Lucas shakes his head. “She was…fierce. You didn’t want to start a fight with her, because a completely different girl would emerge. But if she liked you, then she was sweet and caring. And she was great at thinking up gifts.”

What if Kate’s plan fails and Claus realizes I’m not coming alone?

“Isolde was chaotic. She was always losing her homework. Her mom and dad had a hair salon, here in town. She sometimes used to help out on Saturdays and she couldn’t even remember if the customers wanted coffee or tea. And she couldn’t make decisions either. She kept changing her mind about absolutely everything.”

“And how was the friendship between her and Kate?”

“Isolde kept Kate’s feet on the ground. She was never impressed whenever Kate’s mom and dad gave her something new. She’d have thought this night at the Riverside was ridiculous—and she probably wouldn’t have made a secret of it. That might have caused some friction.”

I look into the flames. “It sounds…intense.”

“It was. But it worked between the four of us. Kate was really good for Isolde too, because Isolde was a real worrier. Kate often used to change her mood by dragging her out with us.”

“Why didn’t anyone ever spill the beans? The whole school must have known her. Why didn’t a student or a teacher mention her name even once?”

“It’s off-limits.” Lucas makes a face. “No one wants to talk about her because it’s too painful.”

I slowly nod. The fire crackles.

“I’ll go with you,” Lucas says then.

When I look up, he smiles.

“If we’re really going ahead with this plan, I’ll be the one who goes with you.”

I feel a kind of warm glow inside. It already seems a bit less frightening now that Lucas will be there.

“Good.”

Lucas looks at me. “Try not to imagine everything that could go wrong.”

I give him a weak smile. “Well, they do call me Spinner for a reason.”

“Spinner?”

“Yes, because I’m always imagining stuff. Something to do with spinning yarns. It’s Kate’s nickname for me. Lame, huh?”

Lucas flushes. “Sorry to tell you this, but Spinner was Isolde’s nickname.”

What is Lucas talking about? Why would Kate give me the same nickname as her old best friend?

Maybe because, all along, I’ve just been a replacement.

The idea echoes around inside my head and won’t let me go.

What if Kate isn’t the only one who sees the similarity with Isolde?

Perhaps that’s why Fender has such a problem with me.

The fire suddenly feels hot and unpleasant.

“Where are you going?” Lucas asks when I stand up.

“We have to get back inside.” I try to make my voice sound as normal as possible. “It’s nearly eight.”

Fender