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“Nothing.” She wraps the coat back around herself. “Just…I should have gotten a wig or something.”

“What? Why?”

“Because I’m gonna stick out. I feel like—I don’t know. Short hair…it’s not really glamorous, is it?”

“I think it looks great,” I say, all breathless and fast. Too fast. Tink looks surprised.

“I just mean, uh…” I stammer. “It suits you, I guess. It works. It’s, uh…” I glance at Wendy. Desperate for the right word.

“It’s very high fashion,” Wendy says. “Like you’re a model.”

Maybe it’s my imagination, but I think I see Tink’s jaw tighten. But to Wendy, she just smiles.

“Okay, if you’re sure.” She straightens her shoulders. “Certainly will make it easier to wear a helmet.”

“Right.” I glance down at the spiral stairs. “So, are you gonna take your bike or⁠—”

Tink laughs. “In all this?” She gestures up and down. “Yeah, I don’t think so.”

“Okay. Yeah, totally fair,” I say, pulling my eyebrows together. “So just ride with me.” My heart’s beating faster at the thought of it. Because I’m nervous that she’ll fall off or get hurt or something. I tell myself. Kind of a lot of responsibility, you know. “No problem.”

Tink looks down at Wendy. “Stay out of trouble tonight, okay? And don’t wait up for us to get back.”

Wendy, though, looks strange all of a sudden. Serious. Folds her arms and doesn’t look Tink in the eye. “Yeah. Whatever.”

“Hey.” Tink softens and crouches down a bit, which can’t be easy on those heels. “What’s wrong?”

Wendy stares at the floor. “I just don’t think you should go, okay?”

“Wendy,” Tink says, reaching for her arm, which Wendy jerks away. It’s weird; I’ve never seen Wendy this…grouchy before. I both want to say something and don’t want to interfere with their, I don’t know, female bonding or whatever. I feel awkwardly out of place all of a sudden.

“We’re doing this to help you,” Tink goes on. “I’m doing this to help you. Because that’s what I promised.” She gives a short laugh. “You think we’d go there, like this, otherwise?” She gestures at me, and for some reason, that stings a little.

But I get what she’s saying. “Yeah,” I add, pointlessly. “Exactly.”

Wendy still says nothing. Tink bites her lip. “Are you worried about something in particular, Wendy?”

Her little jaw visibly tightens. “I don’t know, okay?” she says, almost shouts. And then her voice backs down to a whisper. “I just don’t think you should go.”

Poor kid. Shit, after all she’s been through, I’d be worried too.

“She won’t get hurt, or anything,” I say quickly. “We won’t. That’s why I’m there.”

Tink shoots me a look. “I can take care of myself,” she says. Kinda sharply.

“Oh, well…yeah. Obviously. But, you know.” I shrug, feeling stupid and maybe sexist. “Just in case.”

I don’t think Wendy’s convinced. Not totally. But she does nod. “Okay. I guess.” She narrows her eyes at me. “I mean, you’re the adults. I can’t stop you from being dumbasses.”

She unfolds her arms and dashes off back down the hallway.

“Wendy!” Tink stands back up, looking as surprised as I feel. But Wendy doesn’t stop until the very end.

“Have fun on your date,” she shouts, and slams the door to her room.

A few long seconds pass. Tink’s frozen. I’m frozen. It’s…awkward.

A few more seconds, and then I give a cough. “Uh, what was that about?”