“Guess what,” Mika asked, smiling down at me with bright eyes. She set down her coffee cup gently, but still I felt a tremor through the tabletop where I sat, legs crossed, with my breakfast.

“What is it? Did you guess Wordle on the first try again?”

“No,” she replied with a little laugh. “Your favorite band is coming to town!”

My rush of excitement lasted something like three tenths of a second before it ran headlong into bitter reality.

“That would be amazing, but…”

The previous month I’d “celebrated” the anniversary of the day I learned that I was shrinking. Every time I’d thought I was used to my new life – that all the surprise consequences of tinyhood were behind me – the universe and its infinite sense of humor would hit me with a new one.

This surprise felt particularly cruel. Last Catharsis wasn’t just my favorite band, it was a bit of an obsession. I’d considered myself their biggest fan for years, and we need not discuss the crush I had on their lead singer all through high school. But they didn’t tour anywhere near my sleepy hometown, and my parents wouldn’t let me travel to see them no matter how I begged and bargained.

Of course they were coming here. This was a college town with amazing venues full of people who loved them just as much as I did.

But their other fans weren’t seven inches tall. The venues were made for normal sized people, and I wasn’t allowed in that world anymore. Couldn’t have a tiny girl drowning in a beer glass or stomped on in General Admission, now, could we?

Fuck, I wanted to see them. I needed to see them. And now I never would. This stupid, stupid body.

“Hey,” Mika said softly, almost whispering. I looked up from my pity party. Her big, kind eyes took the edge off of my frustration.

“I want to sneak you in.”

This took more than a moment to register. A million thoughts and emotions competed for space in my head, and all I managed to choke out was “…what?”

“I’ve been thinking about it and I’m sure we can make it work. I know it’s a risk, but you’ve been wanting this for goodness knows how long. What do you think?”

My heart raced as I considered the possibility. No. It’s just a concert, I reasoned with myself. But who am I kidding, it’s Catharsis…

“If someone sees me,” I thought aloud, trying to bring myself back to Earth. “They’ll take me to Tinytown. You’ll get in trouble. This will all be over.”

She offered me her hand, her outstretched fingers as long as my arms. “We won’t get caught, Lily. I’ll keep you safe.”

At this I swallowed, the corners of my eyes stinging. Safe. I always thought I’d be the one keeping someone safe. Keeping her safe. The very idea seemed silly now that she towered over me, putting care into every motion so as not to risk my comfort or my life. Just another of the universe’s attempts at humor.

I took a deep breath and grasped Mika’s fingertips. “Screw it,” I said, a grin growing lopsided on my face. “I trust you. Let’s get tickets.”

She smiled wide. “I think one ticket is all we need.”