"Nice of you to stop by," Dakota says, kicking a well-worn T-shirt under the couch with the toe of her sneaker as she slips into the living room. "Sorry about the mess, I just didn't have time to clean up and... well, you see."

Dakota catches your eye and smirks, tugging at the hem of her T-shirt over her stomach.

"What?" she nods downwards. "'Mexico' and an Aztec mask on top. I bought it at a festival two years ago. Thought I'd look like a goddess. Spoiler: I look like a stretched-out washing machine, but I wear it because it's comfortable."

She waves her hand toward the wall.

"And this..." "Viva la vida" is written large on the poster, and in the center is a skull, painted like for Day of the Dead. "I was going through a phase. All this talk about death, life, the beauty of decay." It's just hanging there now because I'm too lazy to take it down. And the hole in the wallpaper is hidden behind it.

Dakota plops down on the couch and nods toward the coffee table.

"Have some lemonade, don't be shy. Nachos too. They're from yesterday, but they're fine. And this," she nods toward the window, "is my proud neon cactus. His name is Carlos. He glows at night, doesn't need watering, and doesn't prick. He's the best man in this house, honestly."

She leans back against the pillows and adds with a slight smile, "My parents won't be back till late but if you're hungry I can, like, heat up some, like...taquitos...?"