IA

ea when she needed to reset; a bad lecture, a stressful week

ng in the middle of our dorm room holding a jacket she'd alread

I said without loo

othes; there's

at jacket la

have seen it; i

at her, "c

n front of these people; first impressions last

tching your j

ed to me, "Come with me, please; you need to get out of

been w

been h

m wh

that's what's

her bag fr

we eat something that isn't from th

I looked at her. I lo

our,"

wo

an

a; I'm not nego

sed m

my parents in five days and my mother had sent three texts that were pr

ri

, M

e days, not a word. I had to find out y

hat story f

your mother. Do you know

you're

een telling your fathe

's voice, "Is that her? Tell her

all more,"

eard

en worri

ried?" I called out, kn

pa

concerned," he sai

a wreck," m

wreck, Carol; don

niversity's websit

doing r

o wh

us safety

she always made when she was trying not to laug

"I promise, it's jus

eating

es

ou sle

es

rls in your

rl in my dorm, and yo

other ones o

re fin

e or fine like you don'

ke actua

eady, pointing aggressively at her wrist

I said, "we're

h wh

an

don't walk back after dark,

ge, not a for

" she said.

too, say b

ye," my mum

all more," my

up sm

nother reason to stay in," Hanna

anyone pay that much for a plain white shirt. Hanna had a specific energy when she shopped, focused, and decisive, moving th

this?" she h

s ni

t or nice like you're

Hanna; I don't know w

u to have

n is that

ut it

useless

that befor

you were be

being h

message from my course group chat about the reading for Monday. The store was warm and

his one?" Hanna hel

mouth. Then

e got to be

f the store with Lena and two other girls behind her, shopping bags already in her

red. Nothing obvious or loud. Authority withou

carried everywhere, was Alexei. His two friends beside him, all of

aw him. Neither of

n't have th

he said, walking toward us,

ng," I said,

is our

ords made my skin crawl; it wasn't just at

said, "it belongs

ow what

y don't,

es wen

k you're

elp my friend pick a top

nough that I couldn't hear it, and whatever it was made Celes

e-aged woman near the counter who had been folding sc

isor Varon, we're regulars here; these two girls have been making other custo

k at her. Hanna was gripping the top she'd bee

store had

his arms crossed, was watching all of it w