Lucy’s words broke the silence, and Elodie let a genuine smile pass over her face. She twisted her left hand to give Lucy a better look. Her glossed lips curled into a foxy smile. “Thanks. It’s kind of silly, but I like to reward myself with a little something after I finish a piece.” She tapped the ring on her middle finger, a thin silver band with a turquoise teardrop center. “This was from last month, to celebrate the end of the semester.”

The door of the coffee shop opened and a couple came in with two young children. “I’ll get this,” Lucy said quickly. She skedaddled with a wave to Elodie, leaving me with the rest of her transaction.

I held Elodie’s drink out, but she made no move to leave. She cradled the coffee cup against her chest and bit her bottom lip, looking chagrined. Ignoring the beckoning whines and calls of her friends, she leaned against the counter.

She swirled her straw. “So what have you been—”

“Can I get you anything else?” I asked, determined to play it cool. I wouldn’t have an emotional response to her. Not again.

“Are you seeing anyone?”

Why the hell was that her business? I sucked in my cheeks. It wasn’t fair. Elodie wasn’t allowed to just swan back into my life and expect me to answer her questions. Maybe last year I would have. But I wasn’t that girl anymore. And Elodie, too embarrassed to even say hi to me in front of her mom, was exactly the same girl.

The seconds inched by. Elodie pursed her lips. “Babe.”

That one word threatened to undo my glued-together pieces. I forced myself to keep civil, even as my insides thrashed and nausea rose in my throat.

“Is this about…” She passed a hand over her face.

When I didn’t say anything, Elodie sighed and looked down. “I’m sorry. I … I know you saw me yesterday. I just—I couldn’t. I was with my mom.”

Even though I’d promised myself I wouldn’t do this, I found myself saying, “You could have just said hi.”

Her cheeks pinked. “I know. Believe me, I felt like such a coward turning away from you, but … you know the deal with my parents. They just wouldn’t—I mean, for God’s sake, my mom’s as Waspy as you can get. She’s so judgmental about stuff like this. And just telling her wouldn’t be enough—she’d want to talk it to death.” Elodie exhaled in frustration before sweeping a surreptitious glance around us. “Sometimes I think she thinks sexuality is a trend. If I’m not ready to put labels on anything, I’m definitely not ready to defend myself to her. Or to anyone.”