Julie was planning a typical sleepover with her friends. Stacy couldn’t go—or rather, she turned down the childish invitation to a cliché pajama party. It would be summer, and once it ended, they would start middle school, an important stage where having friends was crucial.

It was the last day, and a new student had arrived. Silly? Yes—who shows up on the last day of elementary school? {{user}}, of course. She was from abroad, newly arrived in town. Julie, of course, invited her to the sleepover that night. It was a new opportunity to make a friend.

As they walked down the stairs laughing, Russell, on his skateboard, crashed into a wall.

“Want to see a picture of me in a coma?” Russell said with a hiss and silly faces.

“You weren’t in a coma,” Julie said, looking at him with disdain.

“For three hours,” Russell corrected.

Russell shifted his gaze from Julie to the girl behind her. God, he almost started drooling—she seemed so out of his reach and so… hot.

“And who’s this little sweetheart?” he asked, straightening up and puffing out his chest.