The car turned another corner and it wasn’t until we’d covered a mile before I asked, chilled, “Do you think he’s going to be there?”

“Shut up, Sheldon!” Bryce cried out. “I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t…this night is about your friend and that’s it.”

“This isn’t about you,” I cried back.

Logan and Corrigan didn’t move.

“Yes, it is!” Bryce snapped. “Yes, it is and I’m done with it. I’m done with this loser who’s just a coward. I’m done with it. We’re going to this damned vigil and we’re not talking about that psycho.”

An uneasy chill settled over the car.

Corrigan broke it as he commented, “I don’t think you’re supposed to say

‘damned vigil’ together. That’s like…what’s the word? A dichotomy or something?”

A relieved giggle broke from Logan that was quickly covered up.

Bryce shook his head and sighed, “Shut up, man, just…shut up.”

I said softly, “For the record, I wanted to talk about it and you didn’t.”

Bryce sighed another ragged breath and uncurled his clenched fingers from the steering wheel. “Can we…not right now?”

“Fine.” I fell back against my seat.

“Fine.”

Corrigan sighed dramatically in the backseat and groaned, “I think today has been the longest day in the history of my life. It won’t end!”

Bryce fell silent and resumed his driving duties.

I sighed and folded my arms across my chest.

I heard Logan lean and whisper in Corrigan’s ears. He laughed softly and said, “No, it’s not like that.”

The rest of the drive wasn’t long and it took five more minutes before we arrived.

The parking lot was overflowing at Holy Mount Church and Tabernacle. Even at night, the college’s campus was a serene portrait. The sidewalks were bricked with burnt red and dusty rose colored tablets that matched the building’s bricked fortresses.

It seemed the entire school’s population had shown up for the candlelight vigil.

Inside the tabernacle, candles were placed along the aisles and at the end of each row of chairs. The stage was masked in thick blood-red robes, roses of every color, and candles.

Bryce grabbed my hand and led us to the narthex where we could sit above the rest. Corrigan and Logan followed close behind and Bryce snuck us into a back corner where little attention was spared in our direction.

As we sat, Bryce released my hand and I looked at him. He refused to meet my eyes so I slowly slid my hand down his arm and entwined our fingers.

Bryce held limp, glanced at me, saw the quiet yearning, and tightened his hold over mine.

“Whoa—how many candles do you think are on there?” Corrigan leaned over our chairs.

Bryce shrugged.

“It seems like a thousand,” I remarked, not really giving it thought.

Corrigan nudged my shoulder and nodded behind me.

I turned and saw Officer Sheila in the doorway with her partner. She nodded in greeting, but didn’t move our way. Instead, Sheila gestured downstairs and I turned to see my mother framed in a white chiffon coat with Luther cloaked in a textured black suit.

They looked like they stepped from a magazine cover and I even saw some glitter in my mother’s hair. They stood off to the side of the stage and I saw, horrified, that my mother was smiling graciously at Becky with a comforting hand to her shoulder.

“What the hell is my mother doing here?” I gasped through gritted teeth.

Corrigan and Bryce wisely kept quiet.

I stood up and started away, but Bryce hauled me back down with a firm tug.

“Stay,” he said simply.

“My mother—”

“Is probably doing what my mother is doing.” He nodded in an opposite corner and there stood AnnaBelle Scout with her hair primped and tied with a bow. Savannah glowed in a golden princess dress as she stood in the circle of her mother’s arms. Luca was nowhere to be found.

Just then, as the thought occurred, Luca tapped his brother on the shoulder from behind. No one spoke, but everyone stood up and shifted down a seat so Luca could sit where Bryce had vacated.

Luca shook his head, grim, and muttered, “Mom’s showing off again. I swear, every soccer mom or soccer-mom-wanna-be had to show up here tonight. It’s turned into the ‘thing’ to be at.”

Corrigan chuckled. “Man, my mom’s so out of the loop.”

I whipped around and said bluntly, “You have a good mom.”

Corrigan raised an eyebrow and said, “I know.”

Bryce lightly punched his brother’s shoulder and Luca grinned, ducked his head, and murmured, “Mom’s on the warpath for you so you better take off as soon as this thing is over.”

I remembered Bryce’s words from before and thought that Luca was a ‘chill’ fourteen year old.

“That’s why my mom’s here. She’s entering the social circle again.” I sighed as my fate resumed its old stance. I’d gotten a vacation with my parents gone, but now with the house hunting and the new boyfriend—mom was home to stay. I wondered if there’d be barbeques with the neighbors.

The vigil started as the lights dimmed and a hush settled over the crowd. I’d been right. The entire student population had shown up, complete with their parents and siblings and all their little friends.

And all for little Leisha, who a mere handful actually knew. And those who

remembered her were even less than that.

A few touching words were shared by Becky and Mandy, the organizers of the event. They introduced Leisha’s parents and her little brother who were seated in the front row, as if part of the show. They sniffled, hugged each other for support, and nodded their thanks to the two ‘popular’ girls who hadn’t known Leisha existed until she was dead.

“Let’s go,” I said abruptly. “I don’t want to be here. These people didn’t even know her.”

Luca shrugged and said, “Doesn’t mean they can’t pray for her or her family. It’s just support.”

Bryce stayed in his seat. So did Corrigan. And I shoved up and started down the aisle.

“Hey,” Bryce whispered sharply.

“I’m just—,” I turned back and gestured, helplessly, outside the doors. “I’m going to go out there. I won’t be far.”