“Magic’s not real,” Gem said. “I’m just impressive. If you ever went to a play, you would know that.”

Later, when school was over, Lia met up with Gem in the parking lot.

“I’m sorry about earlier,” Gem said. “You’ve seen my tricks so often.”

“I never get tired of it,” Lia said, wrapping one arm around Gem’s waist. “Never. Except that one with the fake blood. Don’t do that one again without warning me. Took ages to get the stain out.”

Gem unlocked the car doors and they both got in.

They leaned their head against the steering wheel. “I know we have things to do, but can one of the things be a nap?”

“After we follow Peter to wherever he goes at night,” Lia said, patting Gem’s back.

Gem groaned. Lia laughed and let her head fall against the window. Outside, a figure stood at the open trunk of a car across the lot with their face turned to Gem and Lia. Lia raised a hand to block her reflection, and Gem started the car. The figure tossed something heavy into the trunk and slammed it shut.

“I think we’re being followed,” Lia said.

Gem sighed. “This is fun, but I’ll be glad when it’s done. Let them follow. We can take them.”

The car—a small blue hatchback—followed them for five minutes before turning off into a Sonic. Lia couldn’t quite make out the driver’s face, and Gem kept two cars behind Peter, who hadn’t seemed to notice he was being followed. He immediately went home, and for two hours went nowhere else. Gem and Lia did homework in the car, peeking down the street every few minutes to make sure Peter didn’t leave. He didn’t.

Finally Gem and Lia called it a night, and Lia decided to follow him in the morning.

“You’ll be on your own,” Gem said. “I am going to the gym.”

Lia scrunched up her nose. “You never go to the gym.”

“It’s a new thing I’m trying,” Gem said, blushing. “May’s going with me.”

“Really? That’s great!” Lia said. Sometimes she had to remind herself that people led lives outside the game. She just wasn’t able to be one of them.

After Gem dropped her off, she stood there, in the entry hall, alone. It was nearly eight. Dinner was little more than the slightly charred scent of Brussels sprouts—they’d stopped having family dinners after Mark went to college since they couldn’t do family dinners without the whole family.

“Lia?” her mom called. The music in the kitchen lowered. “That you?”

“Yeah! I was with Gem.”

“Did you get your homework done?” Her mom came around the corner, familiar tense face. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Lia said quickly. She had already witnessed a murder and dragged her family through that. She was fine. She was. She needed to keep moving. “Just thinking. Can I eat?”

“Of course.” Her mom shot her an odd look and headed back toward the kitchen. “Come on. I’ll warm up the chicken.”