When I get up, it’s almost noon. My uncle looks seriously concerned when I come down the steps. I assure him that I did talk to someone—in fact, I talked to a lot of people. He looks confused. I hug him and tell him that I won’t be sleeping all day anymore. I’m hoping that getting up and even maybe going to school will show the aunties and uncles that I have faith in them. It’s a long shot, but it’s all I have.

I go to see her. She’s in the same condition I left her in; seeing that is more painful than anything else I’ve encountered. But I take her hand and tell her not to despair. I tell her that help is coming. And as I kiss her goodbye, I hope to the heavens that what I said was true.

Once I’m home and enter my room, I find the same heaviness waiting to greet me. I know I can’t turn back the clock and undo what’s happened, but for just one moment I long for things to be like before. I can close my eyes and pretend like my mom’s at work, and she’s gonna be home late. And my heartache is slightly less acute now. So I keep going with my grand delusion that everything is fine. Now, what would a normal, trauma-free teen do on a night where her mom is working late?

Well, if that teen has a funny, kind, and hot-looking boyfriend . . .

Devonte knocks frantically on the door. I let him in wearing a big smile. He’s not sure what to make of it. He looks me over head to toe. He’s looking to see if I’m in one piece. I’m not. But that’s exactly why I called him over here. Since I vowed not to stay in bed all day and fill up on sadness, I have to fill up on something else—anything else.

“You texted me 911. What’s wrong? You good?” he asks.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Come in,” I reply.

He’s about to say something, but I don’t give him the chance. I open the door wider and insist he gets inside.

“Is it news about your mom? Is she . . . I mean . . .”

“No news yet. And no, this ain’t about her. I just wanted to see you. Can’t a girl ask to see her boyfriend?” I reply as I head toward the stairs.

“Where is everybody?”

“Uncle Ty is at a meeting and Nai has tutoring. It’s just us,” I say as I get to the top of the landing.

“All right, you wanna go get something to eat at—”