“A few hours at the center. Wait,” she says. She leaves the room. Comes back a minute later, in soft pants and oversized T-shirt. Pecking at her phone in her hand. She plugs it in to charge. “I have to get up for work in like two hours.”

“Ugh.”

She climbs back in with me. “Zeke was there,” she says. “I was kind of waiting for him. If I’d left on time, I would have missed the whole thing.”

I’m sleepy again. I tuck my hand under my cheek and yawn to signal it. “So you got to hang out?”

“Yeah, and it was crazy and busy and everything, but…”

“What?”

“It’s probably nothing.”

“What?”

“There was this moment, I don’t know, where it seemed like maybe he wanted to kiss me?”

I used to think it was easy to tell when a guy was interested. If they’re into you, they try to get with you. Period. They’re not subtle. But thinking about Brick lately … it’s not so clear anymore.

“He should want to kiss you,” I say. “If he knows what’s good for him.”

Kimberly scoots closer and I roll to meet her. Wrap my arm around her stomach, rest my head on her shoulder. Sometimes it is best not to be all alone.

TINA

I like to run, I love to skip

I own many, many hats

When it is dark I go fast

too

When it is cold, I go faster

still

Momma holds my hand

Not too fast.

Slow down, baby girl.

Not everyone has a Momma

you’re

Not always with your Momma

outside

WILL/EMZEE

The shower steam follows me into the hallway. Soapy heat collides with the scent of frying bacon.

Great. The last thing I need today is a man-to-man breakfast with Steve.

Sure enough, Steve’s the one at the stove and Mom is nowhere to be seen. We have Pop-Tarts, right? I slink toward the pantry. Steve’s back is turned but my growling stomach gives me away.

“Really?” he says. “It’s so bad you’re gonna skip out on eggs and bacon?”

Caught.

“Whatever.” I throw myself into a kitchen chair. Who am I to turn down first-class service?

“Order’s up!” Steve smiles.

“Eggs and bacon, hold the lecture.”

“Eggs, bacon, toast, and fruit.” He sets the plate in front of me. And a mug. “Hot chocolate.”

With whipped cream? Hell. I’m really in for it.

Steve sits down across from me with his own plate. “Your mom was worried sick.”

“I caught enough of that last night. Don’t drag it all back up.”

He sips coffee. “It’s not that simple. When she worries, it affects everything.”

“I know.”

“You’re a good kid.”

I avert my eyes.

“Shae Tatum—”

I see her body in the street. Feel the heat.

“—it has her shaken up, okay?”