Mari clutched the pillow to her chest a little tighter, looking a little pale. Belle was staring off into space, and I couldn't get a read on her emotions.

“Anyways,” I wrapped up.

“I walked to the end of the driveway, stared down the road for a while until the cars were out of sight, and tried to collect my thoughts. Then I came over here and you two know the rest."

Belle nodded, glanced at Mari, and muttered, “Code Blue."

Mari nodded glumly in response.

My eyeballs clicked back and forth as I stared at first one girl and then the other.

“‘Code Blue'?" I asked, not understanding.

Belle had already grabbed the cordless phone from her nightstand and started dialing.

“Girls thing," Mari explained.

“It means drop everything and come over here right away. We've only had like... three... ever."

"Sam?" Belle said into the phone a few moments later. "Sorry to bother;

I know you're busy. Code Blue... Yes, I'm serious. Neevie's parents just caught her and Matty. They came over to his house and everything... Uh, no, not like that. They didn't barge into his room or anything. Just outside banging on the door... Yeah, I'LL explain when you get here. Uh-huh... Sure... Yeah... No, we're at my place...

Uh-huh... Oh, and I know Zofi's at dance practice, but see if you can get ahold of her... Uh-huh... Yeah, Mari's already here. I'm calling

Alice next. Bye."

While Belle's dad was surprised to find the BTC girls in his living room when he came home, he was able to read the room and realize it wasn't time for any dad jokes. He apologized for intruding and went to put away his things. Meanwhile, the girls took that as their cue to get back home to their own families.

While the other girls said their goodbyes to each other, Belle read my mood and told me she could handle dinner if I just wanted to sit down and hang out. I told her quietly I'd rather go for a walk, actually.

Having to sit there for the past couple of hours while five girls discussed the detailed nuances and potential repercussions of having my girlfriend scream her ex-boyfriend's name while I was plundering her ass and then her parents hauling her away made me long for peace and quiet.

We all made our way out the door. I wore a hoodie jacket and pulled it over my head, folded my arms, and stalked away. The girls just let me go, thankfully, and I shuffled off down the sidewalk.

I was about two houses past my own when I heard the sound of running footsteps catching up to me. From the pace of the impacts, I figured it was a jogger heading for the trail behind the housing tract and just kept my head down. But the footsteps slowed beside me, and I turned in surprise to see Sam.

I had put my hands into the jacket pockets. Sam slipped her arm around my elbow and wound up hugging my left arm. And with a genuinely concerned look on her face, she asked, “You okay?"

“Not really,” I muttered as I kept walking slowly.

“Shouldn't you go home then?"

“Don't wanna go home. Just felt Like walking."

“You mind if I stay with you then? I don't like the idea of you being out and alone right now.”

“I'm kinda done talking about it," I muttered.