My friends were waiting for me just inside the main school door, as usual, though it only took me a moment to realize Pain wasn't with them.

"Feeling better?" Beth's brown eyes shone with concern. "My mom gets migraines. They're awful."

Right. "Yeah, thanks," I said, feeling the heat rise to my face as I reinforced the lie. "I'll be okay."

"By the way," Alison hooked her arm in mine and started leading me to our lockers, "Benjamin says hi." She winked at me with ...