“Yeah, you seem truly passionate about that quote, sis,” Dalma says.
Dalma has given thought to this question, of course. Last Friend has been an incredible resource over the past two years, since its prototype stage, but she’ll forever be horrified by the eleven Last Friend serial killings last summer. She was tempted to sell the app, wash the blood from her hands. But there have been so many instances where the app has done good, like this afternoon on the train when she overheard a conversation between two young women, smiling at each other when one said she was so grateful she reached out over Last Friend, and learning the other loves the movement so much she tags the city with graffiti to promote the app.
Her app.
Before Dalma can answer, two teen boys run past her. One with a buzz cut, brown complexion shades lighter than her own, and another with glasses, fuller brown hair, and light tan skin like Dahlia’s. The first teen trips, the other helping him up, and they take off again, who knows where. She wonders if they’re half siblings with only a mother in common too. Maybe they’re lifelong friends constantly up to no good and constantly lifting each other up.
Maybe they’ve just met.
Dalma watches the teens run off. “My Last Message would be to find your people. And to treat each day like a lifetime.”
MATEO
6:24 p.m.
We’re in the clear, sinking against a wall, like earlier when I was breaking down after running away from Lidia’s. I want to be somewhere safe, like a locked room, not out here where people can hunt down Rufus. Rufus holds my hand and wraps his arm around my shoulders, holding me close.
“Props on punching Peck,” Rufus says.
“First time I’ve ever hit anyone,” I say. I’m still in shock from all my firsts—singing in public, kissing Rufus, dancing, punching someone, hearing bullets that close.
“Though you really shouldn’t punch people with guns,” Rufus says. “You could’ve gotten yourself killed.”
I stare out into the street, still trying to catch my breath. “Are you criticizing how I saved your life?”
“I could’ve turned around and you would’ve been dead. I’m not having that.”
I have no regrets. I go back in time and imagine myself being a little slower, maybe tripping, and losing valuable time and losing my valuable friend as bullets rip apart his beautiful heart.
I almost lost Rufus. We have less than six hours left, and if he goes first, I’ll be a zombie who’s well aware his head is on the chopping block. The connection I have with Rufus isn’t what I expected when I met him around three in the morning.
This day is unimaginably rewarding and still so, so impossible.
I’m tearing up and there’s no stopping there. I finally cry because I want more mornings.
“I miss everyone,” I say. “Lidia. The Plutos.”
“Me too,” Rufus says. “But we can’t risk their lives again.”
I nod. “The suspense of everything is killing me. I can’t take being out here.” My chest is tight. There’s a huge difference between living fearlessly, like I’ve finally been doing, and knowing you have something to fear while you’re out living. “Will you hate me if I want to go home? I want to rest in my bed where everything is safe and I want you to come with me, but inside this time. I know I spent my life hiding there, but I did my best to live, too, and I want to share this place with you.”
Rufus squeezes my hand. “Take me home, Mateo.”
THE PLUTOS
6:33 p.m.
Death-Cast did not call these three Plutos because they aren’t dying today, but their fourth did receive the alert and that’s just as devastating. The Plutos almost witnessed the death of their best friend, Rufus, as a gun was pulled on him. Rufus’s Last Friend appeared out of nowhere like a superhero and punched Peck in the face, saving Rufus’s life—for a little while longer, at least. The Plutos know Rufus won’t survive the day, but they didn’t lose him to a violent act from someone who had it out for him.
The Plutos stand together on the curb outside Clint’s Graveyard as a cop car speeds off down the street, taking the gang with no name away.
The two boys cheer and hope they spend more time behind bars than they did today.
The girl regrets her role in all of this. But she’s relieved her insecure, jealous boyfriend didn’t deliver the killing blow. Ex-boyfriend.
While they’re not facing Death themselves, tomorrow everything changes for the Plutos. They will have to restart, something they’ve grown used to doing; their youth is packed with more history than most teens their age. The death of their friend, however it unfolds, will stay with them forever. Entire lives aren’t lessons, but there are lessons in lives.
You may be born into a family, but you walk into friendships. Some you’ll discover you should put behind you. Others are worth every risk.
The three friends hug, a planet missing from their Pluto Solar System—but never forgotten.
RUFUS
7:17 p.m.
We pass the plot where Mateo buried that bird this morning, back when I was still a stranger on a bike. We should be freaking out, big-time, because we’re gonna be on our way out soon too, like old meat, but I’m keeping it together by Mateo’s side and he seems chill too.
Mateo leads the way into his building. “If there’s nothing else you want to do, Roof, I thought we could visit my dad again.”
“You just call me ‘Roof’?”
Mateo nods, and his face scrunches up like he’s told a bad joke. “Thought I would try it out. That okay?”
“Definitely okay,” I say. “That’s a good plan, too. I’m cool with resting for a bit before making that run.” Part of me can’t help but wonder if Mateo is bringing me home so we can have sex, but it’s probably safe to assume sex isn’t on the brain for him.
Mateo is about to press the elevator button until he remembers we’re not about that, especially not this late in the game. He opens the stairwell door and cautiously goes up. The silence is mad heavy between us, step by step. Wish I could challenge him to a race to his apartment, like he imagined for us at Jones Beach, but that’s a surefire way to never actually reach the apartment.
“I miss . . .” Mateo stops on the third floor. I think he’s about to bring up his dad, maybe Lidia. “I miss when I was so young I didn’t know to be afraid of death. I even miss yesterday when I was paranoid and not actually dying.”
I hug him because that says everything when I actually don’t have anything to say. He squeezes me back before we go up the last flight of steps.
Mateo unlocks his front door. “I can’t believe I’m bringing a boy home for the first time and there’s no one here for you to meet.”
How wild would it be if we go in and his dad is on the couch, waiting for him?
We go inside and no one is here except us.