She then selected ValleyStart IDs and sent out her message.

The thumbs-ups and smiley faces were trickling in as Maddie returned, carrying an aluminum foil tower in her hands.

The smell permeated the room. “They were serving zucchini-flour pancakes for dinner?” Lucy asked.

“Nope.”

“Then how did you—?”

“We know what we are but know not what we may be,” Delia said as she passed through the open door holding plates and utensils.

A crinkle settled in between Lucy’s eyes, and she scooted closer to Maddie. “She’s been working too hard, hasn’t she?” she whispered.

Maddie peeled back the foil, and steam swirled in the air. “Shakespeare, apparently. Girl working the pizza line’s trying out for a play. Delia ran lines with her in exchange for these.” Maddie bit into a pancake, and her eyes widened. She fanned her mouth and mumbled, “Can’t feel my tongue, but worth it.”

Lucy looked at Delia. “Shakespeare? But you said you didn’t want to be onstage on Demo Day.”

“Hamlet, specifically,” Delia said. “And I’m never onstage, I just rehearse with my mom. I kinda have a good memory.”

“How long has your mom been acting?” Lucy grabbed one of the extra dorm-issued sheets from the closet and set it on the floor to protect the shag rug.

Delia’s face lit up. “Forever.” She sat cross-legged on the sheet, untied her sneakers, and dropped them in the shoe basket. “She’s been everywhere.”

Maddie plopped down in front of Delia’s suitcase that served as her nightstand. “So this was hers?”

“Yeah. Guess she’ll need it back if they actually sell the theater.”

“What? But you said they love the theater.”

“They do. But this place . . . college . . . it’s expensive. They think it’s what I want, but . . .” Delia shook her head. “Sorry, you guys don’t care about this.”

“I do.” Maddie bugged her eyes at Lucy, who’d yet to sit down. “We do, right, Lucy?”

“Of course, of course. It’s just . . .” She eyed the pancakes suspiciously. She hadn’t yet acquired a taste for them.

“Oh I, forgot.” Maddie reached into her messenger bag and pulled out kale chips, spicy tuna rolls, and a bottle of iced coffee. “Got these for you.”