“Uh,” they said, looking away and scratching at the back of their neck. “Can I, um. Get you a drink?”

“Sure.” I had a barely-drunk drink back at our table, but I was not going to object to a person who thought I was awesome getting me another one. “Gin and tonic?”

“Cool.” And then they were gone, wooshing over to the bar Wile E. Coyote style.

I sprinted back to our table to down my already-purchased G&T in one gulp.

“Lily!” Preeti hissed, eyes wide, leaning over the table. “Tell me everything.”

“Yeah, what the hell?” Jonny smacked my arm. “You walked right on past us like you didn’t even know us. And the way you two were eye-fucking when you were up there! I didn’t even know you knew that dude!”

“I love this.” Bri pointed her beer bottle at me. “Y’all know Lily being bold at karaoke is literally my favorite thing in the world. I have a good feeling about this. It’s gonna be a good night.”

And just like that, the ridiculously large gulp of alcohol I’d swallowed down sloshed uneasily around my insides.

The Power of Carrie had been too strong. I had overestimated. Because the amazing person Sam thought I was—who plopped themselves at a table, uninvited, to talk to a stranger—wasn’t actually me. Lily being bold at karaoke. Sam had been flirting with an illusion.

And now...the idea of keeping up that illusion with Sam for only a few hours, knowing it would have to end at last call, only seemed depressing.

I didn’t know what I had been thinking. I hadn’t been thinking, was the issue. Blasted karaoke adrenaline.

“I don’t know them,” I finally said, when I realized all my friends were staring expectantly at me. “And don’t call them dude. At least, I don’t think.” I glanced over at the bar, where the bartender was sliding two G&Ts into Sam’s hands. I took another deep breath, trying to shake off the icky feeling creeping into my brain, threatening to send the Power of Carrie toppling.

This was fine. We hadn’t eye fucked. They just didn’t deserve to sit by themselves all night. This was good. A totally normal thing. There was nothing wrong with keeping up the illusion of Karaoke Lily for a few hours of letting loose and getting to know another Moonie’s regular a little better. I was being dramatic.

“I’m pretty sure they use they/them, and their name is Sam, and their friends all bailed at the last minute, and they like my dress—” okay, I didn’t have to mention that part, but they had been so nice about the dress— “and I invited them to sit with us, so just be fucking cool or I’ll kill you in your sleep. Hey!”