Mateo wished they’d all give it a rest. Even Dean Cumberland, who could never remember Brandon’s name when he was alive, was wiping his eyes. Probably sad he’d wasted all that scholarship money on some kid who hadn’t even made it to graduation.

It was all Mateo could do not to shout. Call them on their hypocrisy. Show them for the phonies they were.

He might have even done it. He’d lost track of how much whiskey he’d drunk that night, and he was past the point of caring what anyone at this school thought of him anymore.

But Maria did it first.

“It wasn’t me,” she said.

Her words were quiet. Mateo turned to face her.

She wasn’t looking at him. She was staring straight out in front of her into the empty air. Looking at something Mateo couldn’t see.

They could all see him. Maria was certain of it. Hovering above the room over everyone’s heads. Covered in blood.

Why was he covered in blood? It had been a bloodless death.

She’d been there. She’d seen it.

He floated just beneath the high ceiling, his eyes black and solid. Red seeped from the hole in his chest where his heart had been.

“It wasn’t me,” she said again. Louder, to make sure he heard. “I didn’t mean to! I didn’t know what it was going to do!”

Brandon cocked his head. He stared at her with those empty eyes. His face had the same disappointed look he’d had in the language lab that day.

He knew exactly what she’d done.

“Please! I’m sorry!” Maria fell to her knees. Her tights tore on the rough surface of the stage, the skin underneath ripping open. She reached out to Brandon. “Please. Forgive me. I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”

Brandon just cocked his head at her again.

“It’s not—she’s not—it’s not what it looks like, it’s—”

Oh God.

It didn’t matter what Lily said. No one was listening to her.

Every eye was fixed on Maria. Who was standing on the stage with her eyes bright and her hair wild around her face, talking to no one in the middle of the room.

Lily had to do something. Maria was acting like a complete freak.

She pushed through the crowd and climbed the steps as fast as she could, her leg twisting as she rounded the corner, the pain seizing her. She ignored it and swung past Mateo to where Maria still knelt on the stage. Lily bent down, her leg screaming, and wrapped her arm around Maria’s shoulders. She tried to pull her up, but Maria wouldn’t budge.

“Please.” Lily looked up at Dean Cumberland. “She isn’t feeling well. Can I take her to the health center?”