Ilana said, “You’re telling me you’d actually bring a girl like Dafna to meet your precious Bais Yaakov friends?”

ZeeZee ushered the Klein children into the backyard of the Yad b’Yad Center and immediately heard her name. “Hey, ZeeZee! What’s up?”

ZeeZee grinned as Dafna came running out to greet her. Dafna’s family had made aliyah two years ago; she’d been bouncing around from one high school to another ever since.

“You, my friend. You’re coming to my seminary this Thursday night to do a henna workshop. ‘Kay?”

Dafna’s mouth dropped open as, behind her, another girl — whose black curly hair was pulled back to reveal the three earring holes in each ear — said with a smirk, “And what makes you think Dafna wants to hang out with your frummy seminary friends?” She paused and added, “I’m Ilana, by the way.”

ZeeZee shrugged, unfazed. “Of course she does.” She winked. “You know how to do henna painting, right, Daf? Like at Moroccan weddings?”

“No,” Dafna answered, eyebrows raised.

“So make it up, they won’t know the difference.”

As Dafna looked at her incredulously, Ilana said, “You’re telling me you’d actually bring a girl like Dafna to meet your precious Bais Yaakov friends?”

ZeeZee’s eyes widened. “What’s wrong with Dafna?”

“Yeah, what’s wrong with me?” Dafna punched Ilana in the arm.

Ilana grinned maliciously. “Oh, you only got sent home from school yesterday for playing a song on your phone in the middle of English class.”

Dafna reddened, although her eyes twinkled. “Mrs. Stein asked for an example of modern lyrical poetry.”

ZeeZee frowned. “You pulled out a smartphone in the middle of class? Did you, like, want to get yourself kicked out?”

Dafna shrugged, her expression hardening, as Ilana turned to ZeeZee. “Still want to bring her in to corrupt your pure little friends?”

ZeeZee returned Ilana’s gaze steadily. “Yeah, I do. And know what? I’d even bring you.”

Ilana held up her hands. “Sorry, Brooklyn girl, I don’t do body painting.”

ZeeZee smiled slowly. “You can teach them how to make earrings.” She nodded towards Ilana’s abundant supply.

Ilana blinked and then burst out laughing. “You’re cool, you know that?”

ZeeZee tossed her ponytail over her shoulder. “Yeah.”