“Wait”—Kari held her hand up—“you’ve got a record?”
Justin stuffed his untouched food into his bag. “What can I say? I wasn’t always this charming.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Wow, I totally had you pegged wrong.”
He glanced over at me. “That happens a lot.”
I stayed close behind Justin as we left film class. He was still trying to convince me not to go. But Roger and Kari stood in the parking lot waiting for us. We didn’t have time to argue about it anymore.
We piled into the back of Roger’s car. Kari rode shotgun. The two of them talked about their favorite metal bands.
“At least wait in the car while we check it out,” Justin said in my ear.
“Quit treating me like I can’t take care of myself. I was the one who protected you last time.”
He laced his fingers with mine. “That’s true. But Scott is twice your size. You could’ve gotten hurt.”
“And you
He kissed my cheek and leaned toward Roger. “Where is this place?”
“It’s off San Juan Road, where all those empty warehouses are.” Roger made a left on Holly.
“You better not be dicking me around.”
“I’m not! I care about her too, okay? She’s my best friend.” He drummed the steering wheel.
That surprised me. I didn’t think they were that close.
“But you didn’t get a letter?” Kari asked him.
“I don’t have a computer.”
Roger made a right, and the bay glittered between rusty buildings. Trash, sleeping bags, and the skeletons of cars littered the gravel parking lots. A sour odor sifted through Roger’s cracked windows. It was strong enough to make me sick.
Two boarded-up houses sat at the end of the street. The pointy rooftops and intricate pillars made me think of princesses and frilly dresses. I bet someone cherished them a hundred years ago. Now they were graffiti-covered ghosts, like everything else around here.
Roger stopped in front of the pale green house. “I don’t see Scott’s car here.”
“Let’s go in anyway,” I answered, a shiver inching down my back. “We need to be sure.”
The four of us climbed out and walked toward an open window. The boards had been torn off, and a filthy sheet hung in their place.
Justin looked in all directions before peeking inside. “Hello?” he called. “I think I see someone.”
We followed him through the window. Bits of glass ripped the hem of my skirt, but I didn’t care.
Dim light revealed shredded floorboards and gouged walls. It smelled like rotting wood and piss. I had to breathe through my mouth to keep from gagging.
And then we saw it. A crumpled heap on the floor. Pale skin. Strands of purple hair.
Justin ran over to her, Roger cussed under his breath, and a small cry escaped from Kari. But I froze. My fingertips and toes went numb.
Roger ripped the sheet from the window to let in more light. Kari joined Justin and covered her mouth. I walked toward them slowly. Justin pulled a small flashlight from his pocket. He touched Naomi’s face, prying her eyes open and waving the light in them.
“Is she breathing?” Kari asked.
“Barely,” Justin said. He pressed his fingers against the inside of her wrist.
I knelt next to Naomi, my limbs shaking. She was lying on her back, one knee bent at an odd angle. Saliva dripped down her chin, and her lips were tinged blue under the neon light. I grabbed her hand. It was hot and clammy.
Justin pulled out his cell phone and dialed three numbers.
Kari squatted next to me, hiccuplike sounds coming from her throat. “Naomi…?” She touched her cheek. “She’s fucking burning up.”
Roger paced around us, talking fast. His words blurred together. I blocked them out, because they didn’t make sense. Naomi wasn’t going to die. She’d wake up and laugh at us. Tell us we were being ridiculous.
I squeezed her hand and brushed the damp hair off her forehead. “You can’t give up.”
“I just found my friend unconscious,” Justin said into the phone. “She’s burning up, her pulse is all over the place.” He listened for a few seconds, his eyes wide and furious. “I think she overdosed on speed, but I don’t know for sure. I just found her like this.” More seconds passed. “I don’t know!”
Kari cried into Naomi’s chest, begging her to wake up. “Please be okay,” she repeated over and over.
Their voices echoed around me. Too many words to process. I kept squeezing her hand, hoping she’d return the gesture. Nothing. I wiped the spit from her mouth with my sleeve and leaned toward her face. “You have to wake up so I can tell you what a dork I am. And you can laugh. You were the first person to give me a chance, and I’m sorry if I was mean to you at first. I thought you’d be like everyone else.” I stroked her hair. “But you aren’t like everyone else, Naomi. And someone will love you for who you are—I know they will. Because I love you.”
Justin and Roger yelled back and forth, trying to figure out the address.
Kari’s voice was muffled in her chest.
