She exhales into the speaker. “No, it’s really not.”

“What do you mean?” I lean over to switch on my lamp, but my legs are tangled up in my sheets, and all I manage to do is send an empty cup crashing from my nightstand.

“Willow?” My mom opens our connecting room, flooding my room with light. She’s wearing pajamas, but she looks wide-awake, like she hadn’t actually been asleep. “Who is it?”

I point to the phone. “Emma.”

Mom’s eyebrows knit together in concern. “Is everything all right?”

“When did you see him last?” Emma asks in my ear.

My stomach tightens. I don’t want to get Mason in trouble for sneaking over to the house with me, but something tells me I need to tell her the truth. People don’t call at this hour without a good reason. “Last night. We were… together at my aunt’s house. And then he said he was going home.” My mom crosses the room and sits next to me on the bed.

“Did he tell you anything about running away?”

Her words hit me like a bucket of ice water, and for a moment I’m too stunned to think. I must be misunderstanding somehow. Is she saying that Mason ran away? Because there’s absolutely no possible way that can be true. “What are you talking about?” Panic is rising slowly but surely in my throat.

“He took his books and some clothes. He left his phone. And also…” Her voice is tight, like she’s been crying, and now my throat is closing in on itself. “He left gifts. For the girls and you.”

My heart slams against my chest. “That—that can’t be true,” I stutter. “I’m sure he’s just stargazing or something. Have you checked my aunt’s house?”

My mom takes the phone from me now, pressing it to her ear. “Emma, this is Mary. What’s going on?” She listens for a moment. “Willow and Mason have been spending time at the house together. I think we’d better go over and check it out. Can we meet you there? Okay, see you in a minute.”

“Mom, he didn’t run away,” I say. “He couldn’t have.”

Her face is lined with worry. She reaches over and clasps my hand tightly for a moment. “You really didn’t know? Because I know how important it is to kids to honor each other’s trust. But in this case, the right thing to do is tell an adult.” She’s studying my eyes.

“I really don’t know anything.” A big, shuddery sob works its way to my throat. “If I did, I would tell you.”

She nods, squeezing my hand tighter. “All right. Willow, you’re going to be okay. I’m right here with you, and you aren’t going to be alone in this.”