It's the next day, and Zach, Leo, and I are hanging out at his house. We're at the kitchen table, each with a party-sized bag of chips in our hand. "So, who are you hoping asks you?" Leo asks me, referring to the Homecoming dance. She pops a chip in her mouth.

"I don't know. Honestly, I was expecting Zach to ask me," I say.

"Me? Why me?"

"You know why! You're the biggest flirt in the whole school!"

"Really? Leo here, is going with Ricky Montoya, and you're calling me a flirt?"

"Um, he's hot," Leo defends her date. "He doesn't count." Zach's sister, Courtney, walks into the room.

"Doesn't count?" Zach says. "Okay then, Court, help me out. Who's a bigger flirt, me or Ricky?"

"You. And speaking of my ex." Courtney crouches next to Leo. "I heard he asked someone at this table to Homecoming," she whispers into Leo's ear. "So, Katie, how'd that feel?"

"Good, good," I joke. "It was a little weird at first, but I'm excited." Leo slaps my arm.

"Hey!" Courtney stands back up.

"So, Leo, remember, I did you a favor. Now you owe me one."

"What'd you do?" Zach asks.

"She broke up with the hottest guy in school!" I yell at Zach.

"No need to rip open old wounds, Kate. But yeah nut job, get a brain." She fluffs up her brother's hair with her hand.

"Hey!" He yells, fixing it.

"Anyway, Zach, I'm surprised you didn't ask Katie to the dance. I thought you've had a crush on her forever!"

"I do not!" Zach screams, jumping out of his chair. "You know what, I'll prove it to you. Be right back," he says running up the stairs. The rest of us laugh.

~~~

"Look who it is!" I poke Leo, while she's trying to put books into her locker.

"It's Ricky, I know."

"Guess who's walking over here?"

"Hm, let me guess, Zach? Courtney? The thirty-first president of the United States?"

"Hey, Leo," Ricky says.

"Hey, Ricky," Leo says, turning around to face him.

"Hey, oh, hi, Katie. I'm sorry about your parents."

"Thanks. I'll just leave you two alone." I walk into the bathroom, my heart now hurting about the mention of my family. I grab my copy of The Life and Death of Charles Graham and sit down on the tile. I open the book to the title page. My parents always autographed their books for me, something that at the time, I thought was incredibly cheesy and self-obsessed, but now I'm extremely grateful for. I look at the words in red.

"Katrina, don't just soar through life. Glide, and experience every moment of it. <3 Mom ~ Linda Adams."

"Katie, Look for clues, ask for questions. Be the hope, don't wish for it. Your dad, Charlie Baker." I hear the bell ring, close the book, and bring it closer to me. The door to the bathroom opens and closes, and the person sits down next to me.

"You alright?" Leo asks.

"You should go to class."

"I'm not going without you. And anyways, I have a free period this hour. What's wrong?" I hand her the book. I hear pages turning.

"They were very wise. Listen to them. We're doing that. Everything your dad asked, you're doing it."

"No, I'm not." I get up and look at myself in the mirror.

"Yes, you are. We're looking for clues. And finding them too."

"But hope, I'm not hope." I turn around and look at her. "You are, Zach is. And questions? I'm not asking them."

"Okay. That can change. Ask one." I sigh. "Katie, ask one."

"Why'd they die? Why'd Mom kill herself? Why'd she kill Dad?" I sit down under the sink. The tardy bell rings.

"Good. And hope, you are hope. Yes, you're taking some from us, but we're taking more from you. Maybe even draining you from it. If so, I'm sorry." I laugh.

"Let's get to class."