“You seem so different,” Kor says, propping the guitar against the window.

Do I? Maybe being betrayed and abducted by my best friend has something to do with that. But, based on the appreciative way he’s checking me out, he’s referring to my appearance.

I know I look good. Georgie packed up all my stuff and had it sent to me, and she snuck in a few of her custom designs made specifically to my measurements, so I haven’t yet reverted to my old hoodies. And while I used to wear my hair wild and loose or up in a messy bun, tonight it’s in an elaborate braid crown like the styles worn at Genesis. I spent hours following a video tutorial to get it just right. When Sal had seen it, she’d pruned a length of ivy and woven it through the braid.

I’m not the only one who’s changed. Kor’s thinner and paler, and his hair is longer. It all lends him a harshly delicate beauty. But his eyes are as soulful as ever, and I can’t quite reconcile that with what I now know about him.

Kor offers me some of his beer, and I’m tempted to sip. I need the buzz to get through this pseudo-intimacy. But I hate the bitter taste of hops, and dulling my discomfort won’t fix any of this, so I push the bottle away and force myself to sit with my feelings.

I can’t get over what Kor’s done, but I’m profoundly lonely. I don’t have Izzy, I don’t have any of my Maker friends, and it’s really sinking in how much I left behind at Genesis. I didn’t even have a chance to say goodbye. Since I’ve been back, I tried to reach out to some of my friends from high school, but I was never that close to them to begin with, and after months spent among the Makers, the chasm between us felt far too wide to bridge. I wish I had Georgie, Hypatia, Mbali, even my hoverjoust team. When Georgie sent my stuff back, she also gifted me her hoverboard. I cried when I saw it. I hope my team doesn’t resent me too much for not returning for the rest of the tournament.

I miss Michael, too, but I try not to think about him. It hurts too much. I feel like I let him down. And while I’ll be able to stay in touch with Georgie, and some of the others through her, he feels off-limits.