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“I know.”

Sometimes being a girl felt like there was a code to crack—like there was one perfect way to be, and if you could only figure out what that was, your life would be so easy. If you were skinnier, or dressed differently, or acted more fun, or listened to the right music, or had the right friends, or your parents were rich, or you were smarter, or more athletic, or or or or?—

But the only real rule seemed to be that you couldn’t be perfect enough, no matter how hard you tried.

“It’s not fair, Lacey. It’s just not. But we can muddle through till prom.”

She looked at her burger then looked at me. “Yeah,” she said, and took a bite.

After lunch we went our separate ways—and then chemistry loomed. I hadn’t told Lacey about Liam’s party invite, I didn’t want her to worry about me, and luckily Sarah hadn’t mentioned it. But now that I had to go—I could feel myself getting nervous,flushed and sweaty. What if I’d missed my chance by turning him down yesterday? Before Hailey had moved, she’d been the prettiest girl in school. Like I’d wanted to hate her? But it was literally impossible, she was just that pretty. And me—what the hell was Liam thinking? What if he came to his senses? How would I get to Danny’s phone then? I spent most of English staring off into space thinking of disaster scenarios—which did not make me any more attractive—when a text from Lacey flew in.

Can’t take it anymore. Going home.

It startled me back to my senses; I texted back with just my mind:

You OK?

Not really

People keep looking at me.

I winced. Were they really looking at her, or did it just feel like that? She wasn’t acting very Lacey-like—that could have people genuinely concerned. Maybe she was being a little sensitive. She had every right to be.

Or maybe some of our jerkier classmates were judging her for looking disheveled—and still jerkier ones were, like Bruce, thinking about whatever story Danny’d spread.

At least no one else had seen the photos from this morning.

Had…they?

Panic fell from my brain to my stomach like a small sharp stone.

Sorry about the bus

Lacey apologized while I tried to keep from freaking out on her behalf.

No—it is totally OK.

Take care of yourself.

I love you

I texted back at the speed of thought. Then the bell rang and I instantly texted Sarah a bathroom location and911.

Sarah arrived moments after I did and looked around quickly, like Liam might be hidden in a stall.

“I’ve got chem next and I need to go to that party,” I said and gestured at my face. “Help.” It wasn’t a question, it was a command.

Her eyes lit up. “Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for this moment?” She lunged into her purse and pulled out a make-up bag.

Within seconds she was smudging subtly shimmering taupes across my eyes. “I don’t have much time,” she muttered, as she poofed blush on me, slicked my lips with gloss, and then licked her thumb like a mom to use it to straighten my brows. “There. It’s not great?—”

“But it looks like I tried.” I looked in the mirror. I thought Liam would be a man of his word, but if he wasn’t, I wanted to make sure he had a reason to invite me.

“I expect you to put more on tonight, missy,” Sarah said, zippering her bag back up. “And I’ll be there.”

“With Ryan,” I said, my tone implying the closet they’d be making out in.

She grabbed my shoulders. “With Ryan, yes, but, still, I will be there. I haven’t forgotten about you. Promise.”