At last, we’re at Northern Madrone College. My fingers tingle like they do before a race. The buses come to a stop in the guest parking lot. At one end is the athletic building that I recognize from the cross-country meet. Behind it, there’s a peek of the sparkling blue water of the swimming pool. Eucalyptus trees dot the campus and make the whole college feel dark and secret, but in a cool way. As everyone jostles to get off the bus, I pull the campus map out of my back pocket. Beyond the athletic building is the student union, to the right is the arts building, and past that is the science building where the planetarium is. I can’t see it, but I know from the map that at the other end of the parking lot is the Humanities Building. Easy-peasy.

“Can you believe Mrs. Ellingham?” Gaby says. “That was so unfair that she split us up. I had to sit with Charlotte Perkins.” Gaby keeps complaining, but I stop listening to her. I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to escape her and Rebecca. At school, I love having people around me all the time. I love when we hang out at my locker before class starts and just talk. I never really listen to them, but I like having the noise around me, the attention. I don’t know how Mattie can stand it. I’ve seen her at her locker by herself in the mornings. I hate being alone. It’s so, well, lonely. But today I need to lose my friends.

“Gaby Molina,” calls Mrs. Ellingham, “move along. You’re blocking the aisle.”

Gaby smirks and then heads to the door, giving me a great idea.

As the seventh graders march toward the science building, I catch a glimpse of Mattie. She’s walking by herself, although the dork crew is close behind her. She’s pale. I hope she’s okay. I shake the thought away. It’s not my fault if she’s having a panic attack or whatever. She agreed to do this. I didn’t force her. I mean, not exactly.

We file into the planetarium, which has weird seats that lean way back. The whole room is lit with pale-blue lights, making it feel like you should rub your eyes so you can see better. Everything is carpeted—the floors, the aisle, even the walls. The carpet soaks up all the shrieks and hollers of the noisy kids. Gaby and Rebecca are on my heels as we head down the right-hand aisle. When I pause, Rebecca bumps into me. Time to put my plan into action.

“Watch out, Becca,” I say, and shove her back. She laughs and pushes me. I glance up to see where Ms. Garcia is.