Nikki wiped her hands on her shorts, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. She had stared at the restaurant for 10 minutes. Amanda was in there. Could she really go in? Would they get along as well as they did online? Would reality destroy everything? Inside, Amanda sat, moving her beer in a lazy circle. She glanced up just as Nikki entered. Her breath caught. Nikki’s hair was back to red, short, curled along the jaw o...

Mira was looking at a spreadsheet when the mail clerk dropped a thick envelope on her desk. It took a moment for her to reach a place where she could stop. She saw her name and company address on the label, then ripped the envelope open. Inside: flight, hotel, itinerary. What’s all this? she wondered. The note was curt. Your Presence is Requested. You will not need luggage; all is provided. You will be met at the airport....

Mandi felt haunted and alone. Almost six weeks had passed since her mom had gone to Singapore for work with the State Department. Her father had thrown himself into his work on the Navy base. Anne had abandoned her; that was the true, deep pain. She knew everything was coming apart. She had tried to keep things together, but she felt herself cracking inside. Boys at school sensed her vulnerability, tried to take her on da...

It was a rare sweltering night, one where your clothes stuck to your body like a second skin in October. Tara applied the final touches to her makeup. Stacy sat on the bed, vibrating with energy. She has to be battery-powered; she never gets tired. Tara mused as she looked at her best friend in the mirror. “I can’t believe it’s October already, Tara. What’s next? We wake up tomorrow in 1987?” And next week 1988. Please. T...

“Jesus Christ,” Mandi muttered, wrapping the pillow around her ears. The bedframe banged rhythmically on the other side, accompanied by muffled moans and laughter. She rolled onto her back and stared at the phosphorescent stars peeling off her ceiling. This was the third time this week. The bedrooms shared the same thin wall that barely muffled anything. She knew the routine: the groans would increase, followed by a sharp...