I peek back at my phone to see what Sam’s up to.

“I need a boyfriend,” Cammie says, shaking her head at me. “Look how happy you are.”

The irony doesn’t escape me. Hunter has been more a source of stress and pressure than comfort lately. On top of that, my mom’s cancer won’t go away, and Jonah is being relinquished to strangers. “Happy” is not how I’d describe myself.

And yet . . . I’m smiling.

“You don’t have time for a boyfriend,” I remind her, petting her knee.

“That’s not true!” she says, an expression of mock outrage on her face. “I have twenty-five free minutes on Thursdays between my violin lesson and dinner.”

Syd points out that’s more than enough time for sex with every guy she’s ever slept with, and we all crack up.

We head out to the car. As we make our way to my house, they talk again about the overnighter on Lake Oswego after Homecoming — what swimsuits they’ll bring for the hot tub, what kind of booze they’re getting, if there might be drugs and which ones they would try.

“Did your parents say you can go, Zoe?” Erin asks. “Connor said Hunter hasn’t paid his share because he doesn’t know if you can go.”

I can’t even imagine asking them now, with everything that’s going on with Jonah. The idea of my dad’s disappointed expression is more than I can bear.

“I can’t go,” I say, putting on what I hope is a regretful expression. “But I haven’t told Hunter yet.”

“Aww, no!” Cammie sticks her lower lip out in a mock pout. “Do you want my mom to talk to your mom?”

I almost laugh because that would totally work, if my mom were the problem.

Erin says, “Sneak out! I do it all the time.”

All three of them crack up, which I guess goes to show how absurd the idea of my sneaking out is.

Cammie pats my arm. “I understand, Zo. We’ll miss you.”

Gratitude rushes through me — not just for knowing she’ll miss me, but for her easy acceptance. “Thanks, Cam. Take lots of pictures!” I pull out my phone and pick up where Sam left off our adventure in the castle gardens.

Me: *pulls you out of the space briar patch* *finds you an emerald-adorned suit of armor to bring out the green in your eyes* *has the castle seamstress add on a hoodie*

I smile, anticipating her response. While I wait, I stare out at the rain and sing along quietly with the radio, putting on a harmony, annoyed as always that the wipers refuse to obey the music’s rhythm.

Sam: *draws hoodie strings tight and accidentally twirls into a pillar*

I crack up again, just as we pull into my driveway.

“What’s so hilarious anyway?”