I stood at the back of the giggling line, forcing myself to smile as the girls turned and waved at me. Trill went first, flowers clutched in her hands like a lifeline. I grinned, a real one, at the sound of hooting from who had to be Apollo, her inappropriate brother, and thanked him silently for breaking my funk.

Sunny went next, Charlotte behind her. Mom waited with Meira as Shenka strode out with her shoulders back, confident in her high heels.

Meira saluted me with ...