She curses, flinging it away. “Oh my God! Trace! You are so disgusting!” The rest of us crack up. “I can’t believe you let me touch that!” Wiping her hand furiously on her jeans.

“What? It’s just the wrapper.” He laughs as she lunges forward and pounds his shoulder, jolting his words: “It’s a—responsible—way—for two adults—”

“You assclown! Now I’ve got freakin’ lube or whatever on me—”

“No.” He holds up a hand. “I went for style, not comfort. We’re trying to make a statement here.”

I laugh. “We are?”

He’s quiet a second, taking care to come to a complete stop at the bottom of the hill, scanning his mirrors for cops lurking in turnarounds. “After four years of mind-numbing bullshit, I want PDHS to know exactly what it can do with its driveshaft.”

It’s hard not to rehash every detail of the night when we get to the park, but caution demands it. Looks like I’m going to have to wait until the news hits tomorrow to find out what they actually did with Crackenback’s VW.

It’s nearly eight o’clock now, so cold that almost nobody’s still at the park, just a few diehards who never seem to leave, Kincaid being one of them. Like that day Bree told me about, last summer, when he skated in the rain until he was soaked through, water streaming from his hair, then took off down that shortcut through the houses. He hasn’t stopped moving since he got here, and there’s a deliberateness to it, like he’s trying to keep warm.

After Sage and Trace leave, Bree nudges me. “I’m calling it. Can’t feel my toes. Let’s go.” She springs up and down a bit to keep the blood flowing.

I hesitate. “Actually, I think I’ll hang out for a while.”

She looks at me. I’ve never done this, stayed without her. “Aren’t you cold?”

“Not too bad. I’ll see you tomorrow, though.” It comes out sounding weird, like I’m throwing her a bone or something, and I force a laugh. “For the big Bug unveiling and everything.”

She snorts, nods, and goes, crossing the park. Once she passes the picnic enclosure, her phone flashlight is the only thing I can see, heading toward the trails home. I feel like such an asshole, making her go alone.