About ten minutes into Nora's walk, the tears started up again. She wiped her sleeve across her eyes before typing into her cell phone. Just stepped over a crack, she wrote. Someone's mom's back is mighty thankful

She hit Send and let out a shaky breath of air. When she was little, her dad would lift her over the cracks on the sidewalk. "Protect Mommy's back!" he'd say, laughter in his voice. "Big jump, big jump!"

A tear fell, and then another. She grimaced and swiped them away, wincing as her sleeve scraped across her sensitive skin. I miss her, she thought to no one in particular. She kicked at a rock with so much force it rocketed to yards away.

This wasn't how it was supposed to go.

More tears fought their way to the surface, but she suppressed them. She searched desperately for something to send Nolan. The distractions were fleeting, a staccato within the legato, but they brought a much needed peace, no matter how brief that peace may be.

Just passed a really cute house

Oooh they're watching Phineas and Ferb! I know what we're going to do today!

Perry the Platypus having a pillow fight with Doofenshmirtz brought a nostalgic smile to her lips. It was one of her favorite shows as a kid. The summer after she first watched it, she and her friends had tried to recreate some of Phineas and Ferb's inventions. It was a glorious failure, but it was still one of the best summers ever.

Her phone dinged, and she opened Nolan's reply.

Cool

Please tell me you've seen it. If you haven't, I'll have to reconsider our friendship.

A moment, then a reply that made her laugh, despite a tear that insisted on escaping.

Yes, yes I have.

A small, distant crack! made her pick up her pace, hurrying down the darkened road, which only had a few dying streetlights to supply light. She couldn't wait to get to Nolan's.

Two shadowy blobs emerged ahead in the darkness. Her stomach twisted, and she squinted. Please tell me I'm not about to get murdered.

What would you suggest as a weapon against blobs?

A distant ding. Her eyes narrowed.

Blobs?

Blobs.

Another distant ding. She was beginning to suspect one of the blobs had a cell phone.

"What did she say?" one of the blobs asked.

The blobs stepped under a streetlight, and she smiled. The owner of the voice was trying desperately to sneak a peek at the other blob's cell phone, who was pushing his face away with a pale hand.

You know, one of the blobs looks remarkably like one of my incredibly stupendous friends.

Ding!

Brown hair

Ding!

Pale

Ding!

Frowning

Ding!

Maroon shirt

Ding!

Nolan looked up. She laughed and waved, stepping under a streetlight of her own.

"Nora!" Caleb exclaimed.

As she passed the streetlight, into darkness once again, she shoved her phone into her pocket and dabbed her face to dry any remaining tears. She could only hope her face wasn't as blotchy as she feared.

"What are you guys doing here?" she asked as the distance between them closed.

"Are you sick?" Caleb asked instead of answering her question. He held up his fingers to form a cross and backed away.

Shoot. Her congested nose. "Allergies," she said.

Nolan tucked his hands into his pockets. He searched her face before saying, "Just thought we'd meet you halfway." He hid it well, but there was something beneath his projected nonchalance.

"He was scared of you walking alone in the dark," Caleb said.

Nolan whacked his shoulder. "Shut up. I was not."

"Fine, he wasn't." Caleb cupped his mouth and whispered (loudly), "Yes, he was."

Nolan was not impressed.

Nora wrapped an arm around Nolan's shoulders. "No worries, No-No," she said, grinning wider when he glared. "Your secret's safe with me."

He rolled his eyes and shook her arm away. "Let's go," he said.

He turned and started the way he came. Before following, Nora held her fist toward Caleb. He bopped it.

✝

Nora stepped into the small living room, head turning as she scanned the plain walls. Only one photograph occupied the space—a framed photo of Nolan, Caleb, and Greg, which sat on the side table next to the couch.

Nolan dropped onto the couch and plucked the spinner from the floor. He hadn't asked her what brought her to tears, and had yet to question her blotchy face. Would he? And what would she say if he did?

"You ready to lose?" she asked Caleb.

"No, because I'm not going to lose," he replied.

"I'll have you know I did gymnastics."

"When?" Nolan asked knowingly.

"That's beside the point."

He snorted. She smiled.

Nora and Caleb took their positions at either end of the mat. Nolan flicked the spinner, and the game was on. Caleb, it turned out, was remarkably fast and flexible. And he played dirty, stealing her spots whenever he noticed her head for a certain circle.

"You're so mean!" she joked, grasping at the green circle on the opposite side of the mat. The little jerk had stolen the space closest to her.

Caleb stuck out his tongue. She returned the sentiment.

"Left foot yellow."

Their feet shot toward the same circle. Nora slammed her toes onto the yellow patch and cheered, "A-ha! Gotcha!"

Caleb weaved his leg through hers and nabbed the next available dot. His smile was triumphant.

"So, No-No, are you gonna play?" she asked.

"No."

"Aw," she said. "I was looking forward to kicking your butt."

"Funny, seeing how you're about to lose," he said.

"I am n—"

"Right foot red."

Their feet burst into action—

—and Nora tripped over Caleb's leg, collapsing onto the floor with an oomph.

"Woo!" Caleb threw his fist in the air. "I told you!"

She laughed and sat up, wrapping her arms loosely around her knees. "C'mon, No-No," she teased.

He rolled his eyes, but dropped the spinner and stood. "Who am I playing?" he asked.

"Nora," Caleb said. "But first can you make me some chocolate milk?"

"Why can't you make it yourself?"

"I always put in too much syrup," he said with a theatrical pout.

Nolan let out a dramatic sigh, but nodded and headed toward the kitchen.

"You're the best brother ever!" Caleb called after him. He plopped onto the couch and flicked the spinner's arrow.

"I know!"

✝

11:48.

Caleb had long gone to bed. A re-run marathon of Friends was playing on TV. And while Nora couldn't stop glancing at her phone, calculating the time she would get home if she left this instant, she couldn't bring herself to move. She just sat there, periodically stealing popcorn from the bowl on Nolan's lap.

She laughed along with the audience as Rachel and Monica chased each other around the kitchen.

Had her dad passed out yet? Her stomach squeezed.

The show went to commercial, and she dropped her head back, closing her eyes. The threat of going home made the tears edge forward again.

"I have a question," she said, opening her eyes. Nolan was in the middle of stuffing a handful of popcorn into his mouth, like an adorable chipmunk.

He raised his eyebrows as he chewed.

"Why did you really bring Caleb out tonight?"

He swallowed and averted his gaze to the TV. He took another scoop of popcorn and chewed—ignoring her, obviously. But why?

"My mom and dad," he said finally.

Her stomach dropped. Oh no. In her attempt to distract herself, she'd forced him to think about things he'd rather not. Nice going.

"I'm—"

"They went out one night, and they didn't come back."

She took his hand. He didn't pull away.

"Gas station robbery," he elaborated softly, eyes on their hands. "Not the same thing, I know. But..." He shrugged and shook her hand away. Shrugged again.

"I have my things too," she said.

He looked at her, but she didn't elaborate. She couldn't, because there was a knot in her throat, and the tears were coming, and if she spoke, she wouldn't be able to stop them.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

And, just like that, the string snapped. She burst into tears.

Get a grip. Come on, please. Cut it out. Cut it out. She dropped her face into her hands. It was no use.

Nolan placed a hand on her shoulder and tugged her toward him. She wept into the crook of his neck as he wrapped his arms around her. She curled her fingers around his arm, an anchor. She was safe. Safe. Safe. Safe.

As she cried, he didn't say a word, but he didn't have to. His presence and embrace were enough.

Eventually, the tears faded, stopped. Still, she hid her face in Nolan's neckline, eyes closed, concentrating on his arms wrapped around her. Safe. She was safe.

"I don't want to go home," she whispered.

His arms tightened their hold. "Then don't," he whispered back.