Jack drops into the chair on my other side and pushes a basket of fries in front of me. “Everyone’s saying the whole school is demanding to be expelled,” he tells us.

“We know,” we say.

“Gavin’s coming to tell us the same thing,” Taylor says, nodding over at Gavin and Ellory weaving through the tables toward us. “We know,” Taylor tells them when they reach us.

Ellory says, “I’ll be honest—I don’t know how it’s going to go tonight.”

“Well, that’s comforting,” Taylor says.

“I’m going to argue for you,” she says. “Obviously.”

“I told them to suspend me too,” Gavin announces proudly.

“Thank you, Gavin,” I say. A squeeze of affection for him. I forgive him, I think. He was a bonehead last summer and behaved badly, and he hurt me. But that hour in his room, the talk we had—I can let go of that shame, which I wish I hadn’t let consume me. It is a reminder that I’m whole on my own, and his reassurances were just a gift with purchase.

“Good job, Gavin,” Nevaeh says.

“You’re a hero, Gavin,” Taylor says.

“You’re the best, Gavin,” Katherine says.

“I think you’re being sarcastic,” Gavin says.

“I’ll text you when I know something,” Ellory says to Nevaeh, and leads Gavin away by the elbow.

“Are they back together?” Nevaeh says. “I thought she had that boy’s number.”

“Maybe that’s why they’re back together. He’s easy,” Taylor says.

We settle into gossip and french fries, trying to cut through that tension in our shoulders. I want to wish the hours away, leap forward past all this waiting.

But this is a good way to wait. The best. Friends around the table and french fries, even though Jack insists on dipping them in barbecue sauce like a barbarian. The feeling that we’ve had a good day despite everything, even though our costumes are itchy. Knowing that we’re going to be okay, because look at us. We’re together.

Late in the evening, Jack texts us—he’s getting Saturday detentions and probation. He sounds happy. Taylor confirms that they high-fived when he got the news, hanging out together in the common room.

Ellory stops by Katherine and Nevaeh’s to tell us they haven’t decided yet on our fate. She can’t give us details, but apparently there’s intense debate happening. All about us.

I crawl into bed, hold Rachel close, and leave my mother a message because she doesn’t pick up.