A simple shopping trip gives Samantha a life beyond borrowed clothes—and Samuel discovers that every new piece of her identity comes with a price.

Morning came too quickly.

Samuel opened his eyes slowly, disoriented by the unfamiliar ceiling, the beige curtains moving faintly in the air conditioning, and the lingering smell of hairspray mixed with perfume.

Natalie's house.

The gala.

Tiffany.

The dance.

The message.

His chest tightened at once.

He sat up on the guest bed. He was wearing a girls pijama Natalie had lent him. Traces of makeup remained around his eyes, faint dark smudges beneath the lashes betraying how much he had cried the night before.

Early dismissal came as planned.

Natalie, Maddie, and Riley collected Samuel from the classroom and folded him back into their group with practiced ease. They left St. Catherine's among the other girls, surrounded by backpacks, voices, and the ordinary relief of a short school day.

Outside, Maddie's mother was waiting in the car.

Samuel prepared himself to sit quietly and say as little as possible.

"Hi, girls," Maddie's mother called from the front seat. "How was school?"

"Good," the three answered almost together.