She jumps up from the porch steps and does a little dance. “I think he really, truly, definitely likes me!”

I guess I’m supposed to congratulate her, but I just sit there. A cat crosses the yard, the neighbor’s dog barks at it. Someone starts a lawn mower. Skylar and me, a hot summer day, Ms. Freeman in the kitchen talking on the phone. On the surface everything’s the same as always, year after year, the two of us sitting on these steps asking each other what we want to do today.

I turn to Skylar, but she’s texting again—Erica this time. I feel left out and make up an excuse to go home. She waves goodbye without looking at me.

A few days later, our mothers agree we can go to the mall. Ms. Freeman drives. It’s the first thing we’ve done together since we were grounded. Instead of riding in the back seat with me, Skylar sits beside her mother and I get into the back by myself. Skylar checks messages on her phone, and I watch houses and apartment buildings and stores drift past. I feel like texting her and saying, Hey, I’m sitting behind you.

We meet Nessa, Erica, and Lindsey at the food court. For the first time ever, Skylar talks to Erica instead of me. From the way they whisper, it seems they have some private stuff going on. They giggle a lot. Skylar says in a loud voice, “I did not say that!” They laugh so hard Erica knocks her soda over.

Soon Jonathon and his friends show up. He sits next to Skylar, so close their shoulders touch. It’s like no one exists for her except him. He whispers in her ear. She blushes and pushes him away. He laughs and kisses her cheek. She pretends to be mad, but I can tell she’s faking.

Lindsey giggles and nudges me. “They’re in love,” she whispers.

“You must know all about it,” Nessa says.

I smile and nod like it’s a secret I can’t tell, but Skylar hasn’t told me anything about Jonathon since the day he texted her.

After the boys leave for endless soccer practice, I end up hanging out with Lindsey and Nessa while Skylar and Erica continue their private talk. Nessa asks me if I know Mr. Boyce has been fired.

I shake my head, kind of stunned. “How do you know?”

“Our neighbor, Mrs. Barker, works at the school office,” Nessa says. “She typed the letter the principal sent him. It was because of his relationship with Ms. Sullivan. His wife left him, too.”

“Erica always said he was getting a divorce,” Lindsey adds.

Skylar hears us and leans across the table. “He sure got what he deserved.”