The early evening wind blew through the trees outside their apartment. Since it was the first week of September, the leaves hadn't changed yet. They remained on their branches despite the wind. Marie sat by the window, waiting for Sophie's limo to appear. It was on Sophie's request. Taking the metro line would take too long and be too expensive, so Sophie was coming to get her. Her dad was at the table, correcting some homework. It was quiet, and Marie couldn't help but think about the bully in the bathroom, despite all her efforts to forget the whole thing.

She almost lost it when Mr. Ross pulled her aside after class and asked if she was okay. She gave one-word answers before admitting she needed to catch the line and rushed out of the classroom before he could stop her. The second she got home from school, she sang her emotions out. Her dad hadn't arrived home yet, which gave her a half hour of privacy she used to cry and sing. It was exhausting, but it was more exhausting to hold the emotions inside her.

She contemplated whether to tell her dad. Would it make a difference? Yes, she realized. It would change everything. She still pretended school was great. She pretended to make friends. She belonged at Presley High. All lies she told her dad so he wouldn't worry.

"Marie?"

She turned, surprised to hear her name. Her dad had set his pen down and was looking at her.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Did you hear my question?" he asked.

Marie dropped her gaze. "No."

There was silence between them. "Hey, are you all right?" he asked.

"Fine, I'm fine."

"You're usually excited to visit Sophie. Are you two still okay?"

"Of course, dad."

Another silence. Worry wrinkles creased her dad's forehead. "Marie, you may not want to talk about it, but there's no reason to lie. You've been sulking ever since I got home."

"I'm just glad school is over for the week."

Her dad watched her again, a frown flickering across his face. "How was school today?"

Tears began to form, threatening to call her out as a liar. Her dad noticed, and Marie felt herself scrambling for an answer.

"It's hard because they don't have a science or math teacher yet. I'm stuck watching documentaries," she said.

"What!"

Marie jumped. Her dad sounded far angrier than she expected him to.

"Yeah. It's boring, to be honest."

Her dad glared at the homework he was correcting. "What happened to the teacher Mr. Machiavelli highly praised?"

"He got fired, and they're working on replacing him," Marie said.

"Well, I think I'll give them a call and see how the process is going."

Marie felt a spike of panic. "You really don't have to do that."

Her dad shook his head. "No, I do. I know plenty of out-of-work scientists who would leap at the chance to teach."

Marie began chewing on the inside of her cheek. Maybe this would get the ball rolling and she'd finally have her favorite classes back.

"Thank you for telling me, Marie."

Marie nodded as she saw Sophie's limo pull up. She grabbed her duffel bag and stood up.

"Be safe. See you up tomorrow at noon," her dad said.

"Yep, see you tomorrow."

Her dad glanced out the window before giving Marie one last smile. Marie turned and walked toward the front door. Marie knew it hurt her dad to see any sign of Sophie's ridiculously rich lifestyle when they'd been living in a small, two-bedroom apartment their whole life. Marie didn't care. It was the price of following his dreams.

The limo door flew open before Marie closed the door to the stairway of their apartment.

"Marie!" Sophie exclaimed.

Sophie hugged her and waved to Marie's dad who had waited at the window to make sure Marie got in okay. Her dad waved and disappeared from the window.

"I'm glad you're here! Ugh, I've been waiting for this all week! Come, let's rant!"

Marie couldn't help but laugh as she and Sophie got in the limo. They chatted the whole way to Sophie's house, talking about anything and everything. It felt like the most Marie talked all week.

The limo driver pulled into the driveway of Sophie's house, and Marie was again struck by the grandeur of their house. It was crazy how only three people lived here. Three fourths of the population of Musical Land lived in apartments. Granted, Marie had been in some nice apartments, way nicer than hers. Stepping into this crazy large house where they had their own fenced back yard let Marie know her best friend lived the ridiculously rich lifestyle.

"My parents excused the staff for the weekend and left us money for pizza. My parents are working late," Sophie said.

Marie picked up the hundred-dollar bill next to Sophie's new model flip phone.

"A hundred bucks? Seriously?"

"Yeah, they asked because they haven't had pizza in ages, so I said two pizzas definitely costs a hundred. We could get breadsticks and sodas and maybe four or five pizza's, because my parents never get it and I'm craving it."

Marie shook her head and laughed, once again certain of Sophie's place at the upper one percent. They decided on what kind of pizzas, and Sophie had the time of her life spending her parents' money.

With the order placed, Sophie sighed, content.

"Your parents are working late?" Marie didn't have to pretend to feel relieved. Sophie's parents were intimidating.

"Yeah, they mentioned a new case President Arnold gave them."

Marie tried to comb through her hair with her fingers to get the knots out. "Did they give any details?"

"They don't talk much about work. Not allowed to, I think." Sophie shrugged.

"Does it have anything to do with hobos?" Marie asked.

Sophie spun her head around so fast Marie could have sworn she heard her neck pop.

"Do you know about the case?"

"I..."

Marie felt conflicted. The S.E.A. agent and her dad both said she couldn't tell anyone. But Sophie was her best friend. A best friend with parents as high up officials. If it was the hobo case, and if Sophie let on she knew more than she was supposed to, both of them could get in serious trouble.

"It's nothing," Marie said.

Sophie scooted closer, grabbing a throw pillow from the couch and hugging it close. "Now you have to tell me."

"Come on, Sophie. I was told by an S.E.A. agent not to say anything," Marie said.

Her best friend was brimming with excitement. "What? What is it?"

"No, I'm not telling you."

Sophie paused, then her excited smile turned into a deep frown. Her eyes narrowed, and Marie sensed she unearthed something inside Sophie. "What did they tell you would happen if you said anything?"

Marie went back to chewing the inside of her cheek. Sophie let out a frustrated groan. Marie was shocked to see her best friend's eyes start to glisten and felt the words tumble out.

"The agent said a lot of bad could happen toward the hobos if I told. I don't want this to spread and cause hatred toward a group of helpless people."

Sophie rolled her eyes. "They have such little faith in humanity. Believe me, I've seen it in my parents. Come on Marie. You know me! I won't tell a soul, because I have no one else to talk to!"

Marie sighed. She related too well to Sophie. Neither one of them had made friends yet. She wanted to tell, and this secret was burning inside her.

"You're right. I'll tell you."

She started to explain what happened. It felt good to have a best friend to talk to and share the secret with. Sophie clutched the pillow close to her chest, her jaw dropping farther and farther the more Marie got into her story.

"Macbeth!" Sophie swore. "It must be the case my parents are working on!"

Marie nodded. "Do your parents have any clue what's over the wall?"

Sophie shrugged. "They're too terrified. Everyone at the S.E.A. treats the wall like death will happen if anyone even talks about it. Did you hear about the mangled body they found a few months ago?"

"Yeah. I thought it was rumored, though," Marie said.

"No, I overheard them talking about it. My parents will deny it if you ask them, but my mom was shaken up about it for weeks. As much as I make fun of them, their jobs can be dangerous."

Marie shivered. Whatever was over the wall could not be good. Marie imagined a twisted creature waiting to devour their souls. The doorbell rang and the two girls let out a shriek before giggling. Speculation about what was over the wall was always horror story fodder for sleepovers all over Musical Land.

Marie helped Sophie bring in the food, then they started shoveling pizza into their faces. When they began to slow down, Marie told Sophie about the incident in the bathroom earlier in the day. Sophie was enraged.

"That girl is an idiot who will only be great in high school and will spend the rest of her life chasing the high of success she had when she was a teenager!"

Marie cocked an eyebrow and tried not to laugh. It felt good to think about the experience in a comedic light. "Wow. I mean, if you say so."

Marie spent the rest of the evening not thinking about school at all, and if they did mention it in passing, it was in a lighthearted manner to not make either one of them nervous about the coming week. Marie realized how necessary it was to make friends in school. They couldn't have a sleep over every night in order to get through high school, tempting as it was.