Katie didn’t know I was over it, so when she called, she leapt in speed-talking, thinking I’d hang up on her or something. As if I’m a drudge to carry a grudge. Oh fudge.

I’d never hang Katie

My captain, first matie

We won’t separatie

Be pals till we’re eighty

My Katie potatie.

Whatever debatie

No matter how weighty

Or how irritatey

I never could hatie

My bestest friend Katie.

She (quickly) told me about Rob’s mom calling, and about Rob staying out all night.

“I know you blame me for this,” Katie said. “But Sarah, you’ve gotta get over it! This is serious! And I’ll say it one more time: I did not tell Mr. White, Mr. Chen, or anyone else!”

“Okay, all’s forgiven,” I teased—which was stupid, seeing as she didn’t know I was over it.

“Who’s asking for forgiveness?” Katie sputtered, exasperated. “I didn’t do anything to forgive! Don’t you get it?”

“All right, Katie,” I said. “If it’ll make you happy, then I don’t forgive you. Better?”

Then Katie heard my jokey tone and got it that our fight was fought, our snit was snot.

“I’m sorry I was such a turd,” I said.

She sighed, satisfied, and immediately changed the subject back to Rob’s disappearance.

“Well, he was really flipped out over this,” I told her. “He kept saying his dad was going to kill him. I suppose he could’ve really meant kill, as in shoot, stab, flay. As in ta-ta, so long, bye-bye.”

Katie doubted it.

I went on, “And after Rob’s dad killed him, he probably hid the body, and now he’s pretending to act baffled. Using his wife’s genuine bafflement as his cover!”

I laughed, and Katie practically bit my head off. She has zero sense of humor about death.

“You’re right,” I kept teasing. “They’re probably both in it together. Mrs. King is playing the part of the worried, loving mother, wringing her hands, calling Rob’s friends. Maybe hauling his photo to the police station. And His Excellency, Mr. King, is no doubt pacing and chain-smoking as the frantic, heartsick, doting, desperately worried daddy-o.”

Katie still wasn’t laughing. I could tell through the phone that she wasn’t even smiling. In a whisper she said, “Do you think Rob could have killed himself?”

I felt the hairs on the back of my neck jump to attention, but I said, “Rob? No way! He just…well, he just ran away, or he’s staying with a friend or something. This is not a big deal.”

Katie was still whispering. “Should we tell his parents about the test?” she asked.

“They already know,” I said. “Mr. Principal called everyone.”