She didn’t respond for a moment, looking at his dark fingers lying over hers. An image, then, of Lew during that Truth or Dare game, the deep reproach of his innocence and love. All at once, she hated herself and let go of his hand.

Nora was getting herself ready for Raj. Fresh from the shower, she examined her face in the bathroom mirror. Her acne was as bad as ever. She went to work with a pin and witch hazel, dipping the pin in hydrogen peroxide to sterilize it. She had started to have dreams about zits and blackheads so huge she had to prize them out of her skin with a teaspoon, until they covered the surface of her vanity like little black and white coins.

When she was done, she stared at the burning mask of her face. She would wear her hair down and put on her pink turtleneck, which flattered her, and that pretty pleated cream skirt. She wanted something to happen tonight. Wrapping the bath towel tight around her, she wished she had remembered her robe and listened at the bathroom door. The last couple of times she had come out after a shower, her dad had been in the hallway. The first time he just walked by her, winking. The second, he did that old trick, pointing at her chest curiously, then flicking her nose when she looked down. Hearing nothing, she hurried across the hallway to her bedroom. After drying her hair and rubbing lotion into her legs, she went to her closet. When she opened the door, she almost fell backward as her dad’s stupidly grinning face popped out from between her clothes.

“Jesus!” she screamed. “What are you doing?”

“Boo,” he said.

“What are you doing?” She had flung her hands around her body, afraid the towel might slip.

Hurt, he clenched his small features frowningly at the center of his huge face. “Can’t you take a joke?”

“Don’t you ever come in here again.”

“Well, that’s funny,” he said, stepping out of her closet. “Last I checked, name on the mortgage was mine.”

“You’re acting weird.”

“What’s wrong with you, Puggy? We always used to horse around.”

“Dad, please get out. I’ve got to get ready.”