stone.
âHey, Maya,â Matt says weakly.
Her face twitches, her eyes looking big and wet, but she shifts her body so she canât see us.
âOuch,â says Caleb quietly.
âThat went well,â says Matt with a sigh.
âI donât think either of us are very high on her list,â I say.
Matt lowers his voice. âAny word from Val?â
âSheâs safe,â says Caleb. âBut I donât know many details.â
âAt least somebodyâs heard from her.â Matt sounds like he wishes that was him.
âYouâre really into her, arenât you,â I say.
Matt shrugs. âBut I donât think it matters. We started hooking up months ago, but it always felt like it was just sort of random for her. Like she wasnât all there. I mean, I get it. . . .â It sounds like it still hurts.
I think of what Val said when we were going to her momâs house and I know that Mattâs right. Not that Val isnât into him, but itâs never going to be a crush or a real relationship, not now anyway. âSheâs going through a lot,â I say, and it feels like a vague and lame thing to say, and itmakes Mattâs face fall because it sort of confirms what he suspected, but thatâs probably best for everyone.
âHas anybody talked to Jon?â he asks.
âNo. You?â
âNope.â
âSo, now what?â Matt wonders. âFind a guitarist? Practice for the release show?â
âUm . . .â Iâd totally forgotten about our EP release show. I booked it right before we left on tour. Itâs a couple weeks from now at Haven, with All Hail Minions! âI should maybe reschedule that.â
âYeah. And what about Candy Shell?â
âActually, things have gotten complicated. Listen . . . ,â Caleb begins, and in a hushed voice he fills Matt in on what we know about Eli. âYou canât tell anyone,â he finishes, âunder any circumstances. Swear it.â
Matt is speechless for a second. âSure, I swear. Let me guess: you want to go to London and find him before he disappears.â
The way he says it cracks my fragile confidence. Like itâs completely far-fetched. Even though I know he doesnât mean it that way, it gives voice to the very reasonable doubt Iâve been feeling, that thereâs no way we can pull this off. âThatâs what weâre thinking,â I say anyway. âAre you in?â
Mattâs fingers run over the swollen skin beside his eye. âCome on, are you serious? There is no way Iâm asking my parents for that. They would lose their minds. You guys go.â
âWeâre a band,â says Caleb.
âSure,â says Matt, âand we just got off an epic tour. But youâre a family. Go figure it out, and weâll take it from there.â Matt checks his watch. âI gotta get going. Momâs taking me for a second opinion on my face.â
As Matt leaves, Caleb slumps in his seat.
âItâs okay,â I say, rubbing his leg. âWe couldnât really expect him to come along, after what heâs been through.â
âI know. I just wish it could be all of us.â
We grab much-needed americanos and get in Calebâs car. Itâs time to tell Charity and Randy, and hopefully get their help. We pull out of the parking lot and Calebâs phone buzzes. He checks it and hands it to me.
Val: Yes passport. Cruise with cousins, age fourteen. Drank rum. Not pretty.
âAt least sheâs covered,â I say. âDid you text your mom and Randy?â
âYeah, I told them we wanted to chat after school, that it was important. No replies yet, though.â
As we drive I check out airfare. âItâs going to take a lot of gigs to pay back Randy and Charity, if they even go for this.â
âHow much?â Caleb asks.
âLike about fifteen hundred dollars each,â