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at the bottle. “ Why? Why would someone do that to perfectly good liquor?”
    I don’t need to say “I told you so”; I assume my smirk says it for me.
    Landon sips the next drink and smiles over the rim of the glass. “This one isn’t bad. What’s it called?” she asks.
    “Espresso Sunrise,” I tell them, folding my legs underneath me on the couch. “Except I used both dark- and white-chocolate liqueur to get the gradient color.”
    “You’re so creative, dude,” Miko tells me as she reaches out to grab the glass.
    She takes a sip and almost immediately fights a gag reflex.
    “Gods, I hate this stuff.” She glares at the glass in her hand.
    Landon laughs at her. “Why do you keep drinking it, then?”
    Miko shrugs. “Most liquor tastes terrible. At least this one has the added bonus of caffeine. Plus, if the client asks I want to be able to speak about the menu intelligently.”
    Landon sips the third drink and promptly sets it to the side distastefully. I guess my play on a Tom Collins didn’t go over well.
    “Speaking of the menu,” Landon asks, “what are we going to name these things?”
    “Ooh, how about we play off famous literary references, like Tequila Mockingbird!” Miko pipes up happily.
    She never misses an opportunity to allude to anything book related.
    I purse my lips in irritation since she felt the need to yell loud enough for the neighbors to hear. Landon happily picks up the gauntlet.
    “The Polar Express-o.” Landon giggles helplessly. “And it’s—I don’t know—chilled or something.”
    “Good enough!” Miko tells her.
    They both look at me like eager puppies.
    “Um, Tequila Flat?” I try.
    “Boo!” Miko says through laughter. “Nobody under a hundred will get a Steinbeck reference!” She runs her fingers back and forth through her already-wild hair. “Hmm, I wish I could think of some play on Graceling . Not necessarily a classic per se, but I adored that trilogy. We could have a drink that is two different colors, which would be totally esoteric, I know, but if anyone got it they’d be way stoked.”
    I rarely know what Miko is talking about, but my little buzz from half a cocktail is making me feel benevolent. I try to speak her bookish language.
    “Is that the one with the different factions?” I ask.
    Miko gasps in outrage.
    Landon scowls at me.
    “You know better than to bring up Divergent around her,” Landon says emphatically.
    “But I thought—”
    “I’m still not over it, OK?” Miko says seriously.
    I’m confused. “But didn’t you read those a while ago?”
    “The pain doesn’t ever really go away.” She stabs a straw down into the drink closest to her before taking an angry sip. She only gags once this time, then continues her diatribe. “There were just so many other possible endings and it was—”
    “We know, girl. Let’s try not to focus on it, OK?” Landon says while glaring at me.
    I glare back.
    If they expect me to keep track of all the fictional characters and subplots that might send Miko into a tailspin, we are going to be here awhile.
    “Let’s move on.” Landon pats Miko’s shoulder reassuringly. “Drink number four has a cinnamon stick as a garnish. Isn’t that fun?”
    “Four!” Miko cries sadly.
    I look at Landon, at a loss.
    I don’t know what that means, I mouth to her.
    “It’s OK, sweetie,” she tells Miko with a roll of her eyes and a smile.
    The best option now is just to play along and try to divert her attention. She’s had at least a whole drink now between all of her sampling, and Miko’s theatrics are always exacerbated by liquor and the mention of young adult fiction.

    The next morning my alarm goes off way too early. Of course, anytime I have to set an alarm, it’s too early for me. I roll out of bed, and I’m already in the bathroom brushing my teeth before my mind is even fully awake. In the mirror I can see that last night’s mascara is smudged in every direction, but I don’t