Lia nodded.

The rest of the day was a blur. Lia didn’t have another class with Devon, and though they had texted over the last few days, they hadn’t talked about what happened at Ben’s party. Death put a damper on dating.

I just feel weird about it is all, he texted her, unprompted, during third period. It’s a game, and you’re treating it like it’s real.

She had no idea how to respond to that, so she settled on Okay.

It was bad.

“So,” Gem said as they sat in their car after school. “Nora.”

“She goes to that big park down by the river after school before heading home,” Lia said. “Jogs, does resistance training, and yoga, depending on the day.”

“Okay.” Gem started the car. “Let’s go fake-kill Nora.”

They grabbed milkshakes and snacks, and Gem pulled over outside the park. It was one of those private parks owned by a homeowners association, and the gate to get into the lot was locked, a lone woman enjoying the solitude of the park and snapping selfies in front of the flower beds. They would have to get Nora on her way in or out, or find a way inside. Gem cracked a window and Lia pushed her seatback down.

“So you and Devon vanished for a while the other night.” Gem sipped their drink. “Have fun?”

Lia sank down in her seat. “Yes.”

“You want to expand on that?”

“Not really,” Lia said. “I feel sort of guilty about it now. You know.”

Gem sucked on their teeth and nodded. “I don’t know if I should message May condolences or something. It feels…”

“Like we left him to die but not really?” Lia offered.

“Yeah,” Gem said. “What if we’d stayed later? What if we’d gotten there earlier?”

“What ifs don’t bring people back. They just make us worry,” Lia whispered. Her therapist had told her that. “They might have just killed him the next time he was alone. We were just orbiting.”

If death were a planet, Abby’s and Ben’s families were rings. Lia and Gem were distant moons or cold, observant stars.

“If we keep this conversation up, I will cry, so I’m throwing you under the bus,” Gem said. “You and Devon make out?”

“Oh my God.” Lia folded over her knees but nodded. “What does it mean?”

Gem practically squealed. “It means you were wrong all these years!”

“But it’s not good circumstances,” Lia said. “At all.”

“Are you still talking?”

“Yeah,” Lia said, “and I’ll see him tomorrow in class.”

“Amazing,” Gem said.

“Are you just excited because I was wrong?” Lia asked.

“Blah blah blah I’m happy for you whatever.” Gem waved their hand. “So rarely can I say ‘I told you so.’ Let me have this.”

“What do I even say to him?” Lia groaned. “Hey, I know our friend died after we made out, but are we official or is it a casual thing?”

“Add a heart emoji to the end, but yeah.” Gem leaned forward and touched Lia’s arm. “Nora’s here. She didn’t withdraw, so this is fine, right?”