It had been a long time since Emma and Gavin had said more than a handful of words to each other. She’d assumed he liked being with people like Tyler and Crosby.

“Can I ask you something, Emma?” Gavin said. “How come you’ve been so unfriendly to me?”

School was over, and it was time for the eSports club. Last week’s match had been interrupted by the malware attack, so the semester score was still the Allies: 4 and the Axis: 3. The computer tech had run a deep scan and removed the malware so the Providias were ready to be used again. Nathan found a kid who played a lot of TGW and would fill in for Zach, but as Caleb trudged down the hall to the computer lab, he didn’t feel much like playing.

The fact that the Allies wouldn’t have Zach on their side was the least of it, although Caleb doubted they’d have much of a chance against the Axis without him. Caleb tried to remind himself that it was just a game, but it really hurt that Zach had deserted their squad because of him.

As he passed the boys’ room, Caleb saw something odd. The door was wide open, and Principal Summers was standing inside with a crestfallen expression on her face. It looked like she was close to tears. A custodian was using dark green paint to cover something reddish-orange on the wall. Whatever it was looked like it had been spray-painted, but most of it was now hidden under the new coat of green. Caleb couldn’t be sure what had been there, but he was certain that he’d seen that yam-colored shade of spray paint before.

When Principal Summers saw him looking in from the hall, her face revealed what Caleb thought was great sadness and frustration. He was surprised. In his experience, the only two emotions she displayed were sternness and pleasure. But now she looked truly shaken. Whatever had been drawn on that wall must have really rattled her.

Caleb continued down the hall. When he turned the corner, he saw Emma and Zach outside the computer lab, looking at a handwritten sign taped to the door: ESPORTS CLUB CANCELED.

“What’s going on?” Caleb asked.

Emma made a nervous fluttering gesture with her hands. “Uh, I don’t know.”

Zach looked away and didn’t say anything.

“Well, I just saw something really weird,” Caleb said, and began to tell them about the boys’ room. Before he could finish, Ms. B came down the hall, looking grim. “In case you’re wondering, someone drew a hate symbol on the boys’ room wall,” she said, sounding angry and disheartened. “Don’t ask what it was. But Principal Summers and I have decided to cancel the eSports club today.”

Hate symbol? Caleb was astonished. He had to force himself not to stare at Emma. Instead, he asked Ms. B, “What makes you think the two things are related?”