“See ya,” I said, turning around.

“Um. Abby? Actually . . .”

I stopped.

He looked at his shoes. “How’s Blair doing?”

I felt like we’d been through something, me and Caleb. We’d both loved someone fiercely and let them slip through our fingers.

But I wished she understood, in her room at Harvest Hills, that this thing? It wasn’t just about her. She may have been the star ballerina, but we were all her backup dancers, perfecting our turns and memorizing our choreography. Anna Rexia had dug her claws into all of us.

“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “I haven’t gone to see her.”

“You haven’t?” He was surprised. “But . . . you guys are so close.”

That photo flashed in my mind: me, Blair, and Jade on Halloween. The Sanderson sisters. Are close. Were close.

“Sorry,” he said. “That would probably be really hard. To go see her someplace she doesn’t belong.”

I nodded. He understood.

“Maybe you could write her a letter or something,” he said.

“Maybe. Mom said she’s doing pretty good. She’ll be home really soon, actually.”

“That’s . . . that’s good. I—” He inhaled. “Just tell her I said hi. Whenever you see her. Okay?”

“You could visit her, I bet,” I said lamely. “If you called first.”

He smiled that Caleb Evers smile, the one that should be in movies. But it didn’t meet his eyes.

“No,” he said. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. But you tell her hi for me.”

“I will,” I said.

“I’ll see you around, Abby.”

I wanted to ask him if he remembered the popcorn from the movies and the fun we’d had. But he turned and walked away.

I was about to kneel down and grab the first Starkeeper off the shelf, thinking a little reread could tide me over if Harriet hadn’t ordered the new release yet, when a big blue eye peered at me from the other side of the shelf.

“Leo!” I said. “You practically gave me a heart attack.”

“Abigail! What a surprise,” he said loudly before lowering his voice to a whisper. “How was the mission? Successful?”

“No. I mean, yes, I’ll ask, but—no, I just like the library! That’s why I’m here! God. You have got to chill,” I said, shaking my head.

Leo cleared his throat and beckoned toward Harriet, who was shelving some picture books.

His expression commanded: Go.

Crap. Now I was stuck.

I walked over to her quickly, anxious to get this over with.

“Hey,” I said.

“Hi, Abby. How’s it going?”

I looked her straight in the face and asked if there was a time capsule buried outside, showing her the article Leo had found. Clearly confused, she nodded slowly.

“You’re not thinking of doing anything foolish, are you, Abby?” she said. “Something you shouldn’t?”

“No,” I said. “It’s for a summer school project. The history of Moose Junction.” But she didn’t believe me, I could tell. And she shouldn’t have. But I would get ahold of Joanna Creech, even if I got in trouble first.