“It’s nice to see you so happy,” Lily said. “I can tell you’re loving this.”

“What about you?” I asked. “Are you having fun so far?

“So far, so good,” said Lily. “But if that changes, I’ve got the best local guide to turn up the fun.”

“At your service.” I curtsy with an exaggerated leg tuck.

“I have to admit it is colder than I thought.” Riley’s mother shivered. She had dressed for style, in a thin wool coat. “I underestimated this.”

Florida people, I thought. We’d been told to bundle up, and I’d worn my last year’s black ski jacket, furry boots, and thick purple gloves. Also my favorite pale lilac hat with a white fluffy pom-pom on the top. But I realized they didn’t have any need for them usually—so why would they have it on hand?

“I vote for some . . . shopping!” Megan’s mom said. We all cheered.

“There are lots of stores around here,” I said. “Bigger versions of what we have in Florida. Also, over there is a shop where we’d always buy thick leggings and hats and warm tech stuff!”

We all split up. Those who needed warmer clothes (Riley’s mom, Riley, and Lily) and the rest of us who went to the trendy store next door to look at cute sweaters and boots and accessories. Megan bought a sparkly skirt, and Trina got a bracelet. They were cute, and I was tempted, but I was saving my money for the stores downtown that we didn’t have in Florida.

“Ah, much better.” Riley came out wearing a cute brown teddy-bear-style coat.

“Love the coat,” we told her. Then Lily followed behind.

I had to laugh. Lily was bundled up in a puffer jacket, with huge green earmuffs and a huge scarf wrapped around her head. You could only see her eyes peeking through.

“Lily, are you in there?” I leaned in.

Then we went into the store that was attached to a television studio. It was so fun for everyone to see shirts and gifts that were from some of our favorite shows and know that some of them were even being filmed right upstairs in the Rockefeller Center building studios!

“Girls, we’re going to stop in here to pick up a few souvenirs,” said Vanessa, before walking into a tourist trap of a store with our other two chaperones. “Trina really wants a snow globe.”

“For my collection,” Trina said.

“You have a snow globe collection?” Riley asked.

“I’m starting one now,” Trina said brightly. “We don’t get snow in Florida, so I am going to get one here!”

Lily and I decided to wait right outside the store.

My phone rang. Eliza. On video chat!

“Hello from Rockefeller Center!” I answered.

“Oh my gosh, then that is you?” Eliza squealed over the traffic noise.

“On the screen? Yes! Did you not mean to call me?”

“No—I mean yes. I mean no, that’s not what I meant. Did you just curtsy? Because there’s a girl across the street from us that looks just like you.”