“I felt horrible about it because I knew you weren’t really a Robobitch. But I guess, when I said it, someone heard me and thought I meant Diya, so the name kind of transferred to her. And then the whole thing happened with your leg, and you joined the musical, and we became real friends and I didn’t say anything about it because it was a long time ago, and I honestly don’t think of you like that. I was just being petty and dumb. I’m really sorry.”

All I could do was shake my head, trying to process what I’d heard. When I was doing the thing I loved to do, I was just a Robobitch to them.

Anger and hurt vibrated through me. Not just because I was the original Robobitch, but because I’d tricked myself into believing I was part of this group. That they were, as Margot said, my “real friends.”

“Ethan and Jude didn’t call you that. I mean, Ethan may have said it once to make me feel better when I was venting that time, but it was mostly just me. I’m sorry,” Margot said again.

I was hardly paying attention anymore. The anger I felt—at Margot, at myself for being so stupid, at everyone—turned into straight-up rage. “Don’t be. It’s just who you are.”

“What do you mean?” she asked cautiously.

I wanted her to feel as betrayed and hurt as I did. “You call people names because they don’t want to hang out with you. It’s really fucking sad. No wonder you hardly had any friends after Izzy. She’s probably the best you can do.”

I spun around and marched down the hill, heading for the parking lot. Heart pumping, face flushed. As I skirted the rink, Jude jogged up beside me. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing.” I slowed to a stop, trying to catch my breath, looking anywhere but at him.

He ducked his head, trying to catch my eye. “Really?” I nodded quickly. “Okay,” he said slowly. “Um. Do you… Do you want to skate?”

I finally let myself look at him. It didn’t matter that Jude had never called me Robobitch, it still would never work between us. He wanted this life—Eagle View and the musical and his friends. He fit into it. I didn’t. But I couldn’t let things with Jude blow up like they did with Margot. I had to tell him maturely. Make a clean break, for once.

I nodded, moving past him to the rink. Being out in the cold for this long made my leg stiffer than usual, and the inward angle of the skates made it worse. But I kept picking up speed, hoping the rush of cold air would drown out the fight with Margot replaying in my head. It wasn’t working.