Alexa rated the mascara a four. Really it deserved closer to a three from a value to price ratio but she was feeling generous. Maybe Amazon and Chantecaille were onto something. Maybe the world would move along more smoothly if only people asked each other for feedback more often.

Immediately another e-mail came in from Amazon. Alexa Thornhill, how likely would you be to purchase this product again? With one being unlikely and five being extremely likely.

Seriously? She filled in the first star only, to make a point. It was truly desperate to ask for extra praise after you’d already gotten praise. It was something Destiny would do.

Then her phone pinged with a text. It was Caitlin, who wanted to know if Alexa could meet her for lunch in Portsmouth. She was still really pissed at both Caitlin and Destiny for what had happened in March, but it might be fun to take a drive up to Portsmouth, maybe see if there was anything new at Lizology.

March, a biting wind going at the walls of Destiny’s house.

Destiny lived out on Plum Island, far out, close to the lighthouse at the very northern tip. Destiny’s parents had gone to Boston for the night for a cousin’s wedding, so Alexa had driven Caitlin and herself out to Destiny’s in her Jeep. Destiny was supposed to stay home with her thirteen-year-old brother, Ethan. There was talk of a party at Jason Harrington’s house, but that was all the way out by Maudslay, miles and miles and miles away.

“We could go for a while,” suggested Caitlin. “Just to see who’s there.”

“I can’t go to a party,” said Destiny. “I promised I’d stay here with Ethan and his buddy.”

“They won’t even notice if we leave,” said Caitlin. “I just walked by Ethan’s bedroom and they’re absolutely one hundred percent glued to Minecraft.”

“Well, I’m not leaving,” said Destiny. “You guys go if you want.” The wind gave an extra-loud howl, as if it wanted to remind them that winter wasn’t over yet, and that it could send the water crashing over the Plum Island dunes anytime it wanted to.

Alexa glanced at her phone. She had three texts from Tyler practically begging her to go to the party. Can’t, she texted in reply. Hanging with the girls.

Caitlin looked uncertain and then she said, “Never mind. We’ll have our own party here. We can stay over, right? We’re staying over?” She looked to Destiny for confirmation and Destiny nodded. Caitlin opened the liquor cabinet and poked through it. “Jeez, Dest, did your parents start marking the bottles?” She was examining a fifth of Tito’s. “I think they did it wrong though. This line doesn’t even match up.”