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here to bring me doughnuts.”
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    “It’s not that far,” Yana answered. “And I figured we could both use a pre-first-day-of-school sugar rush. I’m on split session, so I don’t have to be at my school until noon.”
    “Um, thanks,” Rae said.
    “You look shocked to see me,” Yana commented.
    It was pretty freaky to see Yana standing in Rae’s hallway, underneath the fluffy white clouds Rae’d painted on the blue walls when she was twelve. “I sort of thought when we did the number-and-address-exchange thing, you might just be being nice to the psycho girl,” Rae admitted.
    “I’m not that nice. And you’re not that psycho,” Yana answered. She smiled, showing the little gap between her front teeth. “But you’re late. Your dad let me in on the way out, and he made me swear I’d get your butt out the door within the hour. I’m thinking clothes, then—” Yana gave the Krispy Kreme box a shake. “Do you already know what you’re going to wear?”
    “Yeah. I spent a massive amount of hours last night deciding,” Rae confessed. “And what did I choose? Khakis and a button-down shirt, which was the first thing I tried on.”
    “A little boring for my taste,” Yana said. She ran her hand down her Grateful Dead T-shirt, the one she’d cropped to show off the DNA-strand tattoo that 44
    circled her belly button. “But perfectly acceptable.”
    “The kitchen’s through the living room. You can hang there while I get ready. Have some coffee or whatever,” Rae said as she started down the hallway toward her bedroom.
    “Oh my God,” Yana exclaimed. “Rae, what happened?”
    Rae turned around. “What?”
    “Your back.” Yana’s eyes were wide with alarm.
    “It’s bleeding.”
    Rae froze. I can’t go back to the hospital. Can’t, can’t, can’t.
    “I must have, um, cut myself on the edge of the shower door,” she blurted out. “It’s really sharp.” Yana hurried over to her. “Let me look at it.” Before Rae could stop her, Yana circled behind Rae and pulled down the back of her robe. “Ouch,” she said softly.
    Silence stretched out between them. Rae’s heart was pounding so hard, she wouldn’t be surprised if Yana could hear it.
    “This doesn’t look like a cut,” Yana finally said.
    “It looks like a layer of skin was . . . scraped off.” She pulled Rae’s robe back up. “What really happened?” Rae turned to face her. Yana’s serious expression made it clear that another lie wasn’t going to cut it.
    “I was really nervous, about going back to school, 45
    you know, post- . . . everything. I got obsessed with wanting to look perfect.” Rae’s voice started to tremble. “I was just . . . I wanted to get off a layer of dead skin. I really didn’t mean to hurt myself. Really.
    You’ve got to believe me. I just—”
    “Got a little overzealous with the exfoliator?” Yana supplied.
    “Loofah,” Rae said. She gave several quick blinks because her eyes were suddenly feeling wet. “It was an accident. You’re not going to tell Dr. Warriner, are you? I can’t go back to the hospital, Yana. Please—”
    “God, do you think I’m here as some kind of spy?” Yana interrupted. “I finished my hours of com-munity service. Which, by the way, I was assigned to do by the court. The doctors didn’t think it would be good for the patients to know that little tidbit.”
    “The court?” Rae repeated, feeling kind of dazed.
    “Frat party. Many cups of lethal punch. Much stupidity. Long story,” Yana answered. “Do you have any Bactine? I want to put some on your back.”
    “Medicine cabinet,” Rae answered.
    “Go start getting ready.” Yana waved her off, then headed back toward the bathroom. Rae stared after her for a long moment, then turned and walked down the hall to her room. On autopilot, she began to get dressed. Yana hurried into the room right as Rae was zipping up her pants.
    46
    “Just pretend you’re at the gym,” Yana said as Rae grabbed a