She hadn’t wanted to risk leaving it, though; couldn’t handle doing the wrong thing. The rules on the cube were clear, and she was the kind of person who followed the rules because bad things happened when you didn’t. She went to check her phone and felt a roller-coaster plunge of panic that she’d left it up there. But no, there it was, in her back right jeans pocket.

Eli said, “What’s it saying now?” He looked excited.

Eden peered into her backpack and reached for the device, then held it where only the three of them could see it. It was blank, lifeless.

She dropped it into her bag, zipped it, and checked her phone.

Her mom had texted to see if she was home yet.

Got stuck chatting, she wrote. Leaving now.

She really shouldn’t have taken it.

“Should I go back in?” she asked. “After the firefighters leave? And put it back?”

“What’s the fun in that?” Eli said.

“You think this is fun?”

He shrugged. “Sort of. I mean, I’d take it, but I have a dentist appointment and it seems like that might complicate things. I can take it later, though.”

“I’ve got soccer,” Marwan said. “And I’m already going to be late. I’m really sorry, but I’ve got to go. If it were me I’d put it back.”

He walked off toward a bike rack, and Eden felt disappointed in him for no reason, really. When he said he was sorry, at least he sounded like he meant it.

Putting it back was probably smart … and yet … that would mean it would be unattended.

Or else what?

Eli turned to her. “So what’s the plan?”

It was Wednesday, the one day of the week when Eden didn’t have theater or guitar lessons or therapy or anything that her mother made her do so she’d be too busy to be depressed or anxious or pregnant, even though she was two out of three of those most of the time.

The school security guards were out on the sidewalk shouting, “We need to clear the area. Please just go home! No one’s going back in today, so move on!”

“I guess I can take it and maybe just return it tomorrow?” She shrugged and tried to hide her panic. Deep breaths. Lots of them. Her heart would calm down eventually.

Right?

Right?

She checked her phone.

Starbucks was right there. Julian might still be inside, and she could say, “Hey, Gillian,” and be funny. All she needed was one actual real-life, broad daylight encounter to put an end to the awkwardness of what had happened.

“Let me give you my number.” Eli got his phone out. “I’m kind of, I don’t know, curious. This way you can let me know what else it does.”

“But what is it?” she asked.