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say about the vicissitudes of life.”
    He asks me what vicissitude means. He’s told us before, but I say I don’t know. He lets me off. He asks Kyle instead. He must know I’m upset.
    I call Jade as soon as class is out, but there’s no answer. No answer after Chemistry or Biology either.
    I’ve been here before. Part of me thinks she’s not picking up the phone because she wants me to worry.
    The other part of me thinks she’s in the hospital with Gavin. I’ve googled migraines before. All the pages say the same thing. They’re painful but not serious. Kids get them all the time. Most grow out of them. Gavin’s got all the classic symptoms. There’s no reason to worry.
    Then I remember Jade saying, “It’s probably not a tumor.” I’m standing in the school lobby, staring at the trophy case, and it hits me. Probably not means almost exactly the same thing as might be.
    I promised Dalma I wasn’t going to let this happen again, so I meet her for lunch like we planned. I don’t say a thing about Jade. Afterward, I walk her to class. She reminds me about dinner tonight at her place.
    â€œI can hardly wait,” I say.
    She says, “Sure,” and we both laugh. We had a long talk yesterday about how sometimes sure means the opposite of what it sounds like.
    â€œNo, really,” I say. “I love intestines.”
    We laugh some more. She told me they eat cow intestines in Croatia. I’m not sure if she was joking. Her English is really improving, but we still have some misunderstandings. I hope this is one of them.
    I’d kiss her goodbye, but Ms. Lumsden says, “So long, loverboy” and pulls the door closed.
    I go out into the parking lot and try Jade again. She’s still not answering. I think of calling Angie, but I don’t want to make things worse. This could just be one of Jade’s moods, and I can talk her out of it.
    I get into the car and drive to her apartment. I’m not doing this for her or even Gavin anymore. I’m doing this for me. I’m never going to be able to get on with my own life until this problem is solved. I think Jade should talk to the guidance counselor. Mr. Brownell’s a nice guy. He’ll know what to do.
    I run upstairs. Someone’s home. I can hear movement. I knock. The sound stops. I knock again. Nothing.
    â€œJade? It’s me.”
    It goes even quieter. I can actually hear the silence inside.
    â€œJade?”
    Footsteps, then the door opens a crack. “I’m busy, Mick.” She’s whispering.
    â€œJust for a second? Jade. Please. We need to talk. I won’t stay long.”
    She lets the door creak open but turns her back and walks away before I get a look at her.
    The place is a mess. Toys everywhere. Unfolded laundry. What looks like last night’s dinner. I don’t see any barf, but I can smell it.
    Jade sits down on the couch. She’s wearing baggy sweatpants and that old shirt of mine. She’s obviously been crying. The skin around her eyes is all pink and blotchy.
    â€œYou okay?”
    She nods and starts throwing Gavin’s toys into a rubber bin. She won’t look at me. I move some laundry aside and sit next to her on the couch.
    â€œJade. You can’t quit school.”
    She rubs her fingers up and down her forehead.
    â€œJade. You can’t. This is crazy.” I touch her back. I can feel her shaking. “There’s a way around this. There has to be.”
    She swings around. She’s whispering, but her voice is as hard as if she were screaming.
    â€œHow? GooGoo’s sick. I take him to the doctor’s. I take him to the hospital. No one can help him. Certainly not his parents…”
    â€œWhat about talking to Mr. Brownell?”
    â€œYou think I haven’t?” Her chin is trembling. She puts her hand over her mouth.
    My parents would help. I know they would, but I’m afraid to