“I’m lost, Haze. Just because they see something different in us and treat us differently doesn’t mean we’re not the same. This is still you and me. I’m your best friend no matter where we are, no matter what anyone does or doesn’t do to us.”

“You’re friends with Theo and Evan. I’m friends with Priya.”

Jesus, she is not getting this.

“Hazel is right,” Priya says.

Damn it, not her, too.

Hazel and I glance over at the same time, but our expressions are polar opposites. She is relieved to have someone backing her up. I’m irritated that they’re both believing the crap Caleb, Owen, and Matt want us to believe.

“No, she’s not! Come on, surely you can see that they want us to think this. Don’t give them that. We’re all the same.”

Priya rolls her almost-black eyes. “I want to believe you, Piper, but if they were to put us all in room zero, we know the three left standing would be you, Evan, and Theo.”

Throwing my hands up, I exclaim, “I’m not going to kill anyone!”

“Not right now, but you will. Theo and I have, and so has Evan. Let’s not pretend like we have a choice when we go into that room. It’s instinct,” Priya rants, her face reddening.

I sit on the sofa, my back sinking into the cushions. “Priya.”

Sighing, she gently tugs on the bottom of her long hair, twirling strands through her fingers. “I’m sorry, but let’s not pretend here. We’re not getting out alive, not me, Hazel, or Lucie anyway.”

“And you think what? That they’ll let me, Theo, Evan go? Because that’s not going to happen. Maybe we won’t die the first time we go into room zero, but taking someone’s life is going to destroy us anyway.”

The door from the waiting room opens, and Evan walks back in. He braces himself against the wall and looks over.

Our eyes connect, and he takes a ragged breath.

“Are you okay?” I ask, getting to my feet.

He straightens his back and drops his hand. His moment of weakness is over, and now he’s back to his strong self.

“I’m fine.”

“Where were you?” I ask, walking over to him. Though from his wet hair and sweatshirt, I already know.

His eyes find the floor. “Five. I’m tired.”

I follow him into the bedroom. “Was it Caleb?”

He looks over his shoulder. “And Owen.”

“Both of them?”

“Yeah. They took turns.” He spins and wraps his arms around my back. Burying his head in my neck, he whispers, “There was hardly any time between.”

“Evan,” I murmur, hugging him back so tight, I’m scared I’m actually hurting him. But he doesn’t complain.