“No offense, Iris, but Ben has zero interest in hanging out with your girl squad. He hangs out with them because he likes you.”

I got those fluttery butterflies. I knew Merit was right; I knew Ben liked me. And I could say for certain that I liked him too. “So maybe I should have learned the lesson today in my near-death experience that life is short, and you have to take risks?”

“Your near-death experience? Would we really classify recording someone from the stairs as a near-death experience?”

I nodded seriously. “We should make posters to keep something similar from happening to other people.”

Merit glanced over at me. “I think I’m going to tell my mom.”

I gasped. “Really?”

“Maybe around Christmas when she’s in her peak Grace mood.” He paused. “Do you think it’s better if I tell her alone or with everyone?”

I pondered that. “Well, it might be a nice moment for the two of you. But then again, if you tell her in a group, you don’t have to come out, like, a whole bunch of times.”

He raised his eyebrows. “That’s a good point. And it might feel like less pressure on her to say the perfect thing?”

“She’s Grace. She’ll say the perfect thing.”

He smiled.

“Hey,” I said. “I heard about this kid who told his parents he had a brain tumor. And then he was like, ‘No, just kidding. I’m gay.’ And then they were so relieved he wasn’t dying it put it all in perspective.”

I expected Merit to laugh. Instead, he said, “Huh. That’s not a bad idea. Tell everyone something else so shocking that my being gay seems less shocking.”

I scrunched my nose and studied him in the dark. “Merit, I was kidding! That’s a terrible idea. Please don’t do that.”

We pulled into Chloe’s driveway, and I said, “Merit?”

“Go see your friends!”

I guessed this conversation was over. Well, whatever. It was his life, his decision. So I jumped out, hoping I hadn’t given him really bad advice.

When we got to the back door, Chloe threw it open and Chloe, Dabney, and Ben engulfed me in a hug. “You’re our hero!” Chloe said.

I put my hands on my hips like Wonder Woman. “Yup. I found the masked man in the closet!”

“You’re amazing!” Dabney said. “We’re so happy your dad is coming home!”

They pulled away, but then Ben hugged me again.

“I’m so sorry, Iris,” he said. “I was rude to you every time I saw you today, and you were out fighting crime.”

I nodded. “I was. I am a modern-day knight, and you ignored me.”

Merit looked from Ben to me. “Hey, Chloe and Dabney,” he said. “I’m starving. You got anything to eat?”