Page 93 of Perfect on Paper

“Call her, Darc,” Mom said.

“It’s done. I’ve texted her. She’ll let me know if she wants to talk.”

Mom made a big show of rolling her eyes and sighing like I’d just decided to text instead of call the president with news of an impending nuclear attack or something. Yeah, yeah, me and my whole generation were heathens, I got it. “Thank you,” I said.

“For what? You didn’t take any of my advice.”

“Yeah. But you listened.”

Mom held out her hands for a hug, and I went to her. “I’ll make sure to do that better from now on. I also need you to promise to come to me whenever you need help from now on. Deal?”

“Deal.”

“Are you done?” Ainsley called out from the staircase. “I can’t hear weeping or groveling.”

“I texted her instead,” I called back, pulling out of the hug.

“Oh, great call,” Ainsley said, coming back into the living room. “At least that doesn’t put her in an awkward spot.”

Mom threw up her hands in disbelief.

Ainsley was carrying a dress over one arm. “Okay, two things. First, these sleeves have to go.” She unfurled the dress to reveal a cream peasant dress with sleeves that puffed out, then came in to meet a band, several times from the shoulder to the waist. Three puffs per sleeve.

“Um, obviously, they’re hideous,” I said.

“Of course. But I’m wondering whether to go totally sleeveless or to hem it off under one puff so it’s, like, understated poofy.”

Mom narrowed her eyes, deep in thought. I did the same.

“Keep one puff,” we said at the same time.

“Okay, fantastic, you guys are the best. Um, but also, Oriella just posted a new video, Darc.”

“Cool, I’ll check it out later.”

“No, like, abigone. She’s just announced a tour. She’s coming to L.A.”

I yelped and sat up straight so fast I almost careened forward out of the armchair.“What?”

“Yeah, like she’s doing a whole keynote thing then a workshop with everyone and you can do a meet and greet. You’d get tomeet her!”

My mouth worked as I tried to come up with the words to describe how badly I needed to go. I mean, Ihadto be there, it wasn’t optional,Oriellawho lived inFloridawas going to be an hour’s drive from me. I’d never have an opportunity like this. And ameet and greet? She could meet me, and know I existed in the same realm as her, breathingthe same air as her? I could tell her all the stuff I’d learned, and what I did at school, I could even run some advice I’d given past her to see if she thought I’d made the right call.

The room was floating.

Or I was floating.

Ainsley flapped the dress. “Have you chosen party or present yet? Because screw a party, this isOriella.”

I only had to briefly glance at Mom, who was cringing and trying to subtly shake her head at Ainsley, to realize it was too late.

“We’ve already gotten you a present,” Mom said slowly.

Ainsley pulled the dress into her chest and gave Mom an apologetic look. “Oh, oops.”

“That’s totally fine,” I said at the same time.

“But we have the receipt,” Mom went on. “Would you like me to exchange it?”

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