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He tugged on the door handle. “Bye.”

  “Peace out,” Mia said.

  Niko flinched but didn’t turn around as he walked out the door.

  ***

  The next day, two bouquets arrived at Hope’s loft. The small pink rose bouquet had Mia’s name scrolled across the card. Inside was a pithy quote about the wisdom of listening. A guy who could be taught, she liked that.

  The second bouquet was huge and filled with yellow and red roses. Hope grinned and circled it. “Isn’t Niko wonderful?” Sunshine from the window hit the crystal and caused the prisms to shimmer. Reaching a hand toward the sunlight, Hope ran her hand through the sparkle, then she went over to the couch to sketch. According to Dad, Hope’s obsession with art began with her first crayon. Good thing Hope was so talented and sweet, or they’d have abandoned her in the woods long ago.

  Mia touched one of the fluffy petals. Niko irrefutably adored Hope. Most men wouldn’t be so gracious about yellow paint on an Armani suit. Maybe he was good enough for her sister. Maybe. She joined Hope on the couch and tugged the forest green afghan over her legs.

  “So Sacha’s moving in with Niko,” Hope said.

  What? She’d missed the first part of the conversation. Weird. Hope was usually the scattered one. “Who’s Sacha?”

  Hope scratched away at her drawing. Caught up in her art, she ignored the question. Mia poked her leg with the toe of her canvas sneaker. “Who’s Sacha? How old?”

  Hope slapped at her shoe, leaving a smear of black charcoal on the white canvas. “Niko’s sister. She’s a senior, like you, I think. Niko doesn’t talk much about Greece. His stepmom’s not so nice.” Hope frowned. “That’s part of the reason Niko stayed here after school.”

  “She’s the artist, right?” Hope and Niko almost hadn’t gotten together because Niko hated artists, courtesy of his artist stepmom. It had been quite the drama when they’d started dating.

  “Yeah. They live in Santorini. Sacha goes to boarding school in England, and Niko wants her here instead.”

  “American high school after British boarding school? That’ll be a shock.” She’d hate to move senior year. Yesterday’s conversation clicked with today’s in her mind. This was the origin of yesterday’s foreign exchange student conversation. Niko’s sister Sacha would leave her British boarding school to finish senior year here in Texas. Sacha would become this year’s foreign exchange student. OMG, and what if she was the Greek female version of Kristnaldo? She’d be related to this year’s freak.

  “Maybe you can show her around?” Hope asked hesitantly.

  Chapter 3

  Show her around? No. Mia twisted on the sofa and threw the blanket off her lap. Her feet hit the floor for a quick escape.

  “Please? For me?”

  Ugh, Hope would do it for her. She settled back into the cushions. “Sure. Can you get her email address? I’ll write her.” She kept the reluctance from her voice.

  Hope’s shoulders eased. She patted her hair and resumed sketching. “I’ll get it.”

  What had she just promised? A brief introduction around school? A place to eat lunch? A school year of side-by-side, no-release attachment? Mia tightened her fingers on the rounded seam at the sofa’s edge. “If she doesn’t shower, all bets are off.” If desperation colored voices, hers was back-off orange. Like when she’d tried to make scared of heights Lauren climb the top of the cheer pyramid.

  Hope’s lips twitched, but she didn’t agree.

  ***

  She’d promised, so she did her duty. Then something weird happened. Two days into emailing Sacha, and she realized Sacha was fun. More than fun, it was like talking to her best friend Lauren, but different, because she’d known Lauren her whole life. They’d been besties since Trallwyn Elementary School. Sacha had a different take on things and plenty of opinions.

  Mia glanced over at Hope, who was sketching and ignoring all the empty moving boxes. Right now, she had full cred for doing Hope a favor by emailing Sacha. As long as she didn’t tell Hope how well she and Sacha were hitting it off, it could stay that way. Mia typed, I’ll have you Americanized in no time.

  No reply.

  People could change, and she’d help Sacha blend right in. And teach you the best American stuff. She wouldn’t let Sacha be the freak on her watch. She’d totally change her, break her down and re-form her into one of the group. It would be like she’d been there her whole life.

  Sacha emailed back, What do you want in return?

  Suspicious-much?

  No reply.

  Mia sighed. Greek lessons and your total obedience. Niko’s taught me some stuff, like ‘Be good’ and ‘Do your homework’ and ‘Go away’ I want to know more. Something useful. Some good beach phrases. Like, if I had to order a Sangria, or make the cabana boy bring me a higher-level sunblock or a fluffier towel.

  You do need help. You may have Greek lessons.

  Cool.

  “Niko doesn’t understand what’s taking us so long with the packing.” Hope didn’t look up from her sketchpad as she spoke. “I tried to explain, but I don’t know.” Hope sounded lost, and she looked at the half-empty boxes with big eyes. “Niko’s sending packers to help us out.”

  They needed help, because half-empty was a generous description of their packing efforts. Four open boxes lay on the floor near Hope’s feet. Each contained one or two items. Mia gave the nearest one a nudge with the toe of her red sneakers. It held a towel and a toaster. Hope put together a box then sketched for two hours, packed two things then sketched for two hours. At this rate, Hope would move out after Mia graduated. Mia eyed another box, which held loose socks and a vase. “I’ve got cheer practice, but I’ll help you pack after.”

  ***

  Cheer practice had taken place on the track circling the football field, and Mia held the hot metal gate open while Lauren dug through her tote for one of the Fruit Punch sports drinks she liked. Lauren had loved that flavor since third grade when a boy had told her it matched her hair. And it totally did.

  An enormous black limousine pulled up to the curb outside the football stadium. Mia nudged Lauren and pointed. “Our ride.”

  Lauren giggled. She stopped digging through her bag and put the back of her hand to her temple. “Impossible. I told the driver the white limo for Tuesdays.” She fanned her hand in front of her face.

  “Right. Black limos will make so much more sense in September. We still have two more days of August.”

  Lauren’s wave attracted the wrong kind of attention because Kristnaldo, wearing his usual low fedora and smelling like a smoking section, sidled over to keep pace with them. As soon as he was close enough, the cigarette smell stopped masking his wall of stench. It must be day six of no showering. He tried to step in even closer. Mia held her breath and lifted her gym bag in front of her chest. It allowed her a precious few inches. Italy had, what, sixty million probably awesome people? Why had they sent Kristnaldo?

  Lauren took a big step back. “Can you believe they’re changing our school colors?”

  “No.” Her parents had given her a red car, in the school color. She had red sneakers and more red clothes than any other color. Her closet shouted school pride. And the school pride had just changed from big red to purple and yellow. “It’s unbelievable. Who does that senior year?”

  “Purple and yellow, here we come.”

  The new principal’s alma mater had purple and yellow school colors and he loved the Minnesota Vikings, although he swore the change was coming due to a discounted uniform purchase. It was so untrue.

  “Ciao, Mia. I hear Jake dumped you,” Kristnaldo said.

  Way off topic, dude. And ouch. Did Kristnaldo sense her resistance to him and poke on purpose? “We realized we’re better as friends.” Jake had realized that anyway, and had sent a text saying so. . . swoosh.

  “Is that why?” Kristnaldo pronounced his i’s like e’s. “I heard it was because you won’t hook up with him.” Kristnaldo took a draw on his cigarett
e, his manicured hand cupped over the top of it. The speculation hit Mia in the midriff worse than Lauren’s palm had when she’d shoved her up the pyramid at practice. Did she still have any Icy Hot in her bag?

  Lauren snickered.

  Kristnaldo exhaled a puff of smoke. “I can take you out Friday night, and you can know what it means to be tempted.”

  Chapter 4

  Revulsion backed Mia up a step. His acrid smoke chased her. “I doubt it, but thanks anyway.” She walked more quickly down the sidewalk. Lauren giggled harder and got out her smartphone to snap Kristnaldo’s photo. If Lauren uploaded that photo, making this special moment permanent, Mia would step right on her head the next time she climbed the pyramid.

  The driver got out of the limo and went around to the back. “Miss Mia?”

  She recognized him. Vincent. Niko’s driver. Mia stopped. She’d seen him waiting for Niko, but she hadn’t realized that was Niko’s car until he’d called her name. Everyone leaving the parking lot heard him, including the line of late kids getting on the bus. They all were looking at her. Limos were amazing, but there was also something almost embarrassing about the attention. Her stomach tightened. Then again, diving into the back would get her out of this awkward situation.

  Mia raised her chin. “Uh, later.” She nodded to Lauren and Kristnaldo and walked over to the driver. She balanced her rubber-soled shoes on the edge of the curb, hesitating beside the stretch monstrosity. How cool would it be, if Niko let her and her friends go out in the limo? She rocked back on her heels. Why had Niko sent a car? Must be time for a lecture on Hope’s packing speed. Okay, she should have helped more, but she wasn’t that eager for Hope to leave her stuck at the loft alone.

  Vincent cleared his throat and opened the door.

  “Everything all right with Hope?” Mia peered in. What little of the interior she could see from the sidewalk appeared posh and empty.

  “I’m to give you a lift, Miss Mia.”

  “Call me Mia.” Mia pointed across the parking lot at her red-hot two-door car. “My car’s over there. Does Hope want to do dinner or something?”

  “It’s my responsibility to pick you up from school now. That’s all I know.”

  Nope. Not getting a lift from a stranger. She squished her lips together. It would have been fun. Lauren could’ve ridden, too. Niko’s house wasn’t far from the school. She could—no, she stuck to her decision and turned toward her car. “No, thanks.”

  The driver frowned and raised his cellphone to his ear. “I’ll just check in.”

  Check in all you like. Mia walked away, but the whole thing felt rude, so she waved. “See you later, I’m off to Hope’s.”

  Vincent didn’t protest, but like he could. She’d be yelling creeper at him so fast the whole team would come running. Lauren was only two rows up, parked over the white line as usual. She hadn’t left yet, and wouldn’t until Mia drove by and waved. Lauren had her back.

  Mia shoved her bag onto the passenger seat, cracked the windows, cranked the A/C, and hit play on her phone so the music would sync with the speakers. She honked as she passed Lauren, waved at Willow and Maddie and was off.

  Ten minutes later, the car finally was cooling off when Mia pulled through the gates to Hope’s building and parked in the visitor lot.

  Mia typed in the code to Hope’s deadbolt. Beep, beep, beep. The lock whirred as it retracted. She slipped into the foyer and was hit first by the room’s warmth and second by its emptiness. The movers totally had come by. It smelled different. Like churned up dust, like emptiness, and it felt different. Hope’s place was always on the cold side. Now it was warm. She lowered the temperature on the thermostat to seventy-five and the central air kicked on, freeing her to move around. Weird. The movers had even taken the living room furniture. Why? All that remained was newly exposed cobwebs and corner dust. Was she supposed to sit on the floor?

  The doors down the hall were open. Even hers. Suspicions poked at her and Mia walked across the beechnut hardwoods down the pale blue hallway to the end.

  She stood in the doorway to the guest room. Empty. They’d even taken down her posters.

  What the…! Mia picked up her phone to text Hope. Where’s my stuff? Creepers. They took my stuff, too. And all the furniture. All of it. Next she emailed Sacha about the empty apartment, freely using the word idiots and morons, and then backtracking. They’d simply been under-supervised. She should have skipped practice and helped out herself.

  Hope phoned back instead of texting. “Niko hired packers. They took care of everything so we could be over here tonight.”

  “Why don’t I come see your new place tomorrow? The movers can at least bring back my bed.” She was beat after practice, which had involved several laps in addition to practicing stunts, and she really needed a shower. She’d make Niko sort out the furniture tomorrow. Mia moved into the kitchen. She placed the phone between her shoulder and ear and grabbed a cold water from the fridge, which was empty, other than water. She held the cold bottle to her cheek. In a moment, you are mine.

  “I’d worry too much. Come tonight, you’ll love it. You and Sacha have your own bed and bath suites. They open into a great recreation room.”

  The bottle slipped from her hand to the counter. She gripped the phone tight between her wet fingers, pressing the receiver closer to her ear as if she’d misheard. No way. Hope expected her to move in with them? Without telling her in advance? Had she missed some conversation? How could Hope leave out the fact that she expected Mia to move too? She’d misunderstood. “I don’t need a room in both places.”

  “What are you talking about?” Confusion made Hope sound like the junior girls whenever Willow hit them with a new routine. “I know it’s fast, but Niko wants us moved in tonight. Didn’t I tell you?”

  “Not exactly. You said you’re moving in with Niko. You didn’t say anything about me.” Her insides tightened and her skin prickled.

  “Of course, you’re coming with me. I never would leave you there.” Hope’s words came out almost panicked now, like Lauren’s when she made her sign up for Advanced Chem.

  Mia’s shoulders tensed, but there was no use for it, she couldn’t let her sister worry. Hope hadn’t done this on purpose. She just was the worst communicator, and it wasn’t the first time, or the fifth, that Mia had had to make the best of it. Besides, what was the alternative? Stay here without furniture, alone? Hope would be on the phone to her parents so fast, and would feel so guilty, and then Mia would feel guilty.

  Two hours later, Mia found herself moved in with Niko and Hope. The game room was loaded with a huge television, overstuffed couch, and a mini-fridge. She walked over to the door of her suite. Inside smelled like furniture polish and air freshener, like cleaners had just finished, and everything was sleek, modern, and new. White furniture with white bedding, and white curtains draping the over-large arched window.

  The window seat overlooked the back of the house—manicured grounds and a pool. Just in front of the pool house, a blue-tiled fountain gushed six feet in the air. Mia went back through the game room and peeped through Sacha’s door into her empty room. It was just as opulent, just as lacking in personality. Wealth and luxury beyond anything she’d seen in Trallwyn. There was no way they’d be staying once Mom and Dad found out.

  ***

  Mia lay against her memory foam pillows and texted Sacha. Get here already. They got along via email and it would be nice to have company; even if said company hadn’t yet fully embraced the idea of getting assimilated. When do you get here? Is your Dad still delaying it?

  There was a delay before Mia got Sacha’s response. He got a contract he wants from Niko, so it’s fine.

  A contract? It hadn’t taken many texts to realize they had a different dynamic with their kids over there. Maybe it was a rich kid thing. Quid Pro Quo. Get here already. At least I’ll have someone to talk to at dinner. Niko and Hope just stare with big moon eyes at each other. If you don’t get here soon, I�
�m going to start taking meals in my room. She wouldn’t.

  The wiggly brush on the app indicated that Sacha was typing. Their affection will wear off now that they’re living together.

  Cynical much? Going to pester Niko now about when you’ll arrive.

  Saturday.

  Tomorrow? She followed the question with squealing emojis.

  Leaving for airport soon.

  Mia sent Sacha an emoji of a passenger stuck in a middle seat.

  Our jets don’t have middle seats.

  Spoiled. Don’t forget my Greek lessons. You promised. Mia put her phone on the white nightstand and wiggled the powercord into the port. She was both eager to meet Sacha in person and worried about what she knew of foreign exchange students. She could tolerate Sacha smoking, if she kept it to her half of the suite, but if Sacha wouldn’t shower, well, shower-refusal was a deal breaker. She had to get the gift she’d picked up yesterday.

  Mia rolled out of bed and carried a good hygiene enticement to Sacha’s bathroom. She lined up the peach bath pearls by the pale lavender ones and laid a loofah behind them. In one corner, she put two jars of bubble bath. In the shower, she put five small bottles of different-scented bath gels in the shape of a pyramid and hung three different-colored bathing sponges on hooks against the tile. Tempting. She wanted to take a shower herself now. Lastly, she put a fluffy pink towel on the edge of the tub. Buying the bath products before she met Sacha equaled a nice welcome gesture. If she waited until after she’d met her, it’d be an insult. It was all in the timing. She had this covered.

  Hope had insisted her fears were groundless, but Hope hadn’t met Kristnaldo. If she had, she’d be in here fluffing the towels, too.

  As a last part of her welcome, Mia dragged one of Hope’s easels to the center of the game room and placed a glitter-glue-covered poster on top. The sparkling poster board read:

  YOU’LL THANK ME LATER

  #1: Foreign clothes must remain in your luggage. Working the water bra.