“Why wouldn’t Vik show up?” I asked. It was lunch, and we were sitting at our usual spot in the cafeteria. Riley sat where Vik usually did, looking confident and at ease as always despite the occasional cautious glance from Bree.

Bree shook her head. “I don’t know for sure. He’s been acting a little weird the past couple weeks. It could be—”

“Ms. Epistola didn’t show up either,” I broke in intelligently.

“I noticed,” said Bree, her voice tightening a little. Beside me, Riley said nothing. He was watching us with what appeared to be only mild interest. Bree continued, “I know you hate her, Andi, and I get that. Whatever else you think she is, she’s a terrible teacher. When she’s not rehashing stuff we already know, she’s going on about Great Old Ones and all that loopy stuff.”

Riley perked up suddenly. An intense green fire seemed to ignite in his eyes.

Bree continued, oblivious, “…but I think something else could be going on too. With Vik, I mean.” She hesitated as if unsure whether she should continue and then sighed down at her pizza. “He was wicked upset yesterday. I tried to talk to him after school, but I couldn’t get much out of him. He wouldn’t even look at me, and then he just ran off to go to tutoring.”

With Epistola. It was all I could do to keep from gagging.

“Andi,” Bree said, her voice small. “What happened between the two of you?”

The fire in Riley’s eyes roared, flashing bright with alien power. “The two of you?” he repeated.

“Nothing happened,” I answered quickly.

Bree shot Riley a look, but then focused back on me. “Something must have happened to make him blow me off and then not even come to school today.”

“Well, it’s not my fault!” I scoffed.

Bree shook her head slowly, her gaze falling again. “I just… I’ve never seen him so upset before.”

I tried to ignore the faint twisting feeling that returned to my stomach at the memory, and I heaved a sigh. “He asked me out,” I confessed. I felt Riley’s entire frame tense at my side and I rushed to add, “I told him no.”

“That boy,” Riley said slowly, his words dripping with displeasure, “sounds presumptuous to me. Perhaps even disrespectful to you.”

“No, he’s my friend,” I insisted. “And I think he only did it because he’s all mixed up right now. Like some kind of cry for help.” I shook my head and put a pleading hand over Riley’s. “Honestly, I think he’s in trouble. With Epistola. She’s messing with his head. He’s been spending way too much time with her. And he had tutoring with her last night and now they’re both not here? What if she’s done something?”