Rachel smiled at him, pleased that she could answer a genuine "Yeah," to his question. She probably would have said yes anyway, but it was a relief to mean it.

"Alright," said Zoe. She couldn't really talk; she'd skipped class before. She'd spent certain days hiding in different places around the school so she wouldn't have to talk to anyone or even be seen by them. She'd walked in one gate and right out the other before school even started, disappearing off to a park or a library or when Rueban was still around, his place. But it worried Zoe when Rachel broke the rules. Ever since the roof incident. She really wanted Rachel to keep out of trouble. "You wanna meet up after school and go over homework?"

"Pffff," said Rachel, but she also nodded, yes. Homework was not so bad with Zoe. "What about you?" she asked Danny. "Join us?"