Prologue
They were on opposite sides of the street.
It wasn’t right.
Nothing should have been able to separate them. Certainly not him.
Then one of them yelled something I couldn’t hear. But I didn’t need to. Their body language said everything.
It was dark. It was quiet. It was fast. I wasn’t sure it deserved to be, but there’s only so much one can control. We do what we can. We make our choices. We have to let the universe handle the rest.
So we did.
And he died because of it.
Even though all of us saw, none of us said. Because secrets are like oxygen. They give life to friendships. And honestly, should it be any other way?
Interstitial
One Year Earlier
Subject: [Internal Email] Revised Launch Copy
To: Aubrey Miller, Ilena Cohen, Mallory Latham
Reply to: [email protected]
Below, find the revised speech for the launch of the new (super exciting!) feature of our beloved AIM app, the undisputed leader in the booming health and wellness space. We’re smiling wide over this (and users will too!). Promise! Our focus groups love it! (We meanlove,love!)
Body language counts! Make sure you’re smiling like a Cheshire cat (whatever that is!).
***
You already know how to AIM Higher and now... AIM Wider!
You’ve followed the health programs, you’ve adopted the daily habits, you’ve been buoyed by the inspiring stories from everyone from former First Lady Michelle Obama (love!) to Olympian Simone Biles (love, love!) to media mogul Reese Witherspoon (love, love,love!)!
Andyoumade “Seven Days to Your Resting Beach Face!” AIM’s most successful in-app challenge yet!Confetti cannons!
But now... sad faces, because your five-minute daily meditations and ten-minute turmeric face masks and (the-longer-the-better!) pleasuring-yourself-without-guilt sessions don’t seem quite as fulfilling without those points they earned you.
Your strong, happy voices have reached our perky[note: word choice pending]ears. And we AIM to please!
You keep on doing you, and you’ll keep on earning those points forA-MA-ZING!discounts andOMG-can-it-be!freebies from our beloved partners. But that’s not all! Because on this quest for a more fulfilling life, you shouldn’t have to go it alone. This is a community—yourcommunity.
Today, we introduce “How Wide’s My Smile”! Our newest and happiest feature invites you to encourage, support, and validate the journeys of your fellow users byawarding points to one another. And this isn’t a challenge, it’s a new, permanent feature of the AIM app you know and love (love, love!).
So raise those DIY cocktails! A happier self, here we come!
Mallory:I’m not saying this.
Ilena:You wanted to be CEO.
Mallory:Because *you* didn’t want to be.
Mallory:WTF’s a DIY cocktail? And why are there so many “!!!!!!!” ??????
Mallory:We should fire the entire team.
