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on the forest floor, my throbbing elbow, my pounding head, the blood. I’ve already been out there for hours, and no one even knows I’m missing yet.
    Penny looks around the hallway contemplatively, as if searching the crowds for me. “I’m gonna tweet, see if anyone’s seen her.”
    “Thank you, Penny.” I scowl at my other supposed friends.
    If you want to know anything at this school, you follow @PennyKimKnows. Within two minutes of the girls standing outside the library, Matt and Drue walk over, their equally long strides making them look more like brothers than friends. Matt’s thick, sandy locks are tousled and messy, unlike Drue’s perfectly styled hair.
    Matt leans against a chipped, gray locker. “So Nicole’s AWOL?” His words are light, but his expression is guarded and there are dark bags under his eyes. I remember how he looked at me last night, and how I brushed him off. Again.
    Amber’s eyes light up at the promise of drama. “Yeah, her mom called the office. She hasn’t seen her.”
    I glare at her as she leans against the lockers.
    “I’m surprised her mother even cares,” Drue says, hitching his backpack higher on his shoulders. Unlike Matt’s bag, which is covered in ink stains and emblazoned with a pot leaf, Drue’s is pristine, mayor-approved. “She’s allowed to do whatever she wants.”
    Matt chuckles at his friend’s bitter tone. “So your dad got home early from his business trip. Get over it.”
    “That’s easy for you to say,” Drue mutters. “He didn’t catch you sneaking in last night. I’m grounded until Monday.”
    Penny chimes in. “If I ever got busted sneaking home after ten on a school night, I’d be grounded for life . Nicole waltzes in and out of her place whenever she wants.”
    “I wish I had her life,” Drue moans.
    “Not right now you don’t,” I say. I want to shake them. They have parents who actually care enough to ground them and they’re acting like it’s a total drag. Maybe, if I had parents like theirs, I wouldn’t be alone on the forest floor, bleeding out. Alone.
    “So, where do you think she is?” Penny’s eyes are starting to sparkle, too, and my stomach sinks as the one person I’d hoped would take this seriously becomes more interested in gossiping about me than finding me.
    “At home.” Lauren shrugs.
    Matt shoves his hands in his pockets. “LA for the day.”
    Drue chuckles while flicking his long bangs out of his eyes. “No way, man. She’s definitely hooking up with Trent behind the bleachers again.”
    Lauren makes a disgusted face and Matt glares at Drue.
    And then, as if on cue, Trent comes around the corner. “Who’s making out with me?”
    I check out his tall frame. If this had been a normal day, I would have put my arm around his waist. He would have kissed the top of my head and we would have walked into the library with the others, sharing secret looks. His hand would have settled on my back, sending stars glowing all over my body.
    Now all I can see are those hands on Lauren.
    “Nicole, who else?” Matt shrugs.
    Trent chuckles and runs his fingers through his short, dark hair, his gaze flicking to Lauren. She acts as though there’s nothing between them, but I see their spark so clearly that I wonder how I could have ever missed it.
    “She’s disappeared, you know.” Penny is once again glued to her phone screen.
    “What?” Trent swallows. He frowns at Lauren.
    Lauren lifts her chin, her eyes hardening. “Yeah, apparently her mom called the school to say she doesn’t know where she is.”
    “That’s crazy. She’s around.” Trent tugs on the collar of his leather jacket.
    “She’s not at home.” Amber gives him a pointed look, obviously fishing for more.
    Trent doesn’t bite. “She’s probably just run away to LA for the day.”
    “He’s right, you know,” Lauren chimes in, a little too brightly. “We all saw her Instagram pic. She’s probably walking Rodeo Drive as we