“I’m Jack,” he said with a wave. “Cool car.” He’d seen it two nights ago at the party, but not up close.

“Thanks,” Elise said. Then she gave me a quick hug. “See you later.”

We went inside and slid into a booth across from each other. “So,” he said, taking one of the oversize menus.

“So,” I said, nervous. Our eyes met and we laughed at our own awkwardness, at the newness of whatever was happening between us.

Then something outside caught Jack’s attention and he turned slightly, leaning toward the windows. “Isn’t that your friend?”

“What?” Startled, I looked up to see Elise still sitting cross-legged on the back of her car. “Yeah, it is,” I said in complete surprise. I pulled out my phone.

Me: You’re still here?

Elise: Sorry, I got hungry and breakfast for dinner sounded really good

Elise: I just ordered takeout and I’ll be out of here soon

Through the glass, she held up a hand in a small wave.

“What’s up?” Jack asked.

“Oh, um, she’s hungry so she ordered takeout,” I said. I shook my head in disbelief.

Me: You couldn’t have gotten takeout anywhere else??

Elise: Omg, I didn’t think about that

Elise: I can leave right now, I’m sorry!

“Oh, why don’t you just tell her to join us?” Jack said with a warm smile.

“Well, she has a thing later, and—”

“It’s fine.” He reached for my hand and held it, the light brush of his touch making me blush. “I want to meet your friends anyway.” He was being really kind, but I was annoyed that all I got was five minutes with him alone. I couldn’t believe Elise was crashing our date.

I took a deep breath. “Okay.”

Me: Do you just want to eat with us?

Elise: No, I don’t want to interrupt your thing

Me: It’s fine

Me: I mean, you’re already here, you might as well

Elise: Only if you’re really okay with it

Me: I’m okay, just come inside and stop being a weirdo stalker staring at us

Elise: Lol, okay, coming

She hopped off the trunk and grabbed her shoulder bag from the back seat before walking toward us. “Sorry,” she said when she came to our table, sitting with me, opposite Jack. “I didn’t mean to crash your date.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said with an easy smile.

“Rem?” she asked me, like she was double-checking.

“It’s fine.” But it wasn’t. I kept glancing at her, trying to figure out what she was doing, if this was all part of some plan she’d hatched. Then I felt guilty, thinking of what she’d told me the night before, remembering the bruise on her shoulder. She didn’t want to be at the Pink Mansion. She didn’t want to be alone, that was all. Or maybe she really was just craving eggs and pancakes.

“Have you already ordered?” Jack asked, handing her a menu.

Elise shook her head. “I was just about to call it in,” she said, flagging down a waiter. After she ordered, she turned back to us. “Are you also a sophomore?” she asked Jack.