But before I can hit SEND, the screen switches to a phone call, and the words Do Not Answer light up the screen.

I definitely have to change that now.

“Hello?”

“Well, hello to you too,” Mom’s voice chimes in. “Thanks for letting me know you landed safely.”

“Sorry,” I apologize, and kind of mean it. “Things were a little hectic.”

“I can imagine,” she says. I swear I can hear a smile on her lips. “Well, Michael wasn’t exactly thrilled you left early, but I explained things.”

“I owe you one.”

“You owe me more than that. Your brother too.”

It feels weird to be able to laugh with this woman I loathed for so much of my life. But now it feels like we’re on the right track. Finally.

“How is Wyatt?”

“Fine. Surprised when I showed up on his doorstep.”

“Makes sense,” Mom says, and then she goes quiet, things getting awkward again. “I just wanted to call, make sure you were okay.”

“Yeah, I am.”

“Mhmm …” More silence. “I’m glad that we had the chance to talk, Neil.”

“I am too.”

“I hope that you’ll come home more often?”

“Yeah … I think I’d like that,” I say to her. “Maybe you can come to Charlotte.”

Another smile. “I’d like that.”

“I can show you Cook Out.”

“Now that I’m not sure about.”

More laughter.

“I’ve got to go, make sure the hotel is all cleaned up. But I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?”

“Yeah, sounds good.”

“Love you.”

“Love you too, Mom.”

And just like that, the call ends. I could almost fool myself into thinking that the entire thing was made up. I’ve literally never talked to my mother like that before, and she’s never spoken like that to me either. It’s weird, abnormal, odd. But I like it; I like feeling that we’re on the other side of something now.

And now I’ve got to get to work.

*  *  *

I make the room perfect, right up until the last second, when Wyatt is texting me that they’re back on campus.

ME: come alone

WYATT: You aren’t naked, right?

ME: perv

WYATT: That doesn’t answer the question.

ME: NO!

ME: i’m not naked, weirdo

There are a few more students at Steerfield, some who came back early like us, though most will arrive tomorrow. When the room was getting too hot, I left the door open, praying that no teachers or staff would come by to see what I was doing. I got a few weird looks, but nothing bad.

With seconds to spare, I start the song, making sure it loops.

Wyatt walks in just as Carly starts to sing the words.

They take it all in.