“I love that sweatshirt so much,” Ada says when I slide into the passenger seat.

“Thanks,” I say. “I wasn’t sure if we were still doing the whole sweatshirt thing or if it would make MJ feel worse.”

Ada looks down at the MICHIGAN emblazoned across her chest in big yellow letters. “You’re so much nicer than me,” she says. “I didn’t even think about that. Now I feel like a total jerk.”

She puts the car in reverse and backs out of the driveway.

“You’re not a total jerk,” I assure her. “I’m probably just overthinking things. Like I usually do. Besides, this is all I got.”

“I love that you’re a science geek, but you’re superstitious about hoodies,” Ada says with a smile.

“Yeah, I know. Shh. It’s my dark secret.”

“My lips are sealed,” Ada says, taking one hand off the wheel and making a zipping motion across her mouth.

“So … can you believe Carly and Jayson are still together a month later?” I ask.

Ada makes a face. “I honestly don’t know what she sees in him.”

“I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks that,” I say.

“But don’t tell that to Carly, though,” Ada says. “After the party, I told her to just know what she’s getting into. Jayson’s never had a serious girlfriend and is always dating someone new. But Carly said she knows that and she’s cool with it, because she’s not looking to date anyone seriously, either.”

“I wonder why Rumor Has It didn’t repeat that warning when they posted about the two of them dating?” I say. “Because you’re right, they’ve posted about Jayson a lot, and it’s usually when he’s onto a new girlfriend.”

Ada shrugs. “I don’t know,” she says. “So how are the plans for your mom’s wedding coming? Or is that a sore topic?”

“This probably makes me the worst, but I’m trying to avoid the wedding stuff as much as possible,” I confess. “Like, I’m happy for Mom and everything, but I don’t feel the need to be involved in every little detail.”

“I can totally see how it might be weird,” she says as she pulls the car into Carly’s driveway and honks to let her know we’re here. “It doesn’t make you the worst.”

I know Ada’s right, but it’s hard not to feel that way, especially when I remember how my mom was after my dad died and seeing how much happier she’s been since Ted. It’s not like she met him and suddenly she was magically better—she went to a grief support group, saw a therapist, and took medication for a while, so she’d already climbed most of the way out of the pit by the time she met him. But since she and Ted got together, she smiles a lot more and seems genuinely content.

“Hey,” Carly says when she slides into the back seat of Ada’s car. “Are you guys psyched to party?”

“Yeah,” I say. “I just hope MJ is, too.”

“I know, it sucks she didn’t get into Carnegie Mellon,” Carly says. “She was really set on that school.”

“We’ll just have to make sure we cheer her up tonight,” Ada says.

“Definitely,” Carly says. “Jayson’s bringing some of his wrestling teammates, so that should liven things up.”

Ada and I exchange a glance. “Does MJ know they’re coming?” Ada asks.

“No, but she won’t mind,” Carly says. “She said her mom made enough food to feed a small army.”

“Oookay,” Ada says, but she doesn’t sound convinced.

“Hey. Thanks for coming early to help,” MJ says.

“It’s no problem,” I say. “Love the eye makeup. It really brings out your eyes.”

She seems happily surprised by the compliment, her eyes widening as her cheeks tinge the palest of pinks.

“Thanks,” she says.

“See, I told you!” Carly says. “I’ve been telling her she should accentuate her eyes. That sweater and makeup combo really works!”

“I’m glad something does,” MJ says in a tone that makes it hard to know if it’s a joke or not.

Ada gives her a quick hug. “C’mon, MJ, everything’s going to be okay in the end. Their loss, not yours.”

“Hey there, girls,” Mr. McKay says, coming down the stairs. “I hear congratulations are in order.”

A pained look flits across MJ’s face, but it’s gone in an instant.

“Well, for these two,” Carly says. “I’m with MJ. I didn’t get into my first choice.”

I hope we can change the subject, because it’s obviously a sore topic for MJ and Carly.

“Aren’t you and Mom supposed to be leaving for the movie?” MJ says to her dad, shooting him a pointed look.

“Yes, we are,” Mr. McKay says, checking his watch. “Hurry up, Christine, or we’ll miss all the previews!” he calls up the stairs.

“Where should we put our coats?” I ask.

“Up in my room. Second door on the right,” MJ says. “Just throw them on my bed. I’ll be in the kitchen.”

“I’ll take yours,” I tell Ada and Carly, and once they’ve handed them over I head up to MJ’s bedroom.

Mrs. McKay is just coming out of her room as I round the top of the stairs.

“Hello, Dara,” she says, greeting me with a big smile. “Congratulations on getting into … Where was it now? Harvard?”

“Hopkins,” I say.

“Right—that’s terrific!” she says. “I hope this party cheers up MJ. She’s been down about getting rejected from CMU.”

“We’ll do our best to make sure she has a good time,” I assure her.

“Thanks,” she says.

“Christine!” Mr. McKay calls up the stairs again.

“Better run,” Mrs. McKay says. “Have fun!”

I continue to MJ’s room to put the coats on the bed. I’ve been to MJ’s house, but I’ve never been up in her room before. She’s got cool framed artwork of vintage Nintendo controllers on the wall. There are clothes strewn all over the floor, which I tiptoe around to get to her bed. She’s also got a bulletin board that’s covered with pictures of her cat, Pascal, looking funny and adorable, and of the track team. I look closer and there are some hilarious pictures of her and Will doing nerdy things when they were younger. I smile, looking at little nerd boy Will.

After dumping the coats, I head back down to the kitchen. Mr. and Mrs. McKay have left for the movie, and MJ, Carly, and Ada are putting sandwiches out on a platter.

“What can I do?” I ask.

“There are some bowls over there on the counter. Can you put out chips?”

“Sure. What smells so amazing?”

“Mom made lasagna,” MJ says. “It’s in the oven heating up.”

“There is seriously a ton of food,” Ada says. “This is going to be awesome.”

“Jayson’s bringing some friends from the wrestling team,” Carly says.

“How many?” MJ asks.

“I don’t know,” Carly says. “Does it matter?”

“I guess not.” MJ bites her lip. “It’s just … my parents weren’t too thrilled about going out while I had a party, and this was just supposed to be a chill thing.”

“Don’t worry,” Carly says. “I’ll tell Jayson to keep them all in line.”

“It’ll be fun,” Ada says, trying to be encouraging.

“All I can think about is the college applications I have to get done,” MJ says. “It’s like I have to start over. Figure out where I want to go. And I can’t really improve my grades and SAT score at this point but—”

“You’re third in the class right now!” Carly exclaims. “How much better can your grades get?”

“Seriously, MJ,” I say. “It was just one school. I know it’s the one you really wanted to go to, but—”

“There are lots of other great schools,” MJ says. “Yeah, yeah, I know. I’ve been getting enough of that from my family.”

“Sorry,” I say.

“It’s okay. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”

She takes a bowl out of the fridge. “I’ve been wondering if I should completely rewrite my essay before I do the other applications,” she says. “Writing isn’t my strong point. I wish I could just send a series of elegant algorithms.”

“I can look it over for you if you want. The writing, not the algorithms. I wouldn’t be much help with those,” I say. Then, wondering if I’ve overstepped, I add: “I mean, only if you think it would help.”

MJ removes the plastic wrap from the bowl. “That would be great,” she says. “I’ll let you know when I’ve actually written the thing.”

We’ve got pretty much everything set up by the time the doorbell rings and the first people arrive. It’s a slow trickle at first.

“I hope this party isn’t a total bust,” MJ says to Ada and me quietly. “Although this week has been the worst, so it wouldn’t surprise me.”

“It won’t be,” I say. “People are always late.”

“Yeah, Will’s not here yet and he lives next door!” Ada points out.

I surreptitiously send a text to Will.

Get over here! MJ’s freaking out that the party will be a bust.

He texts me back right away. On my way! Can’t wait to see a certain someone.

Me: Who might that be, I wonder?

He sends back a kissy emoji.

That’s when Jayson and his teammates arrive. Jayson comes over, puts his arm around Carly, and says, “Hey, babe.” He surveys the room.

“Man, I hope this party picks up,” Jayson says. “It’s kind of underwhelming right now.”

“Jayson!” Carly says. “Don’t let MJ hear you. She’s already down enough.”

Ada rolls her eyes at me, and I glance around quickly to locate MJ. I don’t see her, so I hope she’s well out of earshot.

There are already about forty people here by the time Will finally makes his appearance. When I see him looking adorable in his red Stanford sweatshirt, my heart rate beats out a stronger rhythm, like it always seems to since I realized I liked him as more than a friend.

Our eyes meet across the room, and he flashes me a smile. He saunters over to where we’re standing.

“What’s up?” he says.

“Took you long enough to get here,” Carly says. “You live next door.”

“Carly, you have no idea how long it takes for me to style this Jewfro,” Will says, running his hand through his curls, which just makes them stick up even more. He looks hilarious and cute at the same time.

“Where is MJ anyway?” he adds, looking around.

“I think she’s in the kitchen,” Carly says. She looks over to where two of Jayson’s wrestling team buddies are getting a little out of hand. “Jayson, let’s go reel in your boys before they break something. That’s the last thing MJ needs.”

They walk away, and Will takes a step closer to me. “Hey,” he says quietly, so no one else will hear, quickly looking me up and down in a way that makes me feel warm all over. “You look … great.”

“Thanks,” I say, smiling. “You don’t look so bad yourself. Stanford red really suits you.”

“College suits you,” he says with a grin.

He leans down to whisper in my ear: “I’m counting down the seconds until I can figure out how to be alone with you tonight.”

His breath in my ear sends shivers down my spine. “Me too,” I say softly.

I want to keep our relationship a secret, but right now I can’t help wishing we were somewhere else.

“Hold that thought,” he says. “I’m gonna check that MJ’s okay.”

“I’ll be waiting,” I say. “Me and the veggie chips.”

He smiles back at me over his shoulder. “Save me some.”

I will. Maybe. If he’s lucky.