“That’s a good enough reason to put it off, then,” Rain said. He gripped the doorframe, leaning into the room a little. I heard Mrs. Yamada’s voice stop.

“Yes?” she asked.

“Wanted to let Tristan and Byron know we’re heading out. We’re not meeting today.”

“Okay,” Byron said. “He’ll have heard you.”

He sounded different, even. Quieter, in the way people talked if they were sure they’d be heard regardless, if they didn’t care, or, on the other side of things if they knew they wouldn’t be listened to.

“We’ll hang out,” Rain said. “You and me, we’ll do something soon.”

“Okay. How’s Erin?”

“She’s good,” Rain said. “I could invite her to come with.”

“I wouldn’t mind.”

“Yeah, for sure,” Rain said.

Rain was still smiling when he stepped away from the door.

“Let’s go,” Rain said.

I had to pause as Kenzie and Chris got out of my way and turned to head down the hallway, while Rain and Ashley led the way. I didn’t catch Ashley and Rain’s brief exchange of words.

I glanced back at the room, and saw Byron was looking at me while he was saying something to Mrs. Yamada. The up-down look, followed by the quick glance away when he realized I’d seen him.

You’re too young for me and you’re not my type, based on what little I’ve seen and heard, I thought.

Sveta took my arm, squeezing it. My reminder to focus on the others.

“You’re okay,” Sveta said, squeezing harder for a moment. “You can talk.”

“You seem to be doing okay yourself,” I said.

“I’m great,” she said. “Today was a good day.”

We walked to catch up, and I could feel Sveta periodically leaning harder on me as she worked to maintain her stride. For all that she was in there, no doubt pulling on multiple components and relying on intricate machinery, she managed pretty darn well.

A little less so on the stairs to the ground floor, but I gave her my arm and plenty of support, and she did okay.

She hugged me with enthusiasm as we walked the five feet from the stairs to the side door, where the others were waiting under the rectangle of roof that jutted out from the side of the boxy building.

“I’m going,” Chris said. “Bye.”

“Bye,” Sveta said, amid a few other scattered responses. I raised one hand in a token wave.

Chris removed his headphones as he walked away, stowing them in one pocket of his cargo shorts. He didn’t use an umbrella or wear a raincoat. He seemed content to get rained on.