“Happy birthday!” Layla grinned and waved from the booth she shared with Chloe a few days later.
“Thanks,” I said as I sat down next to Chloe. She offered me a small smile. We still hadn’t talked much since our fight in the dressing room, but it felt like the hurt was fading. Eventually, I hoped, there would be no sign it had been there at all.
“So how’s it feel being eighteen?” Anna asked. I froze, remembering that they didn’t know about my year off. I’d already been eighteen a year, but there was no way to explain the truth. It was strange to have such normal friendships for the first time, but still have so many secrets.
“Yeah,” Layla said. “Have you bought cigarettes yet?”
“I don’t smoke,” I said with a shrug, my stomach twisting from yet another half-truth. Smoking cigarettes on my hormones could cause fatal blood clots, but I couldn’t tell them about that either.
“Neither do I,” Layla said, waving dismissively. “It’s about the milestone. Which reminds me…” She reached under the table and brought out a small present wrapped in silvery paper.
“We all chipped in,” Anna said, practically bouncing in her seat.
“You guys!” I said, a surge of emotion overcoming me as I untied the ribbon. “You didn’t have to.”
“Did anyway,” Chloe said. I looked over at her, trying to catch her gaze. I wanted to make sure everything was back to normal after our conversation at the mall, but as always her expression was unreadable. “Happy birthday.”
I opened the box and lifted out a pair of lovely amethyst stud earrings that matched my homecoming dress perfectly, glimmering in the late-morning sun. “I love them!” I said, then added sadly, “but my ears aren’t pierced.”
“We know. We’re getting them pierced,” Anna said brightly. “We promised Grant we’d keep you busy while he got your present ready.”
“Wait, what?” I said. “What is it?”
“Don’t change the subject.” Layla steepled her fingers like a supervillain. “And trust me, it’s best if you come quietly.”
* * *
The Rebel Yell tattoo parlor was a small cube of brick sitting in a rutted gravel parking lot. As we entered, a happy little bell chimed, just barely audible over Molly Hatchet blasting at full volume.
“Hey, Riley!” Layla called. A rail-thin girl with shorn green hair and gauges in her ears crushed Layla in a hug.
“This is my cousin Riley,” Layla said, smiling, an arm around the girl’s shoulder. “She’s basically the biggest badass ever.”
“Naw,” Riley said, smiling back. She turned to face us. “So who’s today’s victim?”
“Right here,” Layla said, hooking her arm around mine. “Amanda.”
“Nice to meet you, Amanda. You’ll be with Rod today—he’ll take good care of you.” Riley yelled across the tattoo parlor and a man with a shaved head and flannel shirt came over.
“Hey there.” Rod smiled, motioning to the chair. “Whatcha interested in? Upper cartilage, maybe get a gauge started?”
“Oh, no,” Layla said. “Her ears aren’t pierced at all.”
“A virgin!” Rod said, smiling. I felt my cheeks flush. “Well, don’t worry, y’all came to the right place. I know it’s probably a little intimidating in here, but we’ll take good care of you.”
Layla eyed my nervous face. She pointed at me and then pointed at the chair. I gripped the armrests like I was riding a roller coaster and closed my eyes, trying to keep my breathing under control.
“Don’t tell me when it’s coming,” I said, listening to the crinkle of plastic as Rod unwrapped the needle. I focused on happy things instead—how just this moment, the boy of my dreams was preparing a birthday surprise, how friends who knew me well were dead set on getting me what I wanted, and not taking no for an answer. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d wanted to celebrate my birthday, but for the first time in a long time, I felt like I had something to celebrate. “Do something to distract me.”
“Okay,” Layla said, sounding mischievous. A quiet moment passed, and then she said, “You know how Anna and me are on the homecoming committee?”
“Yeah?”
“Well, we nominated you for homecoming queen!”
I didn’t even notice when the needle went in.