Me: Careful

Jack: ?

Me: I think I’m falling for your dog

Jack: I should’ve known this would happen

Me: It’s okay, I think I like her human too

Jack: Whew

A few minutes later, I was still thinking of what to say when he sent another message.

Jack: Tell me something true?

I stretched my hands overhead before turning to my side to cradle my phone.

Me: I’ve always wanted a dog

Jack: Are you allergic or something? :(

Me: No, my parents have a strict no pets policy

Jack: That sucks, wow

He sent me two more pictures of Lola, one at bath time and another after as she snoozed away on his bed, wrapped in a towel.

Me: She’s so adorable it should be illegal

Jack: She tries

Me: But where is the lie?

Jack: You’re right, let me call the cops

Me: Officer, my dog is too cute, send help

Jack: Lol

After a few moments, I shot his question back at him.

Me: Tell me something true?

Jack: I can’t wait to see you tonight

He answered every message almost immediately, and after seeing his words, I clutched my phone to my chest, breathless. Then I reread our entire exchange, smiling the whole time.

• • •

I was trying on dresses when Elise called.

“Is Christian home?” she asked.

I glanced out the window to see if his car was in the driveway. “No, why?”

“Okay, I’ll be there in fifteen,” she said.

“Wait, what?” I put down a purple cocktail dress, deciding it was too formal.

“All of us are going to meet up tonight. You and I can get dinner before.” I could hear the jingle of her keys in the background, the sound of the front door swinging closed.

“I can’t,” I said, feeling a little guilty but too excited to see Jack to let it change my mind. And even though I didn’t want to admit it, I needed a break from being with Elise after the revelations of the night before.

“You can’t? Why?” she asked.

“I’m having dinner with that guy I was telling you about—Jack?”

“Oh,” she said, followed by a long silence.

“Go out and have fun, I’ll see you tomorrow at school,” I said, feeling awkward and uncomfortable. Elise had done the same thing, hadn’t she? Friday night, when I wanted to hang out, just the two of us, she pressed her keys into my hands and left me behind.

“Can you cancel?” she asked.

“Why?” I said, surprised.

“We’re planning to figure out how we’re going to help people,” she said. “I want you to be there. It’s important.”

“You’re actually doing that?” I asked, sitting down to pay better attention to what she was saying. “I thought that was—I thought you weren’t serious about it.” She’d talked about it earlier but I was hoping she’d let it go.

“Why wouldn’t I be serious about it?” she said. “I meant every word I said. There’s so much injustice in the world and we could be doing something about it. Don’t you want that, Rem? Don’t you want to make a difference?” She sounded like she actually believed we had superpowers, like we had a responsibility to fight evil.