Avalon Springs High School. Kaya Pott’s hid in one of the stalls in the girls’ restroom. She should have been in second period Spanish III.

Kaya’s long curly black hair was in a sloppy ponytail, she wore blue jeans and a yellow T-shirt with purple letters on the front that read: Avalon Springs High School Dragons. She was average height for a high school girl, and stronger than most because she played basketball on the varsity girls’ basketball team. But at that moment Kaya did not feel brave, strong, or in any way feel that she resembled someone that might be considered having her life together. In fact, Kaya felt like she was falling apart.

Kaya's best friend Jordan Spencer was the star center for the Avalon Springs High School girls’ basketball team. Jordan stood outside the stall door. Jordan was skipping class to check on Kaya. Jordan was tall, had long straight blond hair, and was surprisingly strong considering her thin frame. It was no secret that Jordan was being recruited to play basketball at top programs in the country such as Stanford, UConn, Oregon State, and other colleges.

"Kaya, what's wrong?" Jordan asked. "You've been in there for five minutes and haven't said a word. Did something happen to you yesterday?"

Kaya said nothing.

Jordan rapped her knuckles on the stall door.

Just then, a freshman girl wandered into the bathroom, looked at Jordan standing outside the bathroom stall, and quickly scurried into a neighboring stall. Jordan waited. The freshman girl peed, flushed, exited the stall. Then the girl hastily exited the bathroom.

Jordan wrinkled her nose. Eww. That girl didn’t wash her hands.

"Kaya, I'm your best friend. Would it make you feel better if we skip school today, maybe go for pizza?"

"Maybe," Kaya said. But why was that even a question? Skipping school and pizza were used in the same sentence. Who could ignore that?

"Great," Jordan said. "I'll get Abby and Savannah to join us."

Jordan whipped out her smartphone, texted their friends, tucked her phone back into her pocket.

"I just wish there was a good pizza place in Avalon Springs," Kaya said.

"Are you serious?" Jordan said. "Everyone loves Famous Unicorn Creations Kitchen. It is. The. Best. Pizza. In North Carolina. Bar none."

Kaya slowly opened the stall door. Kaya's eyes were wide. She could not fully believe the words she’d just heard, forehead twitching as she processed the information.

"What did you say?" Kaya asked.

"Famous Unicorn Creations Kitchen." Kaya’s heart beat faster. Kaya started to laugh awkwardly, a tear formed in the corner of her eye.

"Are you making that up?" Kaya asked. "No. We’ve been there lots of times. It's a little expensive, but they have great pizza. Sometimes they even give us a discount because we’re on the basketball team."

Kaya quietly said, as if she herself was trying to comprehend the words, "So… Famous Unicorn Creations Kitchen ... you think it really exists?" Jordan’s face could not hide her concern. Jordan she was trying to be a great best friend, but she was worried about Kaya. 

"Yeah," Jordan said. "Do you want to go?" Kaya nodded.

“We’ve been there lots?” Kaya asked.

“Yeah. Even went there for your birthday party last year. Remember?”

No. Kaya didn’t remember.