“I would hardly call it a lot,” he says, laughing like it’s totally ridiculous. “She just lives in my dorm, that’s all. Actually, I think she hooked up with one of the guys on my team last night.” He lowers his voice like he’s letting me in on a secret. “If you want to know the truth, I think she might be kind of a headcase.”

“A headcase?” I ask. A stalker headcase? Or just, like, one of those people that you can tell isn’t all there? The gyrating tanned goddess gets replaced by a vision of a girl writhing around on a bed in a straight-jacket. “What sort of a headcase?”

“Just, like, a basketball groupie. You know,” he says, “one of those girls who wants to sleep with anyone that’s on the team, or make friends with anyone who can get them closer to the team.” The evil strumpet pops back into my mind, only this time she’s holding a sign that says GO HURRICANES! #11 and her skanky clothes are replaced with Corey’s orange and green basketball jersey.

“Is that supposed to be comforting?” I ask. “That this girl wants to have sex with anything on the team?”

“It is if you know the kind of person I am,” Corey says. “Come on, Ally, what’s wrong with you? You know I would never go for a basketball groupie.”

“Oh, gee, thanks,” I say, rolling my eyes even though I know he can’t see me. “You wouldn’t go for her because she’s a basketball groupie and not because you’re in love with me.”

“God, Ally, what is your problem? Why are you acting so insecure all of a sudden? You never used to be like this. Ever.” I wrap the phone cord around my finger and consider the question. The thing is, Corey’s right. I’ve never been one of those girls who has to know where her boyfriend is at all times and freaks out if he’s a few minutes late calling. But maybe that was because Corey and I were always together. I never had to worry about what he was doing, because I knew. I was with him.

“I know,” I say, feeling my eyes fill up with tears. “I just miss you, that’s all. This isn’t easy for me. Being away from you, you know?”

“I know,” Corey says, his voice softening. “It’s not easy for me, either. But I’m going to be there next month. Just hang in there, okay, Al? Everything’s going to be okay, I promise.”

And even though I want to believe him, I still cry myself to sleep that night.

THEN