Loners

Peri winced when she heard her full name, and closed her eyes upon hearing the social death sentence from the magistrate’s mouth. A group presentation with those two . . . Gigi gave me a look, and stood up. “That won’t do, Ms. Lepore. She’s with me and Joe.” The center of attention nodded her agreement, and so it was ordained that a total unknown would enter the small world between me and my best friend, the one I would marry after college.