Lily leaned into her friend, just basking in the security of it all. “Do I have to go home?” she asked, aware but not caring that she sounded like a little girl.

“Here.” Anna tossed her the phone. “Call your mom and ask if you can stay the night.”

It was just like any other sleepover, at first, Lily thought. They watched some of the late movies on TV, got out the sleeping bags, regular sleepover stuff. It reminded Lily of the first time she’d slept at Anna’s house, back in the fifth grade; that had been one of the best nights of her life, and, judging from the movies Anna picked, she was trying to recreate it for her.

“Thanks,” Lily whispered, late at night when they were safely snuggled into sleeping bags.

Anna smiled. “No problem, Lil. This is what friends do, remember?”

There was a knock on the front door. “This late?” Lily wondered. “Who is it?”

“No one,” Anna mused, coming back. “Just this envelope.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t know.”