“Of course,” says Micah. “It’s not like you’re moving out of town.”

When he says it, I realize that might not be true. What if we can’t find a place here to live? Because my dad’s a real-estate agent, he talks about rent and mortgages all the time, and how, around here, it’s actually cheaper to have a mortgage than to pay rent. So if we can’t afford to pay our mortgage, how will we pay rent somewhere? There’s only one apartment complex for people with low incomes that I know of in town, and I don’t know how often they have apartments available. I’ve only been there once. A classmate had a birthday party when I was in the first or second grade. The rooms were small, and the carpet smelled funny. The kid’s name was Charlie, and I remember how I was jealous because he had two bunk beds in his room, which he shared with his two brothers and little sister. I remember wishing I had more siblings and we could all sleep in the same room like that. I thought it would be cozy, and I’d never be afraid of the dark because I wouldn’t be alone.

“Let’s go in. I’m hot!” Ivy says. “Race you to the line!”

Micah starts to chase after her but stops when I don’t follow.

“You coming?”

I shrug. “I’m too cold. Go ahead.”

He smiles at me before he turns to join Ivy. I force myself to smile back. No, not force. It actually comes naturally. I’m so relieved we’re friends again. Especially now. But as I watch him easily catch up to Ivy but let her win, I know things are never going to be the same. He never lets Ivy win races, just like he never lets her win at Monopoly. It’s because he feels sorry for her now. I don’t know why, but it annoys me. I don’t want him to treat us differently.

Micah has never had to feel self-conscious wearing clothes from a local thrift shop, worrying that someone might recognize them as a sibling’s old jeans or whatever. He’s never had to wonder if there will be real food for dinner or if he’ll have to help his parents “get creative” with what’s in the cupboards and make up funny, fancy names for crazy concoctions, like Tuna al Dente Saltino for saltine crackers and canned tuna fish that was on sale because the can was dented.