My poison ivy starts itching and it’s all I can do not to scratch it. I don’t want to have this talk. I’d rather go home and read or something, but before I can leave, Rob sits down with us. He’s been mowing the grass and he’s so sweaty his skin shines.

My heart speeds up, skips around. I look down to hide the blush heating my face. No matter what Skylar thinks of her brother, I still have a secret crush on him. I don’t even dare to say hi because I might give myself away, and Skylar will guess and never stop teasing me.

“Abs,” he says to me, “I hear you and Sky just can’t stay away from Marie Drive—hanging out in a tree house with Jason and Carter, spying on people, riding your bikes all over town. You even told the cops Mr. Boyce killed Ms. Sullivan. It’s juvenile detention for sure.”

I look at Skylar. “Did you tell him?”

Rob answers before Skylar gets a word out. “I heard the interview. After that detective left, Mom screamed at Skylar all night. Your mom must have gone nuts too.”

Skylar looks like she’s about to punch Rob. “Shut up, pothead.”

“Get over it, Sky. Buying that stuff was a once-in-a-lifetime mistake.”

“Once in a lifetime?” she says. “Don’t make me laugh.”

Rob goes inside and the storm door slams behind him.

Suddenly I don’t want to be here anymore. Skylar is in a terrible mood. I hate the way she talks to Rob. It’s hot, there’s nothing to do except play Spit or Hearts or some other dumb card game, and my legs are itching like crazy.

I tell Skylar I’m going home. “I need more calamine.”

Skylar looks at my legs, now caked with a thick pink layer of cracked lotion. You can see oozing blisters underneath. Not a pretty sight.

“Boy, am I glad I don’t get that stuff,” she says. “Your legs look like something in a horror movie. A zombie maybe, with its skin falling off.”

Skylar has never, ever said anything like this to me. To Rob maybe, but not to me. My feelings are really hurt. “Well, don’t look at them, then.”

I walk away. I expect Skylar to come after me and apologize, but she doesn’t.

Rob catches up with me. He has my bike. “The detective left this in our yard.”

I take it without looking at him because I’m crying again.

“Hey, Abs, don’t cry. You know how Sky is—she’s mad for a few days and then she’s over it.”

“I don’t even know why she’s mad.”

“Neither do I. You know what? I don’t think she knows either. Things upset her, that’s all. Give her time. That’s what Mom and I do.”