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I turn the key in the ignition There’s a slight catch And then…

Jessie’s talking to et the hell out of here

“I’d love to stay and chat,” I say to Tal, “but we’ve got somewhere to be”

“Fine,” Tal says, shutting the door ently than I would’ve expected “Just don’t say I never warned you You’re dating the Tin Woman here Look for a heart, you’ll only come up with dead air”

“Thanks for the tip!” I say with mock cheer

He reaches in theand touches Norah on the cheek, holding there for a moment

“Baby, it’s you,” he says Then he turns back to the sidewalk and heads right into the club

“Seeuy,” I say Norah doesn’t respond

Scot leans in my

“Don’t worry about her friend,” he says “We’ll get her home You two kids have fun now, you hear?”

“Sure thing,” I tell hih Norah looks like the only use she has for the word fun is to make the word funeral

Thoives me a thumbs-up Then he and Scot walk hand in hand back to the van, the ju over their shoulders like a boa

Norah hasn’t moved to put her seatbelt back on I don’t knohat this means She turns to look at the door to the club

“You okay?” I ask

“I honestly have no idea,” she says

I put Jessie into reverse and give our parking space away to whoever coives me some satisfaction to know that ood luck

It’s only when I’ve pulled out onto the street that I realize I have no idea where we’re going

“Do you want me to take you home?” I ask

I take her silence as a no Because wanting to go ho you speak up about

I folloith, “What do you want to do?”

This seehtforward question But she looks at e of the world being blown up, and I’ what the weather is like outside

I try again

“You hungry?”

She just holds her hand to her mouth and looks out the front windshield

“You thirsty?”

For all I know, she’s counting the streetlamps

“Know any other bands playing?”