“Hey,” she said softly. “I’m really glad we ran into you. I didn’t get a chance to talk to you after everything happened.” She was wearing sunglasses, so Alexa couldn’t see her eyes but her voice sounded shaky, as if she was about to cry. “But I am so, so sorry for what you’re going through. I thought a lot about what you said that night at Haley’s, I really did, and I think I”—she glanced up at Destiny—“We owe you a big apology.” Destiny nodded her agreement.

“Thank you,” said Alexa. And then, truthfully, “That means a lot. It really does.”

There was a pause then, and Rebecca stepped into it and did that mom thing where she made conversation with the girls, asking them if they were excited about college (yes!) and when they were leaving (day after tomorrow!). Alexa zoned out, watching Morgan. Morgan wasn’t exactly setting the surfing world on fire, but every now and then she did catch a legitimate wave, and from this distance she looked almost graceful.

Maybe now that they were all moving on, she and Destiny and Caitlin didn’t have to be former friends any longer, or frenemies. Maybe they could just be friends.

Then Destiny’s eyes flicked over to Caitlin and she said, “I think we’re gonna bounce now.” Okay, Alexa did roll her eyes at that point, because nobody was saying “bounce” anymore, if anybody ever really was. But the eye roll was brief, and she kept it to herself, and she knew her own soul well enough to know that therein lay some redemption. “But we’ll text you later, okay? We should do something, before we go. Like the old days.”

“I’d like that,” said Alexa. “I’d actually like that a lot.” She didn’t meet her mother’s eyes because she knew they would be full of hope.

“Bye, girls!” said Rebecca, all hopped up on her Summer Sessions iced coffee. She stood up to hug both Destiny and Caitlin and Alexa thought, Okay, let’s not take it too far, Mom.

After Destiny and Caitlin had gone she thought about what Confucius told her, via Cam, Wherever you go, there you are. It wasn’t the worst saying in the world, if you really thought about it.

“It was nice to see those girls again,” said Rebecca, sighing happily. “I’ve really missed them.”

Alexa let out a soft grunt in reply, because she’d missed them too.