They pass me their phones without hesitation, then start going over their plan.

Before they notice, I back into the hallway and pull the door to my room closed, leaving them in there alone. Swiftly, I close the door to the spare room that’s directly in front of mine. The sturdy rope that I picked up from the hardware store today is already tied to that door, and within a few seconds, I have the rope tied to my own door handle, the rope taut across the hallway.

“Thea?” Aiden’s voice calls hesitantly from the other side of the door. “Thea, what are you doing?”

Instead of answering, I triple-check the knot I tied. I spent a while searching for videos to find the most effective knot, and practiced to make sure I could do it perfectly and quickly when I got home today.

Stick to the plan.

“What’s going on, Thea?” Aiden’s voice is louder now, more panicked as he tries to pull open the door, only to be met with resistance.

I wipe away the only tear I’m allowing myself to shed today, forcing myself to block it out, to be strong. My voice comes out calm, detached. “I’m sorry, Aiden.”

“Very funny, Thea. Open the door.” Noah laughs, but it’s weak and hesitant.

“This isn’t the plan, Thea!” Mason exclaims.

The doorknob keeps turning and the door is trying to be pulled open, but it’s not giving.

“This was always the plan, Mason. My plan.”

Step one was always to make sure my friends were kept out of it, to keep them safe. This is my fight. Step two is a bit more complicated now with the no cops thing and with Tony having already been made aware of Annalisa, so I’m going to have to wing it.

All three boys are talking to me from the other side of the door, trying and failing to get the door open.

“Don’t do this, Thea!” Aiden’s voice is loud and clear, and there’s an edge of desperation leaking into his words. “Don’t meet him alone! Stop this!”

My resolve falters for only a moment before returning tenfold. I will never be able to live with myself if something happens to my friends, and I’m ensuring they won’t sacrifice themselves for me, not this time. I can live with whatever happens to me—I’ve made peace with my decision—but I can never live with myself if my friends, my best friends, are harmed because of me, not when I can do something to prevent it, to protect them.

There’s banging on the door and I jump at the harsh sound. It sounds like the wood’s going to splinter apart under the pressure. “Thea, open this door! Thea! Don’t do this!” Aiden continues banging on the door, the calmness in his voice completely abandoned for desperation. There’s a pressure on my chest as I back away from the door. I’ve never done what I’m told anyway, why start now?

Stick to the plan.