The smell of bacon hits my nostrils and makes me salivate as soon as we enter Poppy's, a mom-and-pop diner a few blocks from our hotel.

"Welcome! Sit anywhere you'd like!" a happy-faced, middle-aged woman calls from behind the counter.

Damian and I claim a corner booth and stare at the laminated menus. Everything looks delectable, but the blueberry pancakes call my name.

A waitress comes to the table and takes our orders. As we wait for our food, a red-haired girl pushes the door open with her hip. She has a stack of books in one hand and an infant carrier in the other. She doesn't look any older than Damian and me.

"Sweetie, let me help you." The woman behind the counter runs over and takes the books out of the girl's arms. "You're gonna break your back one of these days if you're not careful."

"Thank you, Poppy," the redhead replies, flashing a closed-lip grin. "You're an angel."

"And you work too hard. Coffee?"

"Like, a gallon of it."

Laughing, Poppy pours the girl a cup of steaming java before topping off our mugs. I watch as the redhead places the infant carrier beside her and opens a textbook.

"Damian," I whisper, "I think that girl is still in high school."

He shakes his head. "No way. She has a baby. She's probably a grad student or something."

"In case you've forgotten, teenagers have reproductive systems."

"I don't know. A teen mom just isn't something you see every day."

"That teen mom has a name," Poppy cuts in, shaking her head at us in disapproval, "and she's a real nice girl."

"I d-didn't say she wasn't," Damian stammers. "I... I just—"

"We're from a small town in Michigan. Everything about city life is new to us," I come to my best friend's rescue, amused by the deer-in-headlights expression on his face.

"Well, what brings you to Chicago?" Poppy asks, smiling once again.

"My girlfriend has a college tour. We just tagged along for the trip," Damian replies.

"Your girlfriend is very lucky," the older woman murmurs, her eyes glued to the red-haired girl, who is now holding a fussy baby while trying to read from her textbook. "Not every senior is gonna have a chance to go to college next year."

Poppy returns to her kitchen duties just as a waitress brings over our pancakes. After telling us to enjoy our meals, the same waitress carries a plate of french toast to the redhead's table.

"Hey, I'll be right back," I say, leaving Damian alone with my untouched food.

I approach the visibly frazzled redhead. A chemistry book is open in front of her. With one hand arm, she holds her baby; the other hand is attempting to cut her breakfast without much success.

"Do you want some help?" I offer, gesturing to the knife in her hand.

"Oh, thank you, but you don't have to." She flashes a smile, but I can see the frustration in her green eyes.

"It's no problem." I take her utensils and cut her french toast into bite-sized pieces. "I don't want your food to get cold."

"You're really sweet." She looks like she is trying not to cry as she hugs the infant to her chest. "My name's Raelyn, by the way."

"Layla," I respond. "Well, good luck studying. Enjoy your breakfast."

"You, too. Thanks again for your help," she says before digging into her food.

I rejoin Damian, who has already finished most of his meal. He chuckles as I slice off a piece of now lukewarm pancake.

"Yes, I see the irony," I say, rolling my eyes.

"What you did for that girl was really nice. You're a good person."

I move my shoulders up and down, brushing off his compliment. I'm not a bad person, but I'm no saint.

As I eat, Poppy's wise words replay in my head. I can't help but feel regretful, like I've taken my privilege for granted. My whole life, I've been so focused on surviving high school and getting out of Starkton. I've never thought about a future beyond that. I always assumed I wouldn't go to college or have a career or make anything of myself because of where I came from.

But if I assume I'm going to fail before I even try, then I'm a fool. I'll be eighteen in three months. I'll be a high school graduate in six. I have no one holding me back or tying me down. I can go anywhere. Do anything. Be anyone.

"Damian," I say, pushing my plate away, "what are we doing after graduation?"

"I have no clue," he admits. "I haven't applied to any schools yet."

"Neither have I."

"We don't have to decide anything right now."

"I know, but we're so... apathetic," I murmur, glancing behind me at Raelyn. "That girl is studying chemistry on a Saturday morning with her infant daughter on her lap. Despite her circumstances, she's trying to make a better life for herself. She cares about her future. What are we doing? Nothing! The answer is nothing."

He shakes his head. "No offense, Layla, but it wasn't long ago that you were drinking your days away. Is a teenage girl in a diner really making you reevaluate your entire existence?"

"Maybe. I don't know." I place my elbows on the table and rest my head in my palms. "I need something to look forward to—something less vague than just escaping my hometown."

"Then let's plan something. It's only November. There's still time," he says, flashing his signature Damian smile. "While we explore the city, we can talk more about our post-high school dreams."

He pays for our food, leaving the waitress a generous tip. I wave goodbye to Poppy and Raelyn and follow Damian outside.

"Where to first?" he asks, lifting his elbow so I can loop my arm through his.

"Let's just wander," I suggest. "This city is so new to me. I want to enjoy all of it."

We stroll down the sidewalk for another two blocks, taking in the foreign scenery. The smell of garlic and cheese makes my mouth water, even though I just ate.

"We're totally getting pizza for dinner tonight, right?" I ask.

He chuckles. "I mean, we are in Chicago."

"If you want quality pizza, I recommend Giordano's. However, Lou Malnati's is pretty good, too."

I spin around so quickly that I nearly give myself whiplash. My heart stops when I lay eyes on the familiar face. I stare into his dark brown eyes, my lips trembling as I strive to put words together.

"It's nice to see you, Layla. I'm happy that I can still leave you speechless," he teases.

"Zane," I finally say. "It's... it's nice to see you, too."

I'm squished between thirty other kids as we struggle to keep up with our tour guide. The downtown campus was larger than I anticipated, but it was beautiful. The Auditorium Theatre in particular made my jaw drop. With its stunning portraits, flowing red curtains, and a thousand yellow ceiling lights that give the room a golden ambiance, I felt like I was ascending into heaven.

We enter the cafeteria, where a luncheon has been prepared. I put some cheese, crackers, and sliced fruit on my plate as I scour the room for a place to sit. I'm good at making friends, but I feel entirely out of my element here. I'm a small town girl in a big city. Based on all the Chicago Cubs attire, I get the feeling I'm surrounded by locals.

"You looking for a seat, too?" A girl with wavy brown hair, bronze skin, and a nervous smile appears beside me. She looks almost as lost as I do.

"I am. Any chance you'd want to eat together?" I ask, not wanting to sit alone like an antisocial loser.

"Definitely," she agrees, leading us to an empty table. "I'm Gemma. Gemma Beaufort." She extends her hand, which I firmly shake as I tell her my name. "So are you planning to study here, or are your parents making you tour every college within ten miles of your house, too?"

"I actually live three-hundred miles away," I tell her, "but I don't know where I'm going yet. Hell, I don't even know what I want to major in."

"Oh, I do," she says proudly. "Journalism. I'm going to work for the Emerald Tribune, Chicago's most prevalent newspaper."

"With that kind of confidence, I'm sure you will," I reply.

I like this girl. She's got moxie.

We chit-chat as we eat. I learn that she has a 4.0 GPA, a mom who's a published author, and a best friend who had a baby at the end of their junior year.

"I was originally supposed to do all this college stuff with her, but now that she's the poster child for Teen Mom, she's stuck at home with the rugrat," Gemma says with a sigh.

A frown tugs at my lips. "I know what you mean. My friends don't seem interested in university, so I'm all alone, too."

She furrows her brow, her dark eyes glistening with judgment. "Not interested? So what are they gonna do?"

"Ask them. They won't tell me anything." Hearing the bitterness in my voice, I shake my head. "They've been through a lot. I guess it's difficult for them to think that far ahead right now."

"You keep grouping them together. Are they the same person?"

Sure seems like it sometimes....

"No, they're two different people, but they've been friends since we were kids. I joined their inner circle a few years ago after getting out of a really toxic relationship."

"And you feel excluded." Gemma phrases it as a statement, not a question. "I don't really do high school drama, so I suggest you just talk to them. Clear the air, you know?"

"Yeah, you're probably right," I mutter.

When the luncheon is over, I say goodbye to Gemma and thank her for the helpful, albeit unsolicited, friendship advice. Then I rush to the library, where I promised to meet Aunt Heather after the tour, and find her sitting with Harrison.

The three of us drive back to the hotel. I return to my room, eager to see Layla and Damian. With the tour out of the way, we can spend the rest of the day exploring Chicago together.

However, it doesn't take me long to realize that they aren't here.

I call Damian's cell half a dozen times, but he doesn't answer. As the hours pass, a ball of worry forms in my stomach. The city can be a dangerous place. What if something happened to them?

"They probably went sight-seeing and lost track of time," Aunt Heather assures me. "I'm sure Damian will call you back soon."

"I hope so," I murmur, hugging a pillow to my chest as I pace the floor.

I was so excited for this trip. Now I regret bringing them to Chicago at all.

A/N:
I'm a sucker for a good crossover. If you know, you know 😉
Raelyn and Gemma and I want to thank everyone for reading! If I don't update again before 2020 is over, I hope everyone has a happy new year!!