****
We're in my car, driving, with the sun setting behind us and the moon already sitting high in the sky. The sky is split between orange and deepening blue, like it can't quite decide which part of the day it belongs to anymore. The road hums beneath the tires, and for a moment I pretend that this is just another drive, another evening that won't change anything. I know better, though. Tonight is a line in the sand, whether I want it to be or not.
"You don't have to come with me," I tell Stephanie. I've tried to talk her out of coming, without trying too hard and making her suspicious, but it hasn't worked. "I promise you, I plan on breaking it off with Tina."
"I know," she tells me calmly, her hand lightly resting on my thigh. The touch is gentle, and reassuring. "I just want to have a small talk with Tina, too. I trust you," Stephanie said.
