“How have you been?” DeVante asks. He plugs in his phone and gets under the covers.

“I’m good,” I answer. “Busy. Senior year and all.”

“Good times.”

“For sure.” I’m okay with letting him think I spend my free time partying or something, not skulking around in a hoodie with spray paint. I try not to skulk, really.

“You still painting?” he asks.

“Tagging mostly. Sometimes I mural. Wanna see my stuff?” I offer. Until Steve cracked the case, DeVante was the only one who knew about my art.

“This is killer,” he says. “Really woke.”

“Thanks.”

“You could come for a visit, if you want a taste of college life.”

“That would be fun.”

“I shoulda been more in touch, with all that’s going on,” DeVante says.

I shrug. “No worries.”

We hover in silence. After a while, I wonder if he’s fallen asleep, but then he sighs.

“You worried about tomorrow?” I ask.

“Not really,” he says. “If shit gets weird, we bug out, right?”

“Yeah, sure,” I agree. “That’s what I always do.”

TINA

I watch out the window

until Tyrell is on the stoop

Then Tyrell is at the door

Mommy is the one who answers but

Tyrell is here to see me.

Hey there, Tina. How’s my girl?

I pull him to the couch

I crawl into his lap

His arms are warm and safe

and strong.

Mommy says things to us

I pretend to forget how to listen

I don’t want a lot of grown-up words.

It’s been bad. I know, Tyrell says.

I know. It’s been bad.

TYRELL

It’s odd, being in Tariq’s room again. The furniture is laid out the same, but most of his personal stuff is gone. The dresser, the desk, the bed are all as they were. The closet door looks funny to me closed. Tariq always had a mound of clothes spilling out onto the floor. He didn’t really believe in folding or hanging anything. The bookcase is still full of his books, although it looks like some of Tina’s have taken over.

Vernesha rubs my shoulder in this way that feels nostalgic.

“Is this too hard for you?” I ask. “I can leave.”

“No, baby,” she says. “I like having you here.” She glances around the room, with a soft smile. “It’s no harder, no matter what happens. No easier, either.”

Yeah, that. “Okay.”

“Take those with you when you go?” she says, pointing to a stack of papers on the dresser. It’s the only thing cluttering the room. “I don’t know why, but I never could…” Her voice trails off. She shakes her head of whatever thoughts of Tariq have just crept in.

“Sure.”

Vernesha wraps her arms around me. “I’m glad you’re doing well. He’d be so proud of what you’ve accomplished.”

“Haven’t done much yet,” I answer, settling into the warmth of her affection.

“You’re on your way. That’s more than nothing.” She kisses my cheek. “Sleep well. If Tina comes in—”