I go to my room and slam the door. It’s 5 am and I have class in a few hours. I need more sleep, but there are more pressing matters.

“So? Are you going to tell me what happened?” I ask Juliet.

“I’ve been dying to tell you,” she says and climbs into my bed.

“I first saw Dylan at a club a few days ago. He was dancing and drinking, but then he saw me and started moaning about Peyton. That girl really fucked him up. She’s in love with her R.A. now, did you hear that?”

I nod.

“Anyway, I got tired of his complaining, so I kissed him.”

“Just like that?” I ask. “Where? How?”

“We were standing at the bar waiting for our drinks. He was talking on and on about Peyton. I told him that he needs to move on. That the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else. Then he started complaining about dating and how hard it was, blah, blah, blah. So I asked him what dating had to do with it. He just stared at me like I’d lost my mind. And then I leaned over and kissed him.”

“And?” I wait with anticipation. “How was it?”

“It was good. He’s a really good kisser. Well, you know that, already,” she says nonchalantly. I’m glad that it’s pitch black and she can’t see me blush.

“And tonight? What happened tonight?” I ask.

“I saw him out, again. I wasn’t going to come over. I wanted to party and dance and let loose. But he came over to me. Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” was playing and everyone was going wild. He said that he liked kissing me. And kissed me again.”

“Oh my God!” I squeal like a little girl.

“We made out for awhile, and then decided to come back here. I was going to sneak out of his room sometime later, but you two were out there forever! What the hell were you doing anyway? And then I fell asleep. Can you believe it? I actually slept over at a guy’s place? This is big for me.”

“You live here,” I say. She shrugs.

“Still a big deal,” Juliet says.

“And?” I ask. “What happened between you and Dylan?”

“I’m not telling you that,” she says. “It’s private!”

“No! You can’t leave me hanging like this!”

She shrugs again. She gets out of my bed and climbs into her own.

“I need to get some rest.”

“Did you guys do it? Tell me that, at least.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.” She rolls away from me.

I can’t believe she’s leaving me hanging like this. It must only mean one thing. She really likes him.

“Fine.” Juliet turns back around. “I’m just going to tell you one thing about tonight and that’s it.”

I wait impatiently.

“If I were Peyton and he did to her what he did to me tonight, I’d never let him go.”

I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling for a few moments. I listen to Juliet’s breathing and I know that she’s not asleep yet. And even if I’m wrong, I don’t care.

“So, what does this mean then?” I ask. “Are you two, like, dating?”

“No. I can’t date him! He’s a mess. Plus, I don’t date,” Juliet says.

“Oh, c’mon. I think you like him.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Yes, you do!” I insist.

“Well, you like Tristan. Are you two going to date again?” she asks. She shuts me up and falls asleep.

I flip over on my stomach and stare out of the window. The sun won’t be up for a bit, and New York is still asleep. I’m not much of a morning person; I can barely drag myself out of bed at 9 o’clock. But I no longer feel the least bit sleepy and I decide to go for a walk.

I’ve never seen New York at this hour. Riverside Drive is wet from last night’s rain and it glistens in the morning sun. There are a few joggers and dog owners out braving the world, but otherwise the park is empty and feels like it’s all mine. I sit down on the bench and search my purse for a pen and a new thank you card.

Dear Tristan,

Thank you for walking in on Simon and me. Things were moving too fast and I think I would’ve regretted what was about to happen if you hadn’t walked in. I can’t tell you this in person, out of fear that your already enormous head will get even bigger, but it was nice to sleep with you again. I hate that you didn’t get my permission (though I wouldn’t have given it) and that Simon found us, but it was nice. It reminded me of all those sleepovers we used to have when we were kids. Back when we were really friends. I hope we can get back to being those kids again, sometime. I don’t know what I will do if we can’t.

Love,

Alice

A bird prances to me just as I finish the letter. The pigeon looks at me inquisitively, tilting her head from side to side. I spread my arms open to show her that I don’t have any food. When she convinces herself that I’m not lying, she walks away.

I come back upstairs with fresh bagels and donuts. The bakery on the corner just opened and I couldn’t resist not getting something from their first batch of the day. When I walk in our suite, I expect to have some time to myself to enjoy a cup of coffee over some morning news. Instead, I find Tristan studying at the dining room table.

“That smells amazing,” he says.

“You can have some. I’ve got plenty.”

He had made a fresh pot of coffee and pours me a cup. We don’t speak for some time while we eat the sugary goodness and drink our coffees. The silence between us is comfortable. We have known each other long enough to not have to talk all the time. I relax and lose myself in the moment. When I come back to reality, I glance over at Tristan, who has buried himself in his Econ notes. None of the formulas make any sense to me and I’m grateful that I’m not taking that class.

“So I’ve given it some thought,” I say. “And I was wondering what I’m supposed to wear to this masquerade ball of yours.”

His eyes light up and a wide grin spreads over his face.

“Thank you so much! Thank you, thank you!” Tristan pulls me up to my feet and gives me a big hug. He then presses his lips onto mine and gives me a big kiss. I taste the sweetness of a chocolate donut on his lips and inhale the aroma of fresh coffee.

At first, the kiss feels like something a friend gives another. A friendly kiss without much meaning. But as I try to pull away, it suddenly morphs into something else. Tristan seems to be just as taken aback by it as I am, but neither of us pull away. At least, not in time. Instead, we linger. A little too long. When we finally do pull away, the tone of the morning has changed. Clouds blow in and kill the sunshine outside. Darkness descends on us and we stare at each other without saying a word.

“So, what should I wear?” I ask, trying to change the subject. Something deep within me tells me that if we were to talk about this, what had just happened, the whole world would disappear. I know this to be true the way I know that I will come back down to Earth if I jump up in the air.

“Um, it’s black tie. So a gown and a mask should be fine,” he mumbles.

I nod and leave.