"No matter how bad your heart is broken, the world doesn't stop for your grief."
- Faraaz Kazi

Nora kept glancing behind her at the empty desk in the back row. It was the third time this week, not counting the other classes they didn't share. Who knows how often Lucas skipped those too? She raised her hand.

"Mr. Montgomery?" she asked.

"What is it, Nora?" her teacher replied, glancing at her over the top of his computer screen.

Teachers always liked Nora. She kept her head down, her nose clean and did all of her work well and on time.

"Can I go to the media center to pick out a new book? I'm done with the assignment," she asked sweetly. If it was the media center instead of the restroom, she could be gone for a long time without anyone getting curious.

"Of course," Mr. Montgomery said.

There were two places on campus where Lucas hid when he skipped. One was the empty classroom on the third level. Clubs met there so it was rarely locked. The other place was next to the brick wall on the opposite side of the double doors in the courtyard. There, weeds grew long and no one could see you from the road. If he wanted a smoke he went there.

The late April afternoon was neither hot nor cold. Perfect weather. That's why Nora decided to try the outside first. Sure enough, there he was with his earbuds stuffed into his ears and his phone in his hand while the other held a joint. He looked up in panic before he realized it was just Nora. Then he smiled and scooted over so she could sit beside him on the damp grass. It had rained last night across all of Prince William County, Virginia. A soft spring rain gently hammering the stony winter ground into submission.

Nora took one of Lucas's earbuds out and put it into her own ear and started bobbing her head to the beat.

Lucas offered her a hit of the joint and she took it, breathing out slow. Then he paused the music.

"How'd you find me?" he asked.

"I know you too well," Nora said with a grin.

He was wearing a hoodie but Nora was shivering in her long sleeved t-shirt. When he noticed that, he hugged her tightly to his chest and ran his warm hand up and down her arm. His knuckles were bloody.

"What happened here?" Nora asked, gently tracing the scabs.

Lucas looked down, then back at her.

"I tried to hit him back. Instead I hit the wall. I suck," he said with a chuckle.

"That's not something to laugh about."

Lucas just shrugged. "It's funny."

"No, it isn't. Not when he hit you first. What did you do this time?"

"My music was too loud. He broke the hinges off my door and just attacked me like the crazy bastard he is. My door is propped against the frame. I have to open it like those Japanese sliding wall thingies. I should get a weapon. Like a Samurai sword..."

"That's not a good idea," Nora said, disregarding his light tone.

"Why not? I'm not gonna kill him, just show him I can."

"Because you'll end up going to jail. He's a lawyer. No one will believe you," Nora said. "You know he'll bury you."

"Juvie for two years doesn't sound bad. Then I'm free. But... I could be free now too... if I wanted to be."

His dark eyes were far away.

"What are you talking about?" Nora asked, a cold feeling spreading through her body despite the gentle warmth in the air.

Ever since he'd gotten the news of his father's death, Lucas had changed. It was like something inside of him had died too. He smoked a lot of pot now, not just at concerts like they used to. And he talked about death like it was something to do on the weekend.

"I have a plan."

Nora's heart was pounding now. "I don't want to hear you talk about suicide."

Lucas laughed. "Hell no! I'd never leave you. Another plan. A better plan. You'll see."

"Don't do anything stupid."

"Desperate people have nothing to lose."

Nora sighed and leaned against him. She kissed his cheek as a spring breeze made what was left of winter's crumbly leaves in the courtyard dance. They swirled like noisy brown birds.

"I wish I could do something," she said softly. "Like I wish you could stay at my house."

Their parents had forbidden sleepovers after they both hit puberty. For their whole lives, Lucas and Nora had lived on the same suburban street and been best friends. Nora wasn't even sure her parents knew that they weren't friends anymore but something bigger. She had never told them, and she knew Lucas hadn't told his mother either. The only other living person he could have told was Brian, his stepfather who was responsible for the bloody knuckles and the sliding Japanese wall. Lucas would rather die than confide in him.

"You just being here is enough. The fact that you won't give up on me. That's nice," Lucas said.

"You just have to stop skipping class," Nora replied, a pleading note in her voice. "We gotta graduate together. And you're not passing, Lucas."

"It's only Sophomore year," he mumbled.

"For a few more weeks. In a month we'll be Juniors. You don't have the time you think you have to fuck around, Lucas."

Nora waited, twisting his hoodie strings while he took a hit off the dwindling joint and coughed.

"You're skipping with me. And I can't help but notice you're sharing this joint. So keep on preaching, little hypocrite," he said.

Nora threw her hands in the air exasperatedly.

"That's just it, Lucas! I've become a person who can flirt with the dark side because I've spent enough time building my light side persona. You, my friend, have never even bothered with the simple art of the Lie," Nora said, wagging her finger at him. "And if you did, you would get away with a hell of a lot more!"

"You like bad boys. You can't keep up that goodie-two-shoes act anymore than you can keep your hands off me," Lucas said with a smirk.

Nora straddled his lap and pinned his arms over his head against the wall. "So?" she said. She arched her back and gently wiggled the joint from between his fingers with her teeth.

"So one day, you're gonna have to pick a side," he said.

"No sides," Nora replied softly. She moved in close and kissed his mouth. "Just you."

They kissed for a few more minutes and then Lucas sighed and brushed a few blue strands of Nora's dyed hair off her face. She could tell by his face that he was serious now. He said,

"I just don't care anymore. I don't care about anything but you. I know that's not what you wanna hear, but it's where I'm at."

The sadness in his eyes made her feel helpless.

"I know things are hard right now since your dad died, but you can't just throw your life away, baby," she said softly.

"I'm not. I'm still alive right? There's lots of things you can do to get by. Like get a G.E.D. I can just drop out anytime and it's all good."

"You have to get your G.E.D. They don't just hand them out when you stop going to school," Nora said irritatedly.

"You can help me. You're smart," he said.

"You're smart too, Lucas."

He laughed. "Uh... sure. I kinda suck at everything I do but... sure."

"You're a great writer."

He shook his head. "I suck."

"Your lyrics are incredible."

He blushed and smiled at her. "Thanks. Don't believe you but... thanks."

"You callin' me a liar, bitch?" Nora said, shoving him against the wall.

Lucas laughed. Nora did too. The high was really kicking in now. Everything was hilarious. Everything felt good.

"I love you, angel," Lucas said seriously.

Nora grinned at the nickname and broke out laughing again. "I love you too, devil."

Lucas leaned in for another kiss just as the bell for fourth period rang.

"No more kisses. Now it's time to go to class. GO. I'm fucking serious," Nora said, putting a hand on his chest.

He rolled his eyes and kissed her anyway, twisting one blue strand of hair around his finger.

"Fine."