"Like a storm's comin'?"

"Yep. A big one."

"So you want me to...?"

"Help me be a storm watcher."

"I can do that."

"Thanks."

"But first can we be movie watchers? Damien just ordered Moulin Rouge from Netflix. He's bringing it over, and the Twins managed to get their hands on some honest-to-God real chips and non-fat-free dips' She glanced at her Elvis clock. "They're probably downstairs right now pissed because they've been wait ing for us." I loved the fact that I could unload what felt like earth-shattering stuff to Stevie Rae and one second she could be "ohmygoodness-ing" and the next talking about something as simple as movies and chips. She made me feel normal and grounded and like everything wasn't so overwhelming and con fusing. I smiled at her. "Moulin Rouge? Doesn't that have Ewan McGregor in it?"

"Definitely. I hope we get to see his butt."

"You talked me into it. Let's go. And remember--"

"Jeesh! I know I know. Don't say anything about any of this to anyone." She paused and waggled her brows. "So just let me say it one more time. Loren Blake has the hots for you!"

"Are you done now?"

"Yeah." She grinned mischievously. "I hope someone brought me some brown pop."

"You know, Z, you're weird about your brown pop."

"Whatever, Miss Lucky Charms," I said, pushing her out the door. "Hey, Lucky Charms are good for you."

"Really? So, tell me, what are marshmallows--a fruit or a veg etable?"

"Both. They're unique--like me." I was laughing at silly Stevie Rae and feeling better than I had all day when we trotted down the stairs and into the front area of the dorm. The Twins and Damien had staked out one of the big flat-screen TVs, and they waved us over. I could see Stevie Rae had been right, they were munching on real Doritos and dipping them in full-fatted green onion dip (it sounds gross, but it's really yummy). My good feeling got even better when Damien handed me a big glass of brown pop. "Took you guys long enough," he said, scooting over so that we could sit by him on the couch. The Twins, naturally, had com mandeered two identically big chairs they'd pulled over by the couch. "Sorry," Stevie Rae said, and then added with a grin at Erin, "I had to have a bowel movement."

"Excellent use of proper descriptions, Stevie Rae," Erin said, looking pleased.

"Ugh, just put in the movie," Damien said. "Hang on, I have the remote," Erin said. "Wait!" I told her right before she clicked play. The volume had been turned down, but I could see Fox News 23's Chera Kimiko. Her face looked sad and serious as she talked earnestly into the camera. At the bottom of the screen ran the blurb body of teenager found. "Turn up the volume." Shaunee clicked off the mute. "Repeating our lead story this morning: the body of the missing Union running back, Chris Ford, was discovered by two kayakers late Friday afternoon. The body had become snagged in the rocks and sand barges used to dam the Twenty-first Street area of the Arkansas River to create the new recreational rapids. Sources tell us that the teenager died of loss of blood associated with multiple lacer ations, and that he might have been mauled by a large animal. We'll have more on that for you after the official medical exam iner's report is released." My stomach, which had finally settled down and was acting normal, clenched. I felt my body go cold. But the bad news wasn't over. Chera's beautiful brown eyes looked earnestly into the cam era as she continued. "On the heels of this tragic news comes the report of another Union football player who has been listed as missing." The screen flashed a picture of another cute guy in Union's traditional red and white football uniform. "Brad Higeons was last seen after school Friday at the Starbucks at Utica Square where he was post ing pictures of Chris. Brad was not only Chris's teammate, he was also his cousin."

"Ohmygoodness! The Union football team is dropping like flies," Stevie Rae said. She glanced at me and I saw her eyes widen. "Zoey, are you okay? You don't look so good."

"I knew him, too."

"That's weird," Damien said. "The two of them were always at parties together. Everyone knew them because they're cousins, even though Chris is black and Brad is white."

"Makes perfect sense to me," Shaunee said. "Ditto, Twin," Erin said. I could barely hear them through the buzzing in my ears. "I .. . I need to go for a walk."