But Amy knew. She couldn’t say how, exactly, but the thought never left her mind. Maybe it was the way Rover always seemed to be watching her, somewhere in the background. Or maybe it was how Katie had a hard time meeting her eye in the mornings. Whatever the case, Amy knew it was Rover. She knew he was doing it. When Marguerite had asked if she wanted to have a sleepover weekend, Amy had all but begged her parents to let her go.

Marguerite was waiting now in the front hallway and waved Amy over. As they headed for the door, Amy tried to pay attention to her friend’s plans for the weekend—ice cream, a movie on demand, a spa day—but she was just too wiped out to make any sense of it and mostly nodded along. They passed Valerie Starr in the hall, her own face gray, her eyes looking scared and fragile, lugging her heavy backpack to her locker. Amy thought she ought to say something but couldn’t imagine what it would be. When she and Valerie locked eyes, Amy turned away.

The air mattress on Marguerite’s floor might as well have been a featherbed in a fairy-tale castle when Amy woke up on it. She stretched and yawned, feeling deliciously refreshed. She had no memories after putting on her pj’s and lying down on the bed—she must have conked right out. And, she realized, looking at Marguerite’s empty bed, she’d apparently slept in.

Marguerite’s moms, Jean and Chloe, waved to her from the stove as she padded into the kitchen. Amy climbed up across from Marguerite at the kitchen table.

“Dude, I’m sorry I punked out so early,” she said.

“Dude, you were out,” Marguerite said between sips of OJ. “I was still choosing a movie when I heard you snoring.”

Amy felt her face go warm. “I’m the biggest loser.”

“Oh, whatever, sometimes people’re tired. Hope you slept well—we’ve got a busy day.”

“I actually feel great,” said Amy. It was true, too. The night of unbroken rest had left her feeling better than she had in ages. All the exhaustion and distraction of the day before was gone.

Marguerite’s moms made them waffles and bacon, and then Jean drove them to a nature preserve a few miles out of town. They got to see eagles and owls in person, and Amy even got to hold a chinchilla, which was like a tiny kangaroo made of the softest fluff imaginable. Then they went on a short hike, just enough to break a sweat and give her and Marguerite a chance to catch up on things they’d seen online and rumors they’d heard around their class.