Between two worlds

morning f

be cheerful. I lay still, staring at the ceiling. Not thinking. No

with her. I couldn't pretend to pray for clarity I didn't want.

wered. Pulled on a hoodie that still smelle

my phone.

Still b

eply. He k

I found myself in front of the full-length mi

ook

ly l

w shoulders. Wide

when I was ten. The one nobody ever talked about. The on

lightly throu

secret. A sec

t a

did. Not in hate. Not in fear. Ju

have an

a knock at

fr

knock.

?" Elsa'

omething made me-maybe the par

ng a paper bag and her

" she said, wrinkling her no

smile. "Not rea

d suya. And Coke. If that doesn't r

on the table and flo

"Wanna tell me why you ghos

st. I just...

ed sp

odd

oke. "Ann's still p

gur

you stole

dn't ask the guy

, but you didn't exa

red of

t sharper th

ion softening. "Matilda,

ds formed in my thro

eel like you're made of ques

deep. But yes. Every time I

in spite

pell it out. But I'm here, okay? For the weird. For the

really be okay if I sa

er head. "Def

of girl everyo

inch. "Then s

simple, so sure-made so

ood movie on her phone, volume low. It

ealed. But I fe

at was

-

that

texted

Grace to the café la

he message fo

plied:

t maybe, it was ti

-

was unusu

, but the kind that pressed agai

intention of finishing. My thoughts weren't in the numbers. They

ingered in

Grace to the café la

ned her once. Someone from his past, I guessed. The

she wa

anted me

en a moment longer,

aybe ten, if I avoide

sleeves of my hoodie. Reapplied lip balm. Nothing dramat

ded harder th

n't n

ybe I

-

I stepped in. I spotted Michael immediately-bac

ac

iant. The kind of effortless beauty

most

inned like the sun had just

I thought you were

d, sliding into the chair. "Thought I'

eyes scanning us like she was

Coke bottle with his straw. "Don'

embarrass your

gh was shor

my hoodie. "You're like a

. "Yet you keep

alty. Or a

. "So... how long have y

She used to pretend she hated everyone, but she'd pa

," I said,

u're annoying' in all c

ur girlfriend the trut

. "Oh, I'm not his girlfri

"See? Even Grace does

air, "Grace, meet my best friend a

e bl

e echoe

at name sounds familiar. Di

flicker. But

's International. I get that

I knew. Back in JSS3, there was this girl... we called h

h. "Not me. Nev

"Wait-Silly O.? That wa

ith a long sip of Coke. "Lots o

et, suddenl

en us. The air shif

ble crumbs from my jeans

way fast,

me go, his brows

e you sure you know

w flexed. "I

didn't sou