Chapter 21

Atlas and I huddle by my window, listening to Sam and Melinda chatting in my garden with my parents.

I went on a quick snack-and-drink run in case we wanted to avoid our guests for the rest of the night. I’m not sure I can stand Sam asking how I am and if my car is fixed. My dad buffed the scrape out as best he could. It’s barely noticeable.

I can’t talk about why I crashed in the first place…and I don’t want Atlas to know.

It only takes them ten minutes to get on the subject.

I press my palm to my chest, willing my heart to not burst through it.

We’re about to get an update on the case.

Atlas looks from them to me and back again. He arrived before they did so we could get upstairs and not have to speak to them. I don’t think either of us is ready to speak about Arthur in front of a cop.

He takes my hand, and I can almost pretend it’s like old times. But his grip is limp. The affection is fake. He doesn’t want to be this close. To be honest, I don’t right now either.

I’m not going to tell him that everything is okay, because it’s not. Even if we’re never caught, it won’t be okay.

My hand is heavy in his, both of us trying to follow the investigation without asking questions and raising suspicion. When Mom mentioned Sam coming over for dinner, I knew this was our chance.

Neither of us told the others, because they would have wanted to come too. I don’t want Jesse in my room, and he’s still MIA anyway. Luce has barely said two words to me, so I don’t really feel like hanging with her.

Besides, I seem to catch a lot of attitude for still believing we should do the right thing. I can’t now, though. Not since Jesse set Arthur’s house on fire. What else is he capable of?

Sam usually keeps out the details of his cases when he discusses them. There’s no way for him to talk about this without us all knowing it’s Arthur, though.

Nothing like this happens here. The cops are usually dealing with vandalism and the odd shoplifter. Rhett and his brothers would keep them busy, but their dad makes any misdemeanors disappear.

“What’s happening at the station, then?” Dad asks. “We’re all waiting on this autopsy.”

Sam shrugs. “Injuries in line with a fall, as we assumed. There was one weird thing, though. The official report isn’t in, but the tox screen showed he had a high level of oxycodone in his system. Not enough to kill him, but it’d make him drowsy. But it’s strange—we don’t know where it came from. He doesn’t have a prescription forit.”

My mouth falls open.

“What does that mean?” Atlas asks.

“It’s a strong painkiller. My dad had it a few years ago after having his appendix out. Highly addictive, so he only took it for a couple of days.”

“Gosh, poor Arthur,” Mom says. “Where do you think it camefrom?”

Sam shrugs. “The grandson didn’t mention anything about it when he reported him missing, and he said he hadn’t seen anyone around the house. He did say that Arthur had trouble getting up, thought it was maybe the onset of arthritis, but he wouldn’t see a doctor.”

“So you think he was getting the medication from elsewhere?”

“It’s too easy to get hold of. A lot of kids use it for a high.” Sam shakes his head. “Idiots. Wrecks lives.”

“Do you think Arthur was addicted?” Dad asks.

“Hard to tell. Would explain the high dose—you need more and more as the addiction takes hold…but Arthur?”

I listen to them with my heart thumping wildly.

“Marley,” Atlas whispers. “We’re going to be fine. He was off his head. Probably why he walked into the road.”

“I never saw him walk stiffly,” I say.

“You heard what Sam said. Can’t you see, this is a good thing. We’re in the clear. I’m messaging Jesse. Don’t worry, I’ll keep it discreet.”

Don’t worry? I didn’t think he was about to outline our crime over text and give the cops a slam-dunk case.

I can’t deny that this massively helps us out. The drowsiness from the pills would account for why he went over a bridge…but Arthur buying those from someone on the sly. I’m not sure.

As I watch Sam and notice the frown on his face, I’m thinking that he’s not quite convinced either.

“Do you think that’s it? Case closed?” I ask.

Distracted with his phone, Atlas shrugs.

I want to shake him. I’m so freaking envious of his ability to move on from something and not have it constantly in his head.

When he’s done, he looks up, and the smile he gives me transports me back to pre-Arthur. “Jesse’s psyched. See, all we had to do was wait it out and keep our cool.” He reaches out and takes my hand. “We’re going to have the best summer and figure out this long-distance thing. We can see each other on weekends.”

“Right, because it’s all done now.”

“I’m not saying that. Don’t mistake my relief for coldness. I still feel goddam awful for what we did. I’ll never forgive myself, and I deserve that, but everything we’ve done since hitting him is to have a life and be better people.”

Would better people cover it up or confess? I don’t speak the thought aloud, because it’ll only cause another argument. We haven’t been in the best place recently, both of us snappy and taking our bad moods out on each other.

I squeeze his hand and tell a lie. “The best summer.”

“I should head off anyway,” he says, checking his watch.

“You need to be somewhere?”

He looks up like a deer caught in headlights. “Just my dad wanting family time again.”

That’s a lie. I can tell by the way his dark eyes dart away and his body tenses.

“Right, I’ll see you later, then.”

Nodding, he stands and brushes his hand over my shoulder. “Later, babe.”

No kiss. He walks out of my room, and my heart sinks.

Everything is changing.

Why are they all being weird and pulling back from me? This has changed us all, but they’re still friends. What would make them ditch only me?

I stand and pace my room, trying to figure out whatever is happening here. But there’s tumbleweed in my head, rolling around looking for a freaking clue.

I walk to my desk and pull out a drawer, hoping I have some candy stashed in there. Sugar will help, right?

I run my fingers over a couple of Tootsie Rolls and a gummy shaped like a SpongeBob Krabby Patty.

Hold on….

I dig around in my little jewelry dish.

My pin badge is missing.

The same one as Luce’s. It was definitely here. I remember putting it away after I told her I wouldn’t wear it. Hers is stuck in Arthur’s floor vent, and now mine is missing.

My hand flies to my throat, where I feel bile hit the back of my tongue. There’s only one reason someone would take this.

If the badge is found while they’re tearing down Arthur’s, it will look like I’ve been in the house.

Monday, June5

After another welcome quiet and rainy weekend, I arrive at school early, ready to meet Luce. She’s in the parking lot when I pull up, leaning against her car and studying her reflection in a pocket mirror. I want to grill her about the badge, but I have to be smart aboutthis.

If I confront her, they’ll all know I’m figuring out their plan.

Which, I’m thinking, is to make it look like I was the only one in Arthur’s house that night. It’ll be my fingerprints on the watch. I have to get Rhett to scrub it…somehow.

I’m going to play nice until I know exactly what their plan is.

I’ve been stewing on it all weekend and plotting, trying to figure this thing out and plan for all scenarios. I managed to go see George too, and it only made me more determined.

“Hey,” she says as I get out. “Jesse filled me in about the autopsy.”

“Yeah, it’s great,” I say, feeling sick. I can barely meet her eye, but she smiles as if she hasn’t been rooting around in my room and stealing from me. “Sam didn’t mention taking it further, so I think we’re good.”

“You don’t sound convinced, babe.”

Ugh. Babe. How fake is she being?

Okay, as fake as me.

“It’s just bugging me. Arthur and painkillers.”

She purses her lips. “All right, I admit it’s weird as hell, but why else would he have that in his system?”

“He wouldn’t, I guess.”

“Look at the facts and not what’s going on in your mind. If he was in a lot of pain, he’d take something, and I Googled them last night, and they’re, like, wicked addictive. It’s not like he was taking them to party.”

A small bubble of laughter pops from my mouth before I can stop it. That was an interesting image. “Yeah, you’re right. Where were you all weekend? This is becoming a habit.”

“I was busy. My parents were home.

“Oh, look who’s here,” she says, scowling as Rhett pulls in. Ruthie sits on the passenger side, smirking at us as he drives by.

“I don’t like those smug expressions she keeps giving us.”

Luce links her arm through mine, and it takes every ounce of self-control not to bat her away. “Soon we won’t have to see them ever again. Ignore her, she’s just hateful because her boyfriend has a thing for you.”

We walk into the hall, where seniors are gathered, some of them kneeling on the floor. “Right,” I reply, watching her closely. She looks like my best friend…but I don’t feel like Luce is anymore.

“What’s going on?” Luce asks as we continue into the hall.

I leap back as I spot what they’re gathered around. “Rhett, stopthis!”

He laughs, looking up from the fire extinguishers he’s holding. There are five of them, and each reads Foam on the canister.

“Shut up, Marley,” Ruthie snaps.

Ellie and Dayshawn each pick one up. Then Jonah, Freya, and Mikey follow suit.

This is the kind of stunt that colleges aren’t going to appreciate. If there’s an actual fire and someone has stolen the extinguishers, a lot of people are going to get into some serious trouble.

“You have two minutes before Ruthie pulls the alarm,” he tells them. “Split up and cover as much of these corridors as you can. Let’s foam this place up!”

Okay, I admit it kind of sounds fun. No one can be killed by doing that. But isn’t it a de-escalation? Jesse had to drive without lights at night.

They dart off, each taking a different door or splitting if they used the same one.

Rhett turns to me. “Lighten up, this is going to be awesome. Ruthie, you’d better be counting. Ed, you know what to do next.”

Ed nods, his pale, spotty face even redder than before. “Yes, boss,” he says, and runs for the exit at the back of the room.

I raise a brow and Rhett laughs. “I didn’t even tell him to call me that.”

“And what are you doing for this dare?” I ask.

Luce tries to pull me away, but I have never backed down from Rhett. I think that’s the weird obsession he has with me. That and maybe, or I hope, guilt over how he threw our friendship away.

“I’ve given it.”

“Yeah? And why don’t you play? I think maybe it’s because you’re a coward.”

“Shut up, Marley!” Ruthie snaps, holding her phone up because I’m assuming counting to 120 is too taxing for her.

“If you’re bored of this, you can tap out,” he says, stepping closer.

“Why, so you can make something up about me and ruin my life like your loser brother did to Henrietta?”

His eyes narrow and he takes a deep breath.

“I’m not scared of you, Rhett, and I sure as hell don’t worship you like your groupie over there.”

He lifts a brow but makes no attempt to stand up for Ruthie. I bet he won’t even remember her name in three months’ time.

“Is that right?” he asks.

“That’s two minutes,” Ruthie says, running to the wall.

She smashes the box next to the window, and a shrill alarm wails above us.

I shake my head. “Come on, Luce. Time to evacuate.”

In the corridor a teacher is ushering people to the nearest exit. “Walk calmly to the meeting point. You all know what to do by now.”

Mr.Goldman dashes past, jaw wide and holding his kippah to his head. They’ll assume this is the real thing because no drill has been planned. Or at least they’ll have to act as if it is. It’s not like that thing hasn’t been set off on purpose before.

I’m half-tempted to stop and let them know what’s going on, but I’m not going to do that. Luce laughs as we turn the corner and see the walls and ceiling are covered in foam.

All right, maybe the teachers won’t assume this is real.

We walk faster, the fire exit just up ahead. I laugh, sidestepping a blob of foam that falls to the floor.

“Everyone out!” the principal bellows. “And I need names!”

The school has CCTV, so it won’t make a difference if no one comes forward. I idly wonder if they’ll be able to walk at graduation after this.

Luce and I walk outside, following the crowd to the meeting point. I stand with my class and look for Atlas.

He pushes past a couple of people and rakes his hands through his hair. He’s wearing his football uniform because the seniors were playing each other today. Kind of like a final fun practice.

“Marley,” he says, reaching for me. “There’s a fire on the quad. Know whose dare it was?”

“What? Rhett dared those five to use the fire extinguishers in the halls, then Ruthie pulled the alarm. There was no fire.”

The five extinguisher-happy renegades are standing together with their heads hanging. Two teachers are yelling at them, the now empty extinguishers on the grass.

“I just walked past it. There’s definitely a fire.”

“Ed. That’s what Rhett was telling him to do.”

“Ed did that?” Atlas asks.

I shrug. “He got a dare.”

“At least Rhett seems to be leaving us alone now.”

He’s not leaving me alone; apparently I have another dare coming up. Though I don’t feel afraid of it anymore. Perhaps I should be, but a lot has changed, and things can’t get any worse.

Atlas believes Arthur’s death is sorted out, and Rhett’s moved on too. Maybe Atlas will start being normal with me again…and maybe he’ll tell me his secret. The one he didn’t want to admit to before the dares started, the one I think Rhett might know about.

“They’re really letting them have it,” Atlas says, craning his neck to watch the teachers discipline the fire five. No sign of Ed, so maybe they don’t know about his involvement yet.

I look around the field and notice Jesse with his hands shoved in his pockets. He’s not looking at the drama in front of us, he’s staring right at me.