Ninety-Three

VALERIA

By the glint in her eyes and her exasperated expression, I knew just what Ivy was going to say to me.

To forestall her, I quickly said, "I'm fine. Really. I'm just usually so tired out after work that I always want to stay at home."

"No, you're not," she said firmly. "Valeria, you have been holing yourself up in the office and at the house for some time now. It's like you're practicing on how to be a hermit or something."

I smiled in what I hoped was a convincing manner. "You are exaggerating, as usual. I have been fine. I'm fine. I'm just tired and-"

"And when has being tired ever stopped you from going out? I don't even remember the last time we both hung out. When did we even have a girl's night out? It's been... ages."

Ivy was actually right. Even our friendship had received a few hits because of my recent discovery of my abnormalities. A girl's night out with Ivy sometimes meant us hanging out at the spa, a bar, club, restaurant, but the thought of being in such close pro