Saturday. At the salon for our hair appointment... Eight days before midterm. 

Sloane and I were seated side by side at Soleil Luxe, a high-end salon nestled along the Wilshire strip, draped in matching black capes and sipping on cucumber-infused water like it was champagne. The place smelled like coconut oil and honey. 

“I swear,” Sloane muttered, scrolling through her phone, “if I see one more group project pop up in my email before midterms, I’m going to fake an emotional ...