“I remember what a fun little kid you used to be.”

Chad and I haven’t really talked since the day he and Hannah came over. And Hannah stormed out because I raised the question of her lying about Chloe at the dance.

He failed to answer my text earlier.

“Come on,” I say to Chad. “Are you here to see me or her?”

“I barely noticed her,” Chad says, as he enters my room. “She’s so tiny, she’s almost invisible.” He looks back once. “Bye, little Livvy.”

Olivia flips him off and turns for her room.

Chad takes my desk chair, and I sit on the edge of the bed right over the journal.

“What are you doing knocking like that?” I ask. “You sounded like a cop.”

“I figured I had to make a lot of noise. I came by earlier, and you weren’t here. Your dad said you were at Hector’s house.” He looks perplexed. “Really? Hector’s studying at the library. His grade in physics is in the shitter, and Coach is on his case about it. What were you doing?”

“I texted you earlier, and you didn’t answer.”

“I was at practice. Some coach from a small college in Indiana came by and wanted to talk to me.”

“Really?”

“I don’t want to play soccer in college. You know that.”

“Okay, okay,” I say. “Look, I’m sorry things got weird when you came over with Hannah. It feels like I’m apologizing a lot.”

“It doesn’t make my life any easier when you get Hannah pissed,” he says. “But don’t worry about it. Life goes on.”

“I guess it does.”

“So where were you earlier?” he asks.

“It’s a long story.”

Chad studies me, waiting for more.

“Okay,” Chad says, stretching. “If you don’t want to tell me…”

It’s good to see him. I feel like one of those kids who live in a bubble because they have a disease that keeps them from real contact with other human beings.

Except my disease is suspicion. Everyone thinks I’m guilty.

“So, what are you hearing?” I ask. “About the case?”

“Oh.” Chad looks a little disappointed. “Well, I guess the gossip at school is the same. Just wild rumors.”

“Like what?”

“Some people are saying Chloe and Daniel were secretly dating, and she killed him and then ran off to California to become a Scientologist. They sat next to each other in trig last year, and people think they conspired to do it. Maybe since Daniel wants to make movies.” He shrugs. “I don’t know, man. People don’t say as much about it because they know we’re friends. When I walk into a classroom, I can tell they’re talking about it, but they shut it down when they see me.”

“That makes sense.”

“Anyway, I wanted to—”

“What about Hannah’s dad?”

“Her dad?”