Billy and Billy and Billy again. Mads runs all the way home before she remembers that Thomas’s truck is still parked at Green Lake. As if she doesn’t have enough to feel bad about, there’s the thought of it—that loyal pile of metal sitting abandoned in the lot. She imagines it shining faithfully underneath a streetlight, its round headlight eyes ever open and unwavering. She tries to sneak into Claire and Thomas’s house without being seen. It smells like popcorn in there. It must be a sleepover, because Thomas and Claire are still up, watching some scary movie with Harrison and Avery. Mads hears ominous noises like door creaks and suspenseful music, and Harrison says, “Don’t do it, don’t do it!” and Avery says, “They always do it, stupid,” and Thomas says, “Avery. Don’t call Harrison stupid.” It’s dark in the family room, but the TV shoots bolts of colors. Mads needs to get to her room, because things are falling in on her, and she needs to take cover. Just tell me you’re okay, Billy texts.
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