Crazy Hat still wasn't at the subway station.

"What's the big deal?" Chai asked. "Maybe she got a job or is eating breakfast?"

"That doesn't sound like her," I said. "She loves the morning rush. She likes to guess what's in everybody's coffee."

%%%%

Today in history. the word Reconnection was written on the board. Great, another Mr. Matthews life lesson is coming.

He stood at the front of the class, "You guys don't connect with each other. It's like you can't exist without these." He held out his phone.

Wait...

"You use emoticons rather than emotions. You're an unfeeling generation of zombies."

This sounds familiar.

"It'll amaze you to know that there was a whole world before you and cell phones." He draws a line across the chalkboard. "This is a timeline of all human existence."

Really? This is what he is doing.

I looked over at Farkle and Riley. Their eyebrows were raised.

"Starting here is everyone who ever lived, laughed, loved, and understood the value of life. The cellphone era, which begins right around here," He drew a line almost at the end of the timeline. "We're going to split into partners and no computers."

The whole class, besides Zay, groaned.

"What?" Zay called out.

"We've already done this," I stood up. "Are you running out of things to teach?"

Mr. Matthews eyed Riley, "Sometimes we need to learn a lesson twice." He turned back to the class, "This time, I will assign your partners."

It's a trick.

"Zay and Lucas, Smackle and Farkle,...and Riley and Maya."

I looked over at Riley. She glared at her father.

"We're going old school. You're going to do your research at the New York Public Library again."

We groaned again.

%%%%

The six of us entered the subway. Riley suddenly stopped.

"Crazy Hat still isn't here." She said to Lucas.

"Riley, don't make a big deal out of this," Lucas shrugged.

"It's been weeks Lucas," Riley demanded. "Something must be wrong?"

Looks like Riley and I were the only ones who cared about Crazy Hat.

Lucas puts his hands in his pockets and waits for the subway car to stop. Riley stomped her foot.

I walked up to her, "I...I'm worried about her too."

For the first time in mouths, Riley and I made eye contact.

%%%%

It has been a year since I have been to the New York Public Library. Nothing had changed much, still old, still dusty, still scary. But there was a weird change. The man behind the podium, reading Robert Frost.

"Shawn," Riley and I gasped.

"Good," Shawn placed a bookmark inside the book and turned to us. "You've made it safely."

He stood up and put his hands out, "Hand over your phones."

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Mr. Matthews doesn't trust you to do the assignment right. So I'm here to make sure there are no distractions. Phones."

We groaned, handing him each of our phones. We sat down at the big table together.

"Hold up," Shawn said, "This is a partner assignment. Not a group hang, two to a table."

I do not like this Shawn.

"Boo. Boooo." I said.

"Booo," He hit right back. "Two to a table."

Lucas and Zay, Farkle and Smackle all went to other tables, smiling at me. I guess everybody knew what this assignment was really about. Then Shawn slammed a book between us.

Tales of Human Interaction Volume 2: Reconnection.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked Shawn.

"Two roads diverged in a wood," Shawn said. "I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference."

"What is supposed to mean?" I bit.

Shawn walked away, sitting back at the podium.

Riley opened the book, "Reconnection. The act or result of restoring a connection."

There were so many things I wanted to talk to her about. Coming out to my mom. Chai. I even wanted to ask about how things were going with Lucas.

"We need to find Crazy Hat," Riley said, "It's not like her to disappear like this."

"Ture," I nodded, "Maybe we could look her up and find..." Then I looked down and remembered I didn't have my phone.

Riley leaned in, "If you can distract Shawn, I can grab our phones and we can get out of here."

I couldn't help but smile.

"Are you suggesting we break the rules, Matthews?"

Riley nods, " You in Hart?"

I took a breath and stood up. I walked over to Shawn.

"So Hunter," I started. "What happened to the old lady?"

Riley quietly got out from her seat and crawled on the floor.

"Gertrude is at an over 50 singles mixer," Shawn said. "So I'm subbing in tonight."

Riley crawled over to the podium. She was about to reach Shawn's feet.

"Ta ta da da," I started dancing, turning Shawn's head away from Riley.

"Maya what are you doing?" Shawn said getting up and stepping away from the desk.

"La la da da" I kept going.

Riley grabbed our phones and dashed out. I ran out behind her.

%%%

Riley and I didn't stop running until we reached the outside steps. Then Riley started laughing and handed me my phone.

I sat down on the steps and Riley...sat down next to me. It was weird because she hasn't sat that close to me in months.

"So let's look up Evelyn Rand."

Oh yea, she had a real name.

The first thing that popped up was a website. Evelyn was quite successful until 2007. Then we found her Facebook profile.

"Maya," Riley yelled. "Is that the lunch lady?"

I looked at the screen.

"Oh my god," I gasped.

It was Mrs. Thompson, with Crazy Hat at what seemed to be a Thanksgiving table.

This was getting interesting.

%%%%

"So Riley and I are going to the middle school," I told Chai in the hallway at school the next morning. "We are going to ask Mrs. Thompson how she knows Crazy Hat."

"Great," Chai rolled her eyes. "Riley and Maya together again."

I didn't like her tone.

"What's wrong?" I asked holding on to her hand.

"Because you're just gotta let Riley back in your life without her taking any responsibility," She groaned. "Has she even apologized?"

She let go of my hand.

"Chai, honey…"

She backed away, "You two just can't go back."

"And why not?"

Chai folded her lips and crossed her arms, "Because back then Riley was the center of your universe. And I was just Back of the room Brenda."

I was going to tell her, that wouldn't happen again. But before I could say anything the bell rang. And Chai ran off to class.

%%%%

I thought about what Chai said as Riley and I walked over to our old school.

"How are things...with her? With Chai?" Riley nervously asked as we stepped along the curb.

This was a good sign. Right?

"Good," I nodded.

We walked through the doors of John Quincy Adams. Riley and I looked at each other. And for the first time in a long time, we read each other's minds.

It all looks so small now.

%%%%

I knocked on the kitchen door.

"Ms. Thompson, it's Maya," I yelled out.

But it was a redheaded woman in a hairnet, who answered the door.

"Hi," I told her. "I'm here to speak to Geralyn Thompson."

The redhead put her hand over her face. She walked over to a table and sat down.

"She is not here," She whimpered.

I walked over to her, "Where is she?"

"You might want to sit down," She whispered.

I sat down across from her and Riley sat down next to me.

The redhead placed her hands on the table. She took a deep breath.

"Mrs. Thompson died three weeks ago."

My heart dropped into my stomach. Every cell in my brain seemed to shut down.

Nothing made any sense anymore.