“Well, I guess you guys are just going to have to all come back to New York.” Eliza smiled.

“Wait a minute,” Lily said with her mouth full. “Harper will be back here next summer. She’s our in!”

“I’ll be glad to bring back a case of cupcakes . . . if you can promise to be super kind and sweet to me,” I said.

“For the next seven months?!” Megan almost put down her cupcake in shock. Almost.

“Is that a difficult request?” Eliza looked at us back and forth.

“Well, hello!” a man’s voice I recognized called out. “Are these our out-of-towners and locals sitting together? In peace and harmony?”

“Wow, I think the answer for what ails the world is in this here cupcake shop,” the woman with him added.

“Jackie and Miguel!” we shouted, so happy to see our onetime hip-hop dance instructors.

“Hey, guys!” They looked so hip, in cool hats and fashionable jackets. Miguel had switched his dancing sneakers for a pair of work boots. And Jackie was wearing a dope pair of lace-up heels.

“Funny running into you again,” I said, smiling.

“They say the city is like a small town in many ways,” explained Miguel. “The iced coffee is great here, and I will go far for a good iced coffee.”

“Music is pretty good too,” Jackie said. “Let’s see what you got,” Jackie challenged Miguel, who was swaying from side to side.

“Join me, girls—do it like a seat dance,” he instructed.

We, of course, swayed with him, and Jackie joined in. I took out my cell and started recording our cupcake shop dance. Everyone played up to the camera. We starting cracking up after a few seconds, feeling extra giddy between the sugar rush and the music.

“Well, back to the studio for us. You all take care! Good seeing you!” Jackie and Miguel gave us big hugs.

“Bye!”

“Hi!” Eliza’s mom was at our table just as quickly as the instructors stepped away. “I hate to cut the party short, but we need to be leaving now too.”

Eliza and I rose out of our seats slowly, as if trying to stall. We stood facing each other, at a loss for words. Until Eliza cleared her throat and spoke.

“We won’t do long good-byes. Just make sure we stay in touch more often than before.”

“Weekly video chats?” My voice cracked.

“Weekly,” she agreed.

“Perfect,” I said.

We reached out and clung to each other.

“See ya,” Eliza said as she pulled back.

“See ya.”

I stood there watching Eliza wave back one last time before she left the shop with her mom.

It wasn’t a great feeling, but I was not carrying it on my own. Lily put an arm around my shoulder, followed by Riley and Trina, and yes, even Megan.

“Let’s go home,” I told them.

Chapter 20

CHAPTER

20