After a silent dinner, Lyla and her dad loaded the dishwasher. Still upset, Ryan barely made eye contact. She knew that there was no point in trying to force conversation.

When she started up the stairs, the light in her bedroom went out. She stopped halfway up the staircase. Before she had a chance to catch her breath, she experienced a startlingly vivid hallucination. She saw herself walking out of the bathroom, then down the hallway toward the stairs, as though she were watching a virtual reality replay. She knew what was about to happen.

A blackbird shot out of her bedroom with Imaginary Lyla as its target. She shielded her face and ducked but the bird's talons grazed her scalp, forcing her to lose her balance.

Imaginary Lyla tumbled down the stairs and disappeared.

Lyla's hand trembled as she gripped the banister. She clenched her eyes.

You're losing it, girl. Get your shit together.

She opened her eyes to see the light from her bedroom spilling into the hallway. And then she smelled it, the overwhelming combination of cheap cologne, perspiration, and weed, the familiar odor so thick she could barely breathe.

A figure darted past her bedroom doorway then a moment later, the light went out.

"I gotta get going." Ryan drew her attention to the entryway.

Lyla jogged downstairs. "You're working tonight?" She glanced toward the top of the stairs. Her room remained dark.

"Yeah, I told you. I'm on the night shift until the fifteenth." He studied her. "You have a fever or something? You're shaking." He felt her forehead. His eyes went from his daughter to her room at the top of the stairs. "Is it the bird again? You want me to check?"

"No. No. You mind dropping me off at Darcy's?" She gave him her best puppy dog eyes.

"Why can't she come over here?" he sighed.

"She's grounded."

Her dad raised an eyebrow. "And she's allowed visitors while she's grounded?"

"It's just me. We'll do our homework."

Ryan shook his head. "If I'm going to drop you off at Darcy's, we're gonna need to leave ASAP."

"Okay." She slipped into the living room and texted Darcy.

Lyla – PLZ can I come over now? 🥺 PLZ? PLZ? PLZ?!!!

Darcy – I'm grounded AF

Lyla – Just homework. PLZ!!!!! 🥺🥺🥺

Pause

Darcy – OK.

Lyla – Awesome!!! C U soon.

Darcy – 😉

"I'm gonna be late for work," Ryan grumbled.

"Okay, okay." She jogged to the front door.

A short time after her dad dropped her off, Lyla popped into Darcy's room. "Wow, your mom's in a bad mood," she whispered.

"Yeah, they're both super pissed at me. I think they're talking about enlisting me in the Marine Corp."

"You'll never pass the physical."

Darcy rolled her eyes. "This Trig assignment is kicking my ass," she grunted. "The struggle is real."

"Tell you what." Lyla pulled the novel out of her book bag and flung it onto the bed. "You help me with this book, I'll help you with your math."

Darcy eyed her friend. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you look like crap. Full stop."

"Yeah, I know."

"You okay, girl? I mean, can we be adults about this?"

Lyla gave an unconvincing nod.

"I'll take that as a no." Darcy paged through the book. "Okay, so how far did you get? You read the title, right?"

Lyla's ringtone interrupted her.

"It's Jack!" Lyla gasped. "Hey, Jack."

"Hey." He didn't sound like his typical energetic self. "Look, I need to talk."

"Yeah, sure. Okay."

He didn't answer.

"Hello?"

"Uh, yeah."

"So?"

"I've been... you know, seeing him again."

Lyla's eyes went to Darcy. Although she scanned through the novel, Lyla knew she was listening in.

"Lyla?" said Jack.

"I'm here."

"How about if I come in so we can talk about this in person?"

"In?"

"Yeah, I'm out front of your house. I see your silhouette in the window."

Her heart began to pound. "I'm at Darcy's."

"Hey!" Darcy giggled.

"Must be your dad," he said.

"Get out of there, Jack! Right now." Her hands shook. "Meet me at Darcy's."