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I wouldn’t be surprised if Josh were here acting the same way. For some reason I expect more from Landon, or maybe it’s that I just want him to be better than the guy staggering in front of me.
    “I should probably drive him home.” Steven lets out a sigh and rests back in his chair. The bruise looks even worse now that the light is hitting him differently.
    “Steven, I…” I want to tell him to get out of there. Away from his dad. But we don’t know each other well, and I can’t do it.
    “Steven.” Landon’s brow wrinkles in something like confusion. He’s still leaning heavily on the counter, sideways this time to see us better. His eyes catch mine, and he freezes for a moment. He uses a finger to point between us as his eyes narrow. “Bet you had a better night than me.”
    There’s a harsh, broken tone to his voice, and the counter’s still keeping him upright.
    I stand up, clutching my hot chocolate. “I’ll see you guys.” Right now, I need home.
    “Wait.” Steven walks behind me and opens the door. “Can we get together sometime?” He follows me out the door.
    Landon walks out behind him.
    “It seems a little silly to get involved with someone a few months before graduation, you know?” My body begs to turn for home. I’m just not good with people, and want away.
    “Not involved .” His body is tense, leaning slightly toward me. “Just talk.”
    “Yeah. Maybe.” But I don’t know if I can be friends with someone whose pictures revolve around fear and an angry father. Why does Landon have to be standing right here ? “I hope things turn out okay.” And I do want that for him. Steven’s a nice guy. But as horrible as it sounds, I ju st can’t be in the middle of it, not with my own life in a bit of chaos.
    “Don’t worry about me.” Landon frowns and gestures with his hand. “I didn’t just have the worst night of my life. Didn’t just lose a friend. Didn’t—”
    “Landon!” I stare because how can he think it’s okay to interrupt Steven and I like this. “I wasn’t talking to you .”
    “Fine. I see how you are.” He throws both arms loosely into the air, brushing against my arm.
    My face. Warm Sun. A lot of like.
    “You didn’t even know Lacey,” he spits out.
    I drop my hot chocolate, still in shock over what I just saw. And felt . My heart sprints. There has to be something wrong with my head. Landon’s gaze shifts from the hot chocolate sprayed over the ground to what must be a ridiculous look of shock on my face.
    This. Cannot. Be. Happening.
    Landon likes me ? Or is going to?
    Wait. Lacey? Lost ? How does he mean?
    I turn and start for home, my head spinning in too many directions. Me seeing myself from Landon can’t be real. Can’t. It has to be because he’s drunk, right?
    He lost Lacey. The vision from her hits me as I continue to move. Please let that vision be in the past. Please.
    “Micah!” Steven calls.
    I ignore him. Why did I have to sit down with Steven this morning? It goes against all the rules I set out for myself in how not to be seen.
    “Micah! Sorry!” he calls.
    I don’t look back, just give a half wave, so I don’t seem like a total nut-job.
    A stab of sadness hits me. Why do I feel bad for leaving Steven behind? Why did I have to see my face from Landon? Do I want to know what he means about Lacey? She just passed out. Happens all the time. My stomach flips over, and then over again. I press my hands against my middle to stop the movement.
    “Sorry, Micah!” Steven calls.
    I don’t slow. I have to get home. Home is safe. Home is my view of the ocean and my quiet hammock chair. Home is away from people. Except for Mom and the man and her vision of me on the porch crying… Crap .
    I round the corner to our apartment and stop in front of the newspape r stand. The headline slams into me.
     
    YOUNG TEEN DIES OF ALCOHOL POISONING
     
    Nononononono . I take two steps forward and kneel on the damp concrete.
     
    Lacey Williams, age