My math test is over. I’ve never been so happy to be done with an exam in my life. I text my uncle to let him know, at which point he kindly reminds me that taking the test is only the first part of a two-part deal. I’m not allowed to go back to hunting until the test results come back. I get that he’s trying to help by making me focus on school, but it’s frustrating because all I want to do is work on the hunt. I lean against my locker and sigh as the students make their way to class. I should get going too, but class is the last place I want to be.

“I need to talk to you!” Dell says as he grabs hold of my arm and practically drags me into a stairwell.

“Okay, okay, Dell! I’ve grown fond of my right arm, and I’d like to keep it.”

He looks around to make sure that no one is coming.

“I was at the laundromat last night with my dad, and we were just about to leave when I heard some ladies from Nai’s building talking about the huge argument Nai’s mom had with her boyfriend. The two of them broke up!”

“They did? That’s great! We have to tell Nai.” I motion to move, but I’m frozen in place by Dell’s stern expression.

“What is it?” I ask.

“They broke up weeks ago,” he replies.

“Why hasn’t she come to get Nai?” I ask.

Dell doesn’t answer; he doesn’t really need to. We both know what it means if Nai’s mom hasn’t come to get her. My heart sinks as I think about how hurt my best friend will be.

“You think Nai already knows?” he asks.

“No, this morning she said she didn’t want to go back home to get her hair supplies and risk running into Kingston. So she’s shopping for new hair stuff after school.”

“Good, she doesn’t know yet. That means we still have time.”

“Time to what?” I ask.

“Duh. Go over to Ms. Harris’s house and find out what she’s thinking.”

“What makes you think she’ll talk to us?”

“She has to! She can’t just walk out on Nai. That’s not gonna work for me.”

I step back and look him up and down. Who is this guy in front of me? I have never seen Dell act this authoritative. I respect his sudden, newfound gangster attitude.

“All right, Dell, so what’s the plan?”

He starts pacing as the bell rings. “We go over there and we do whatever it takes to get Ms. Harris to act right.”

“All right, after school we can—”