“You want to know what I did to make him raise me up?' I ask, leaning toward her, close enough that she can feel the warmth of my breath. 'I kissed him on the mouth, and then I threatened to kiss him some more if he didn't do exactly what I wanted.'

'Liar,' she hisses.

'If you're such good friends,' I say, repeating her own words back to her with malicious satisfaction, 'why don't you ask him?”