She took a step forward.

“I made you a map.”

She handed me the frame.

It was small, maybe 8x10.

I couldn’t stop smiling. I felt it lighting up my face, unstoppable.

The Moonlight Café, it said at the top.

She had included all the best parts, with neat little labels. Of course she could draw; of course she had wonderful handwriting. All of those parts of the brain that I could never get to light up were bright and beautiful in hers.

Behind the bar, there was a small figure labeled Hot, Scary Bartender. I laughed.

“You think the bartender is hot?”

“Oh yeah,” Lily answered, with feeling, and shivered a little.

But I couldn’t even feel jealous. Because while the map was mostly drawn in black pen, there were small red hearts drawn in every spot that had mattered the most on Saturday night: Sad Sam Table, as she had labeled it, in the corner. The spot by the bar where we had talked about clothes and Morrissey. The middle of the dance floor, next to the microphone.

“I love it,” I said.

“Yeah?” Her eyes were wide, hopeful.

“So much.” I had never loved something this hard in my goddamn life.

“I know it’s not, like, a work of art or anything.”

“Lily. It’s the best. The best. I already know where I’m going to put it.”

She opened her mouth, and I knew she was going to say something else self-deprecating. But instead, she only said, “Okay,” and smiled.

“Thank you.” I let out a breath. “I don’t know if anyone has ever been this nice to me in my life.”

Lily frowned. “Well.” She turned around, picked up the empty bag and her purse. “We are going to have to fix that.”

I picked up my black jean jacket from the hook on the wall. Threw my own bag over my shoulder, shoved my jeans and old shirt inside. I smoothed my hands over my skirt and then joined Lily where she waited, in front of my office door.

“Oh my god,” she breathed, looking at me. “Sam. Your jacket.”

“Yeah?” I looked down, worried I had accidentally put it on inside out or something.

“It’s perfect. It makes the whole outfit—”

She moved her hands around rapidly, and actually squealed a little, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

“Gah!” she eventually shouted. “You look so good!”

I laughed. And held the Moonie’s map to my chest.

“I might change for dinner,” I said, hoping that wouldn’t disappoint her. “I don’t know yet.”

Lily reached over and squeezed my hand, the one not clutching the best present ever.

“That’s fine by me. As long as you throw out that other shirt.”