Free Summer in the Invisible City by Juliana Romano Page A

and I love it there. We spend more time picking out movies than watching them. We even love the cases that the DVDs come in, all plastic and greasy with these low-res pictures of the stars taped to the front.
    I’m walking in the DRAMA section when I see
Heathers
.
    â€œWhat about this?” I ask Willa.
    Willa looks up and wrinkles her nose. “What’s that?”
    â€œIt’s Izzy’ s favorite movie, ” I say nonchalantly.
    Willa raises an eyebrow.
    â€œI think I’ve seen it, actually,” Willa says, after a minute.
    After a half hour of cruising the aisles, we leave with two things that we’ve both already seen:
Pitch Perfect
and the whole first season of
Game of Thrones.
It’s a perfect combination for a sleepover.
    â€”
    We ride the elevator up to Willa’s floor with her upstairs neighbor Miles. Miles is a year younger than us but a foot taller, not including his curly hair which adds another three inches. He’s bone skinny and pale, with huge blue eyes and glasses, like a not-cute Harry Potter. He goes to an uptown prep school and he’s such a genius that he skipped a grade, so he’s going to be a senior next year, too.
    â€œI see you guys are having about as wild of a Friday nightas I am,” he says, and he nods at our bag of videos and sloppy stay-at-home clothes.
    â€œWe’re party animals. What can I say,” Willa deadpans.
    â€”
    Back at Willa’s, we order pizza and curl up on the big, soft couches. Everything
about Willa’s apartment is perfectly worn in: framed school photos on the wall and scratches in the guest bathroom marking her and her sister’s growth every year.
    We’re halfway through the second episode of
Game of Thrones
when Willa’s sister, Danielle, comes home.
    â€œHey, kids,” she says, dropping her purse on the floor. “What are you watching?”
    She’s wearing tight black jeans that show off her long skinny legs and a white tank top that makes the tan on her arms glow. Danielle and Willa have matching features and the same straight brown hair, but everything comes together on Danielle in a way that it all falls apart on Willa.
    â€œSshh,” Willa says. “None of your business.”
    â€œI’m going to open a bottle of dad’s wine. Don’t tell,” Danielle says, traipsing into the kitchen.
    Danielle is one of those girls who is equal parts sweet and scary. She went to one of the uptown all-girls high schools, and for some reason she always looked like even more of a bad girl in that old-fashioned plaid uniform. When Willa and I were younger, we used to go through Danielle’s drawers when she was out and tally all of the condoms and cigarettes, speculating about all her secrets. We’d spend hours wondering who she liked and when she’d first had sex.
    â€œCute shoes, Sadie,” Danielle says when she comes back.
    â€œThanks,” I say, proudly peeking at my vintage sandals.
    â€œWilla, why don’t you ever wear cute stuff?” she asks, swatting the back of her sister’s head.
    Willa ducks away. “Leave me alone.”
    Danielle looks back at the screen.
    â€œ Lemme guess, ” she says. “They all die.”
    â€œStop talking, we’re watching,” Willa whines. “You’re being so annoying.”
    â€œI just wanted to tell you—”
    Willa grabs the remote and pauses the TV show. Then she glares at her sister. “Fine. Speak.”
    â€œI wanted to tell you I’m going to a party tonight at someone’s apartment from your grade,” she says. “Do you guys want to come?”
    I’m shocked and excited that Danielle invited us to something. Danielle has never once included us in anything before, in all of history. College must have made her nicer.
    â€œOur grade?” Willa scoffs. “Wow. That must make you feel like a real loser.”
    â€œI know, it’s