17

I felt the knife plunge into my heart.

My eyes snapped open. I hadn’t been asleep, but every time my lids closed, the dream came back to haunt me.

Black Suit was always there, lurking in my mind.

Promising relief this time, even as he executed me.

I was sitting in a small copse of cedars bordering the gym, my back against one of the gnarly trunks. My eyes felt itchy and grainy, allergic to the sun. My whole body ached. I’d have traded my trust fund for eight good hours of sleep, but I didn’t dare risk it. I’d taken my pill only an hour earlier in Lowell’s office.

Who was this killer I’d created? Lowell never got into that. As I thought more about it, the things my psychiatrist didn’t ask me about made less sense. But I was too wiped to think straight.

I’d watched the Announcement by myself. Scared to death. My dad had sent me a single text message from Rome, telling me to adjust the sprinklers for fall. Insisting that all the asteroid hysteria was “total BS.”

And he’d been right. Which kinda pissed me off, as crazy as that sounds. A busted clock having the correct time by accident. Then the Nolans figured out my dad was gone, and the whole crew showed up at my door.

I couldn’t say no. It wasn’t worth the fight.

Which wasn’t all bad. It had been nice having company after being alone. Ethan and I played ping-pong while the girls watched Dubsmash videos. Toby told a bunch of crazy stories about the liberty camp while gorging on my chips. But then some of the others got rowdy and loud. I’d seriously considered slipping away from my own house.

I rubbed my face, wondered briefly whether I could get up if I wanted to.

What would happen if I just slept here?

The Nolan brothers had broken into my dad’s liquor cabinet, and before long half the group was tanked. Ethan had gotten colder by the minute, swearing he’d find out what happened to his Jeep. Then Sarah had stalked me like a carnival prize, as if our breakup the year before never happened. She’d suggested we take a walk down to the waterfront. I’d played as dumb as possible, even hiding in the bathroom at one point. She was still gorgeous, but something about her scared the crap out of me. There was a reason we’d only lasted two months.

When the fireworks started, we’d piled into the Nolans’ disgusting van and drove from place to place like circus morons. Toby and Mike started breaking anything within reach. It’d taken twenty minutes to convince Ethan that buzzing the trailer park was a terrible idea. I’d been stuck with them for hours. Yesterday had been just as bad. People too jacked up, right when I needed things to calm down.

An earthquake sure didn’t help. Thanks a lot, Mother Nature.

I closed my eyes again. Debated whether I’d even go to class. Nobody would say anything, except maybe Myers. But who was he going to tell? My father was busy getting loaded in another hemisphere.

I had the sudden impression of being watched. Opening my eyes, I spotted Min Wilder striding across the parking lot.

“Hey! Noah!”

What?

I scrambled to my feet, then felt foolish for doing so. Tried to act natural. Which was difficult, since the two of us talking wasn’t natural. Min didn’t mix with me and my friends these days at all. Not after the birthday party fiasco two years ago, when for some crazy reason I’d talked the girls into including her and then she didn’t even bother showing up.

Her gray eyes sparkled with intensity. I didn’t get a friendly vibe.

I yawned into my fist, a nervous habit I was powerless to prevent. Min always made me uncomfortable. I don’t know why, but I felt like she could see right through me. Her gaze had a penetrating quality that made me feel like a fraud.

Which I was. Which is why I avoided her. Which wasn’t possible right then.

“We need to talk.”

I answered without thinking. “We never talk.”

“Thanks for the tip.” Min ran a hand through her glossy black hair, then briefly pinched the bridge of her nose. She’s exhausted. The last few days had been rough on everyone, I guess.

There was an awkward pause.

“What’s up?” I blurted. Then wanted to kick myself for sounding like a jackass.

“You’re a patient of Dr. Lowell’s, right?”

I nearly jumped. I don’t know what I’d been expecting, but it wasn’t that.

“I don’t know who told you whatever, but I’m not supposed—”

“I know you see him, Noah. It’s a small town.”

I hesitated. “So what if I do?”

“Say ‘yes,’ for starters.” Her stormy eyes dug into mine. I could swear she was taking my measure, and I was coming up short.

I gave in. “Fine. Yes. Dr. Lowell is my psychiatrist.”

Min nodded, like an interrogator who’d forced a key admission. “I see him, too.”

That surprised me. Why would Min see a shrink? I remembered something vague about her running away when we were little, but didn’t know the details.

Another pause. My shoulders tensed. “Are you having problems with Lowell?” I asked, before I’d thought better of it.

Where’d that come from? I don’t want to have this conversation.

But my question broke the spell. “Do you trust him?” Min asked, eyeing me intently.

“Of course.” Flustered. “Why ask that?”

“Because I don’t.” She closed the distance between us. “I’ve been his patient since I was ten, and I don’t think I’ve ever trusted him.”

I was reeling. I’d been seeing Lowell for almost the exact same amount of time.

And trusted him completely.

“Why are you telling me this?” Her presence was everywhere. Piercing eyes. Shampoo smell. The delicate curve of her neck. I began to sweat.

“I found something.” Min glanced around to make sure we weren’t being overheard. It should’ve been comical, but it wasn’t. “Last night in Lowell’s office. There are things you need to see. Something big is going on, and you and I are part of it. Maybe the whole town.”

I stared, unable to respond. My mind flashed back to that morning. Dr. Lowell, angry and off his game, shoveling files into his cabinet. Deep inside me, a voice was shouting in agreement. With a shock, I realized it had been there for years.

Min was standing close. Waiting. Needing something from me.

A connection was forming. I just needed to embrace it. Be as brave as she was.

But I never had the chance.

“There you are.”

Our heads whipped as one. Tack stepped onto the curb. Deep purple bruises ringed a black eye so complete it looked like a Halloween gag. “Missed you at the gate, Min. You walk in?”

“Sorry. I was in a hurry and couldn’t wait.”

“To see Noah, it looks like.” Spoken with a slight edge.

Her lips quirked. “That a problem?”

“Of course not. I just—” Tack looked at me, then changed what he’d been going to say. “We never discussed our next move.” Talking around me, but I was too confused to be offended.

“I said I was going to talk to Noah. I’m doing it right now.”

Something passed between them. Tack nodded tightly.

All my insecurities came crashing back. What did these two want with me?

A dark blur fluttered by my ear. Tack’s head jerked back an instant before something struck him in the face. He staggered back as howls of laughter erupted behind me.

I spun, winced inwardly. Ethan and some of the others were cutting through the parking lot.

“You can borrow that!” Toby pointed to his copy of The Count of Monte Cristo, now lying in the grass. “Actually, read it and tell me what happens. I thought we were asteroid meat and never bothered.”

Chris Nolan laughed, elbowing his twin brother, but Ethan remained uncharacteristically silent. His gaze bounced from Min, to Tack, to me. I looked away.

Great. The last thing I need.

“Noah?” Ethan said quietly.

“Yeah?”

“What are you doing over there?” He was staring a hole through my head. And not just him—Sarah was watching me as she chatted with Jessica and Derrick a few yards up the walkway.

Unconsciously, my shoulders hunched. “I was sitting under a tree. They came over to ask me something.”

Ethan glanced at Min. “Well? Why do you want Noah? Looking for arson tips?”

Looks were exchanged behind Ethan’s back. No one seriously thought Min and Tack had firebombed his Wrangler, but Ethan wanted it to be true. So to him, it was.

And yet . . . I actually didn’t know. I’d been there when Ethan punched Tack in the courtyard. I’d even tried to stop that nonsense, hoping to distract Ethan from going in for more damage. Thankfully, Myers had taken care of it.

Min had been furious with Ethan. I’d met her eye once, during the fight. As crazy as it sounds, part of me thought Ethan might be right. Min struck me as a person who’d get revenge without needing to take credit for it.

Not that I was going to voice that opinion. The hell I was getting involved. I spent my days avoiding exactly these types of situations.

“Did your fortune-teller say we did it?” Tack said. “You should’ve asked if your Jeep was in danger in the first place. Headed things off at the pass.” That kid never knew when to shut up.

Min winced. She knew it, too.

Ethan’s whole body went still, a bad sign. “Did you say something, Tack?”

Min intervened before he could answer. “Enough, Ethan. Go after him again and I’ll tell Myers. Tack covered for you last time, but I’m sick of it. Bullying is so lame. Nobody’s impressed.”

“You’ll tell the principal? Talk about not impressed.”

This was so tired. I glanced at Chris. He shook his head sharply. Don’t get involved.

When I looked back, Min was staring at me. Unnerved, I dropped my gaze.

Ethan didn’t miss the exchange. “What, you think Noah is going to rescue you? Is that what you want?” He slugged my shoulder, flashing a crooked smile. “Sorry, Trailer Park, but you’re reaching above your pay grade.”

Min’s face burned. She glanced at me again, this time with contempt.

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

“Come on, Tack.” Min grabbed her friend’s arm and pulled him toward the courtyard.

“See you guys later!” Ethan called. “Save me a spot in the far corner!”

The others laughed dutifully. Even me. Then Sarah snaked my arm. Flashing white teeth, she guided me up the walkway. “Hey, Noah. What’s new?”

“What? Oh. Nothing.” My pulse accelerated, and not in a good way. “You?”

“Not much.” A few classmates were loitering by the flagpole, but most had gone inside. Yet Sarah leaned close and spoke conspiratorially. “I was thinking of going to the park after school, just to hang out for a while. Do you want to come with me?”

I strolled along beside her, playing it casual, secretly as uncomfortable as I’d ever been. I felt like a surfer who’d spotted a dorsal fin in the waves, then lost sight of it. I didn’t know how to discourage this new attention.

“Who’s going?” Stalling. We were ten yards from the door, where I could pull away without looking like a prick. “Jessica and everyone?”

Sarah flashed her flirty smile. “I haven’t asked anyone else. We never do stuff alone anymore.”

Red alert! I could feel the noose tightening. Groped desperately for an escape.

“I’d hate to leave the others out. They always include us.” Before she could object, I pivoted, called out to the first people I saw. “Chris! Toby! You guys want to hit the park after school? A bunch of us are going, I think.”

The two boys looked at each other, then shrugged, nodding in mild surprise. I was never the one to make plans. I glanced back at Sarah and nearly missed a step. Anger flashed in her eyes before disappearing behind a plastic smile. “I guess that settles it.” She released me abruptly and went inside.

All I felt was relief. I was sorry to hurt her feelings—and, frankly, a little worried about what she might do—but I wasn’t interested. Sarah was gorgeous and smart, the only daughter of two doctors, but she was also cold and manipulative. When we’d been dating, I’d watched her slyly orchestrate fights among the girls. Potent words dropped here and there, untraceable, that caused major rifts down the road.

Min crashed my thoughts. She was completely different. A raging fire where Sarah was ice. Why am I comparing them?

“Hey, space cadet!”

I spun. Ethan waved me over to where he was huddled with Toby and the guys. Charlie seemed worked up about something. “You heard?” he asked excitedly, scratching at his pimply cheeks. I shook my head along with the rest. I’d come straight from Lowell’s office and hadn’t checked my phone.

“The earthquake?” Ethan said dismissively. “Who cares? It was in Wyoming. I barely woke up.”

Charlie puffed, excited to share fresh gossip. “That was just the start. There’ve been six more since then!”

“They’re called aftershocks,” I corrected absently. “They couldn’t have been much if we didn’t feel them.”

Charlie’s head wagged. “No! Six more earthquakes. The biggest was in South America—it set off some volcano in Peru. The news guys can’t explain it.”

“Like the bees,” Toby chimed in.

Derrick squinted his way. “What?”

Toby ran a hand over his shaved scalp. “Something like a million bees in Tennessee all dropped dead at once. It might even be a billion. One second, they’re buzzing around, stinging people like a bunch of jerks, then boom. All dead.” He shrugged. “Apparently that’s bad.”

Chris laughed. “Nobody believes those conspiracy sites, man. The Anvil is gonna miss, so now they need a new problem to geek out about. You liberty campers are freaking gullible.”

Toby shot him a wounded look. “That story was on Buzzfeed, bro. My mom’s Facebook timeline, too. Real enough for you?”

First bell rang. Ethan rolled his eyes. “How many more years of this? I swear, working at the grocery store is less painful.”

Toby grunted in agreement as we trudged inside. “Graduation can’t come fast enough.”

Sarah reappeared in the hallway, and my anxiety spiked. I felt my chest constrict for no reason. I stumbled on my feet, suddenly unable to control my breathing. Derrick gave me an odd look, but I played it off, testing my shoe on the floor. Then I ducked into a bathroom when no one was looking.

Alone, I splashed water on my face. Things were always bad after one of my dreams—plus I’d missed two pills—but this was the worst I could remember. I couldn’t shake a feeling of dread. The scar on my shoulder was aching. I was a mess.

“Go away,” I whispered to the mirror, embarrassed by what I saw there.

“Whatever this is, please go away.”