“I gotta, though,” Candy said. “Reality check. You helped give us the best years we ever had. I know Imp went to you for money now and again and you paid, even though we were more hers than yours. I know you found the tutors and you found the fashion people and junk. I know you found Aroa’s mom and I know that didn’t go well but it was real nice you tried. Um—”

I heard a sniffle. From her or Darlene.

“Chicken Little, you’re one of the best guys I know, and I don’t really like being around guys, especially ones that seem nice. But you’re cool enough and nice enough that you kind of won me over and I think you helped fix a little bit of a part of me that’s broken, just by being you. I know you think you’re a scaredy-cat and I want you to know you’re braver than anyone because you step up despite being that afraid… I don’t really know how to start and end these little speeches, except, um… if you somehow get out of this and I don’t, marry a Heartbroken your age and become an official member of this family.”

I heard Darlene hiss something.

“If you were gone, then the only Heartbroken his age would be Flor and Darlene,” Kenzie said.

“Well, I guess that makes it simple, doesn’t it?” Candy asked, her voice artificially bright. “Flor it is. If I made it out I’d volunteer myself, but—”

“I will kill you,” Darlene said, audible this time.

“I think we beat him, Dar,” Candy said. Harder to make out, because she was talking to someone sitting next to her. “We made some of the coolest friends, we figured out how to like each other again, after he turned us all against each other. We had a family and homes and puppy piles and swimming and shopping and crushes and schools… terminally boring catch-up classes. Everything he tried to take away from us we got back in spades. Yeah?”

Darlene’s answer was broken up. She cleared her throat. “I messed up tonight.”

“Yeah. But that’s okay. It doesn’t change things. Nobody’s holding it against you, right Kenz?”

“Right,” Kenzie said, right next to me. Holding my hand.

I felt hands strike the ground, supporting the greater whole. It loomed larger over us, the loser it got. More hands, emerging from that swirling tinkertech core.

“You’re the most beautiful person I know, Kenz,” Candy said. “I can’t tell you how much it means to me that your hair right now is a hairstyle I gave you. I know we grumble, I know we gripe, but I would spend every day with you if we could get away with it. Okay? Maybe that doesn’t sound as fancy but—”

Kenzie gripped my hand, harder.