“You literally just said the mixer was going to be fine because it’d be like a school dance, which you then admitted you hate,” Em says. “You’re not making any sense, and you’re not making me feel better.”

“Sorry.”

“You always have fun at dances,” Aviana protests.

“I have fun when we’re all together,” I explain. “But like— It’s like I only have fun when we’re all together. I hate it when I get left alone. Like at homecoming, Em, you ended up talking forever with those people from your English class. And—I’m just being honest, here—I felt like such a loser, like people were looking at me and thinking, She doesn’t have any friends.”

“You had me,” says Aviana, a little huffily.

“I didn’t. Three of them were, like, your besties from swim team.”

“Well, you’re not a loser,” Aviana says.

“I know. But that doesn’t stop me from feeling like one when I’m wandering around without anywhere to go or anyone to talk to. Come on. Please tell me I’m not the only one who feels that way.”

“Now you get why I’m nervous about the mixer,” says Em.

“But you’ll have me, Em. I promise. Unless there’s a cute girl you want to talk to,” I say, and she smacks me on the arm.

“Ceej, you should make her one of those magic flower things,” says Aviana.

“Yeah, right. Because she definitely won’t look like a loser with a corsage on her chest.”

“So make something else,” she says. “Like a hair thing.”

“A hair thing.”

“I’m not wearing a flower crown,” says Em firmly. “Or carrying a bouquet or wearing a corsage.” But I can tell from her face that she’s considering it.

“So have CJ make something else!” says Aviana. “She’s creative.”

This is ridiculous, I want to say. But I kind of like that Aviana has this much faith in my abilities.

That’s all Em needs. She turns to me, her eyes hopeful. “What do you think, Ceej? Could you make something? Like, just a small thing? I’d totally pay for it.”

“I don’t know.”

“Come on, it would be so cool. Like, let’s see, what do I need . . .” Em starts ticking off on her fingers the things she thinks she needs. “Self-confidence, inner calm, talkativeness? That’s not a word.”

“Loquacity,” says Aviana. She’s a vocabulary demon. “And charm, you should definitely ask for charm.”

“It’s not real,” I say.

“But it might be,” says Aviana, and Em nods her head.

“It can’t hurt, right?” she says. “Please?”

“It could be really expensive,” I warn her. “It could be like thirty dollars or more. Just for one little mixer.”

“I’ll pay for it,” she insists. “Do it through Heart’s Desire! I’ll be part of your expanded client base!”