r year of high school. The fated encounters, the ones that

ibu canyons, something he did when he needed to clear his head. But I knew t

or playing the victim, would pretend to be lost and sprain her ankle. Ethan,

orris, a charismatic, handsome musician from a working-class background, was supposed to "save" her from a staged confrontation with a couple

sure to be extra fussy. I cried when

ddy," he said, prying my fingers

lanted a seed. He wa

was exactly as the script described: sweet, doe-eyed, and

nnounced. "She got lost on

ing!" Nicole sai

practiced expression of gr

ypen in the living room. "Oh, and who is this little

as my

d. I arched my back, my face turned purple, and I let out a shriek so piercing th

"Oh! I... I guess she doesn't like me." She tried to l

kly, but he looked confused. I was

is move. He dropped Nicole off at home

Ethan, his arm casually draped over the back of the sofa

gushed, looking at Andre

ce. He then noticed me, playing on the floor.

smile warm and invi

away, grabbed my favorite stuffed elephant, and pointedly ignored him. When he tried to gently

om wen

w joked, but his smile di

mes," Nicole said, s

ere a barometer for truth in their world, and I had just told them, in the clearest way I could, that these tw