Raven sat by the main gates, waiting for her friends and trying to figure out if she had a book in the chemistry lab. She almost dropped her books as a hand grabbed the fabric of her shirt. “Have you seen Zach?” Alissa asked, adding, “Well... have you?” after only a two-second pause.
“Erm... he had a free period last. He went into town to get some do-dad... or whats-a-ma-jiggy... for his computer,” Raven stammered, flinching away from Alissa’s intense stare.
“Will he get the bus home?” Alissa asked.
“Yeah, I mean, I guess—”
Alissa dashed to the other side of the road, arms waving at the bus. Raven had seen the bus driver pull off nonchalantly and glide on by frantic latecomers so many times, but this time he stopped.
“Was that Alissa?” Adrienne asked, appearing with Li
