SOMEHOW, I MANAGED TO PULL myself together enough to harmonize some of the best songs we'd ever done. Our band even got a standing ovation.

      Over an hour later, happy with adrenaline, I met my friends at the table.

      "That was great," Aaron said, kissing me.

      I didn't even mind it—the kiss. His lips on mine. It was very friendly, and I liked friendly. What was wrong with friendly? Everyone should be friendly. Friendly people were great and nice and awesome. I loved friendly people, because friendliness was a very admirable, friendly trait.

      "You're very nice," I told Aaron, poking his hard chest.

      "Nice? I hope I'm more than that." He bent his head down to kiss me again, and I grabbed him by his cheeks. But instead of bringing his mouth to mine, I just squeezed his face.

       "You're so cute," I teased. "Adorable. Look at you. So cute."

       "I swear to God, she seems more drunk now than when she had vodka in her system," Cody hissed to Skylar.

       I pinched Aaron's cheeks. He really was nice and cute and adorable and nice. 

       Did I say nice twice?

       A giggle escaped me. That rhymes. 

       Aaron had such round hazel eyes, with those pretty black lashes. It occurred to me that he must wax his eyebrows, because they were neat and thick, with defined edges.

       "You're such a beautiful boy," I told Aaron. It was too bad I didn't like boys. We could've been perfect together.

      We are perfect together. I do like boys. 

       I stumbled a bit. The rush of adrenaline was so strong I couldn't even feel my hands; my whole body felt numb, but at the same time, I wanted to  dance.

      "I'm going to go get a water," I said, gesturing to the bar.

      Cody started, "I wouldn't do that if I were—"

      But Claudia cut him off with a sweet smile. "Of course. Go right ahead, Talia. Water is very refreshing."

      "I'll come with you," Aaron offered.

      "No! No, I mean. What? You think I can't get water?  That's like . . . mansplaining. Or something." I steadied myself with a deep breath. "Come on. I can totally grab water by myself."

       Aaron narrowed his eyes, but he didn't push. I had a feeling the whole table were watching me as I walked towards the bar.

      "One water, please?" I asked, climbing onto a stool.

      The girl next to me said, "One for me, too."

      That voice sounded familiar. I turned sideways.

      "Monroe!" I exclaimed. 

      "The one and only," she responded dryly.

      "Monroe Maisie Kingston."

       She raised an eyebrow as the bartender slid us both a glass of water. "You look so proud of yourself for knowing my middle name."

        A grin bubbled up to the surface. "It's like your Achilles' heel. Everything about you is so cool except for your middle name. Maisie." 

       I was in such a good mood I had forgotten to hate her. And I couldn't muster the energy for it now.

       I can hate her tomorrow, I reassured myself. There's always tomorrow. 

       It was probably creepy of me to watch her take a sip of water, but I liked the way her jaw sharpened. Her mouth was glossed with a sheen of water, and I watched her pink tongue dart out to lick her lower lip. 

      When she smirked at me, she was so close that I saw her dimple again. It dented her left cheek, making her even more beautiful somehow. 

      Not that she was beautiful, though. 

      Except she was. She totally was.

      I leaned in, definitely invading her personal space, and whispered, "I have a secret to tell you."

      "Oh?" 

      "You're really pretty."

      There was a slight, teasing edge to her voice. "Oh, really?"

      I nodded enthusiastically. The adrenaline pumped hard and fierce in my veins. This is a terrible idea. "I'd be lying if I said you weren't."

       This time, her smile seemed sincere. "I saw you performing, by the way."

       Any other time, I would have been tempted to ask why she was there. I probably would have sniped at her about stalking me, even.

      But I only asked, "What did you think?"

      "You get really into it." Monroe's side profile was so . . . fucking . . . beautiful. I was having a hard time concentrating on her words. "You get lost in the music. It's attractive. I can tell it's just you and the drums, and I like it. The passion."

        "Attractive? Me?" I mean, I knew I was, but hearing it come out of the mouth of my nemesis was different.

        Monroe didn't answer. She just smiled faintly, as if she knew the power she had over me.

        Suddenly, it felt as if I'd been drinking sand. My mouth was dry, but I wasn't sure if I started gulping down water because I was thirsty or because I was scared of where this conversation would take us.

        If I didn't hate her, what did I have left?

        Finally, Monroe slid off the barstool. Her keys clattered between her fingers, and she tossed me one last smile before saying, "See you at Thanksgiving, Talia."

        I WANTED TO KNOW THE secret. How the fuck did she make my name sound so . . . so . . . fucking sexy? Why did it feel like she was undressing me with just her eyes when she said Talia like that?

       Fucking hell. There was something irresistible about her. Something that made every nerve ending in my body sing.

       When I made my way back to the table with my friends, they were all deep in conversation. I pulled up a chair between Cody and Skylar.

       "I had sex there," Skylar was arguing. 

       "So did I," Cody said. "In the hot tub. The lounge. And that little skiing equipment cabin."

       Aaron looked scandalized. "But all the teachers are on that trip."

      Skylar set down her cup and leaned towards him. "Teachers are boring. Spell it out, Aaron. B-O-R-I-N-G. They go to sleep early, they're hard of hearing, and mostly, they turn a blind eye."

       "But . . . all that teenage sex . . ."

       "What, like we're not responsible? I get STI and HIV tests once a month. I'm on birth control. What's the problem?"

       "Pregnancies?" Aaron seemed at a loss for words.

       "Cody and me are both bisexual," Skylar said flatly. "There's only a fifty-percent chance of that. And do you think we're stupid enough to not use protection?" 

       Aaron actually seemed to be thinking it over. "There's always that small chance."

       Exasperated, Skylar said, "Yeah, there is, but you know what? I'm horny and I like getting fucked and fucking in turn. So it's worth that tiny little percentage to me."

       "And you're with Lila now," I added, setting into my chair. "So no chance of pregnancy there."

       Skylar brightened at the mention of Lila. "Exactly. See? Perfectly fine. Sex is healthy. And it should be encouraged safely."

       "The American system sucks," Cody said. This was a subject he was passionate about, I knew. "They don't teach anyone how to be safe, because of abstinence or whatever. But telling kids not to fuck isn't going to stop them. People are going to fuck, regardless. So isn't it better to have them take proper precautions anyway?"

        Aaron nodded slowly. "You're right, I think. That . . . fuck. It makes sense."

        His eyes flicked to me, and then he was blushing.

        "How did you even get to this topic?" I asked. "What are we talking about?"

        "All the bing-bang-bonging that goes on during the winter break skiing trip," Claudia said helpfully.

        "Seriously?" I gave each of my friends a lethal glare. "You thought my little sister should be privy to that conversation?"

        Cody raised both palms. "Your little sister is the one who started it."

        Somehow, I wasn't surprised. By now, the adrenaline had worn off. And I was just—tired. I was so fucking tired I could pass out right then.

       But I had to ask one question before I forgot.

       "Guys, when is Thanksgiving again?" 

       Cody gave me a how the fuck am I supposed to know?  look. Aaron checked his Apple watch and said, "Next Saturday."

       It was a part of an old, neighbourly tradition that my family and Aaron's were going to have Thanksgiving dinner together.

       Which meant . . . sitting in close proximity to Monroe. For over an hour.

       Pretending that I wasn't very, very turned on by her presence.

      "It's going to be torture," I groaned.

      Aaron cracked a smile and reached for my hand. "I promise I'll hide the corn from you." 

       I shuddered. "Don't say that word in front of me."

       Of course, Claudia was in a provoking mood. "Corn," she sang. "Corn, corn, corn, corn."

       Pure evil. She knew I was deathly terrified of corn.

       "Just explain to me why it's scary again," Cody said.

       "It's . . . all yellow and holey and weirdly shaped." I shuddered again. "Stop making me relive my fear."

       "Your fear is of corn," said Skylar. "So it's justifiable."

       "I hate you guys. For real."

       Skylar tossed her violet hair over her shoulder. "What? Bullying is fun."

       "It builds character," Claudia said.

       "I'm going to build your character," I threatened.

       "Tals, that didn't even make sense."

        I ignored her and changed the subject. "So for this skiing trip, who are we rooming with?"

       "Did you even read the form?"

       "Two people to each room," Aaron explained. "Boys and girls get separated."

       Skylar grinned and made a scissor gesture. "Girl sleepover."

       I rolled my eyes at her, not entirely sure why her tone was so suggestive. What was with the scissor motion? "So I'll be with Skylar," I said. "And Aaron, you'll be with Cody?"

       "Actually, it's random," Aaron said.

       My heart dropped. "You're kidding."

       "Yeah, they're going it mix up the grades. For the lower levels, it'll be one sophomore and one freshman. For our level, it'll be one junior mixed with one senior. So the age gap is there, but it's not big enough for a lawsuit."

       Cody added, "Apparently if you're not friends with your roommate, you'll be less likely to do risky shit. Like get drunk and sneak out."

       "That's ridiculous!" I sputtered.

       I was suddenly regretting this trip. But I had already gotten Olivia to hand in my form to Monroe—which was, fine, slightly cowardly.

      Skylar bumped her shoulder against mine. "It won't be so bad. We'll just exchange roommates. No one is gonna care."

      "Exchange roommates." I scowled, and then a thought struck me, so hard I scraped my chair back and almost fell out.

      If there was one grade eleven and one grade twelve to every room . . . no. That would be the worst imaginable thing. That was Terminator-level bad. That was Voldemort-coming-back-from-the-dead bad.

      Because there was the chance—the smallest, tiniest, most miniscule chance—that I would be sharing a hotel room with Monroe.

      SO, CLAUDIA HAD USED HER birthday money to buy a duck.

      "What," I said, gaping at her, "made you think this would be a good idea?"

      The furry, golden-brown creature in her palms let out a squawk, as if I had offended it.

      "Sapphie Sapphie Sapphie," Claudia cooed. "Who's the cutest duck in the world? Who?"

      I crossed my arms. Standing at her doorframe, knowing Mr. Andersen's family was due to arrive right now, I said, "Claudia, are you even ready for dinner?"

      "Of course I am, silly."

      She was wearing a jade-green flannel and a knitted beanie. Her Converse had rainbow soles.

      I had to admit, I kind of loved it. There was something about it I just couldn't put my finger on. Something interesting.

      Or maybe I just knew my parents would hate it.

      And lately, I really liked pissing them off.

      I glanced down at her duck, and curiosity got the best of me. Or maybe last-minute jitters about the fact that I'd be face to face with Monroe in minutes. "What'd you name it?"

      "Sappho," Claudia said, tickling its wings, not even looking up at me. "Sapphie for short."

      "Sappho?" I echoed. "Who—"

      Claudia's eyes snapped to mine. "You don't know who Sappho is? What kind of le—"

      The doorbell rang.

***

I can't wait. I actually can't wait. Thanksgiving dinner with Monroe? GUYS.

From the moon and back,
Sarai