“If you’d seen what was drawn, you wouldn’t need to ask,” Ms. B said.

It’s that bad, Caleb thought, again resisting the urge to look at Emma. But it makes no sense. “Where’s the Axis team?” he asked.

“I told them to go home,” Ms. B said. She gazed in at the computer lab and sadly shook her head. “I never imagined it would come to this.”

Caleb wished he could figure out what was going on. “So…what about next week?” he asked.

“I’m not sure,” Ms. B said. “Why don’t we wait a few days and then talk about it.” She checked her watch. “I need to report this to the police. You might as well go home.”

Ms. B left, but Emma, Caleb, and Zach dawdled. They’d missed the regular buses, and it was way too early for the late bus. They drew a hate symbol in the boys’ room just before the eSports match, Caleb thought. He didn’t know why, but he knew who did. Only, he would have to wait until the time was right to ask.

Zach cleared his throat and made some snorting sounds. Caleb wondered why he was still hanging around. Was he waiting for Caleb to say something? Was it a sign that deep down he still wanted to be friends?

“I think I better go,” Emma said. Caleb suspected that she sensed that he and Zach needed to talk. Or was there another reason why she was eager to leave? She headed around a corner. In the empty corridor, Zach glanced briefly at Caleb and then stared again at the floor.

Caleb thought back to the times he and Zach had spent together over the past couple of months. The skateboarding, the pretend game casting, the funny private moments they’d shared when Caleb felt he could be as free as he wanted. It was something he hadn’t experienced much. Not when he was always so busy with school and activities. Always challenging himself. Always needing to be the best. Always—to be honest—looking for ways to get extra credit. Maybe there was nothing wrong with that, as long as you took time to have fun, too.

Zach cleared his throat again and chewed on a fingernail. Caleb thought he understood why he’d switched to the Axis side that morning. He couldn’t really blame the kid. Given the way Zach had been treated all these years, who could fault him for being mistrustful?

Caleb made a decision and reached toward Zach, who flinched and took a step back, as if he was afraid Caleb wanted to hurt him. But Caleb gently placed his hand on Zach’s shoulder. “Hey, want to come over to my house?” he asked.

When Crosby felt arms go around his waist and lift him off his feet, he couldn’t see who was carrying him. His eyes were still burning and blurred with tears. His ears were filled with the shouts and screams of people engaged in battle, but now there was also the quick heavy breaths of whoever was carrying him. Crosby had no idea who it was, or where they were going, but he didn’t resist. With each thudding footfall, the person carrying him was taking him away from the violence. And Crosby was finally able to gasp air that didn’t cause his lungs to burn.