I wanted to leave, but I was stuck from all my politeness training. I decided when I got out of the store, I would leave town. Go and live…somewhere else. Not in Vegas, obviously. Not here because it sucked and because my cover story was gone. I could go to…When I couldn’t think of a single place to go, I got this feeling in my chest. Don’t cry, I told myself. Not here. Not in front of Rigmor and Nils and all the superheroes.

But I sure wanted to cry. I would only admit that to you because I know you’d understand.

“Your dad is a genius,” said Nils. “I’ve sold so many copies of Get Lucky. And I love his shows. What’s happening to him is a disgrace.”

My head snapped up.

“That’s right. This whole thing where people get their lives ruined for nothing has gone too far. I read about it. Your dad says he didn’t do anything wrong. And I know from experience that’s probably true. Missy Stephenson and those other ones are just trying to ruin him.”

I couldn’t believe it. He was saying what I thought! Finally! Someone who got it.

I looked from Rigmor to Nils.

“Nils got accused of touching a girl when he was in eleventh grade. At a dance at the high school. She said he grabbed her and worse stuff too. They were going to throw him out of school. Everyone said he was dangerous.”

Nils nodded. His pale face had gone pink and there were red blotches on his neck.

“The only reason my life wasn’t ruined was because there was a camera in the hallway where she said it happened,” he said.

Rigmor’s face was serious. She looked way older than any other sixth grader I know.

“The girl finally told the truth,” said Rigmor. “She told them she said what she said because he asked another girl to the dance and that made her jealous. Nils had to talk to counselors and he even had to get interviewed by the police.”

“People thought I was a criminal,” said Nils. His voice was all hoarse and he sounded like he was going to be upset about what happened for the rest of his life. “There are still people in this town who think I’ve got a problem. There are still girls who avoid me.”

“That’s just ’cause of the comics,” said Rigmor. She was holding a doll of Princess Leia in a bikini, busting the chain Jabba the Hutt put on her. “I think they avoid you because you game all the time and read comics. This isn’t Brooklyn, you know.”

“Darn straight it’s not. And anyway, what do you know about Brooklyn?” said Nils. He smiled at her.

“I know you want to move there one day,” said Rigmor.