Sally took in our trio of red eyes, and the in-jokes we’d created, and I could see her jealousy at the bond Jade and I had formed. She eyed me slightly nervously, and I smiled to silently reassure her I would not poach her friend. She relaxed and started laughing when we did. And our giddiness must’ve sent out some kind of bat signal, as more girls peeled away from the pushy boys, pawing their bodies through their clothes, and began poking their heads around the door, squealing “I love this movie” and joining us. Soon, seven of us filled every space in the garish child’s bedroom, and boys were forgotten. We all just sang “A Whole New World” at the top of our lungs. The cannabis started to mellow me and make the world around me take on deep and meaningful qualities. I turned toward Jessica, her eyes almost entirely red, but her face relaxed and happy, and I felt profound love pulse through me. She sensed me looking and smiled back. She was so different when boys weren’t around—so relaxed and funny and open and warm. I loved her like this so much. We rewound the song to karaoke along again. The door was closed. The boys too busy sucking bongs to notice us missing, and, freed from their gaze, the girls became their best selves, found themselves actually enjoying a party. We gathered like a pack of wolves, shrieking along, becoming quickly hugely tactile with one another—picking up random sections of someone’s hair and plaiting it, or stroking someone else’s legs through their jeans. The door flew open and we all stiffened, twisting to the threshold with our stomachs sucked in. But it was just Georgina, wearing her now-bent fairy wings, looking as if she might’ve been crying.

“What are you guys doing?” she asked, her voice still sodden from drink.

Jessica held out her arms. “We’re watching Aladdin. Want to join?”

She paused, then folded herself down into a hunched ball on the carpet next to us, not quite looking at the screen. “My house is so trashed,” she said so quietly, we almost didn’t hear.

Jessica and I looked down at her. “I can come back tomorrow and help you clean?” I said.

She ignored us, and stared at the ceiling. “Dave’s body was too heavy,” she murmured. “What happened?”

“Georgina? Are you OK?” Jessica glanced over at me. We both slid off the bed and joined her on the floor. She sat with her dress splayed out around her like a fancy toadstool. It took a moment for her eyes to focus on us.

“He was so heavy. I’m so drunk,” she told us. “Really...drunk...thirsty.”

“I’ll go get you a glass of water.”

She half nodded, then twisted her head to the television, smiling a little. “I love this movie. I want a pet tiger.”