“I don’t wanna talk about it.”

“Okay. Tell me this: Is it a person that upset you or an animal?” I ask. She shakes her head as a silent warning for me not to go there. “Remember that time in second grade—” I begin.

“Ayo, don’t!”

I shrug. “I’m just saying, you got really upset and refused to go out into the schoolyard because you were afraid of little bitty animals.”

“Those things were huge, vindictive, and sneaky!”

“Those things were squirrels,” I remind her.

“They had an agenda.”

“You took their nuts,” I counter.

“One. Just one. Why couldn’t they let it go?”

I can’t help but laugh at the conviction in her voice. “And when everyone made fun of you for being afraid to face them, what did me, Dell, and Shawn do?”

“You all made fun of me too.”

“Oh yeah, we did—at first. But when we saw that it was really upsetting you, we all went out there together to face the sq—”

“Terrorists.”

I suppress a smile. “Yes, the bucktoothed, furry terrorists came for you, and we faced them together.”

“This is different,” she says.

“The situation may be, but we’re still the same. We got you. And you don’t have to talk to me right now, but when you’re ready, I’m here.”

“Girl, I know,” she says, starting to brighten up.

“Also, you think you could guard my food from Dell? I’d pay you. Hell, the whole school would pay you. Kind of a ‘Dell protection’ program.”

“I’ll send you my rates,” she says. We share a smile. And suddenly, without warning, my best friend places her head on my lap—something she’s never done before. I’m taken aback for a moment, and then I stroke her hair and pray to God that whatever is bothering her is something small, like vengeful squirrels.

When the final bell rings, I head to See Us headquarters. Naija is still on my mind. She did cheer up for the remainder of the school day, but I know her well enough to know some of it is an act. I’m determined to try again to reach her, because that’s what she’d do for me.

“You’re late!” a familiar male voice informs me, just before I enter the building.

Milton Moore.

I roll my eyes hard and pray for patience. Milton is vice president of the youth division of See Us. He’s at the top of his class and is president of every club he’s a part of—except this one. He hates me because I ruined his otherwise unblemished reputation for being a leader.