Julie parked her car in front of Landry's house, got out and walked up the driveway to the garage where Devin and Landry were discussing something written on a piece of paper.

"H-Hey guys."

"Julie!" Devin walked over and hugged her. "It's been a while, too long."

"Yeah, where have you been hiding?"

"I haven't been hiding Landry; we go to different schools now, though not by choice."

"Haven't you tried to transfer?"

"Like three times, it feels like I'm trapped at Dillon. Look, have you guys heard anything from Matt?"

Landry's eyes shifted momentarily to Devin. "Julie, I know it's been hard with Matt's dad dyi—"

"Jesus, just answer the fucking question. " Julie's eyes flashed, while they filled with tears. "Have either of you heard from him or not?"

"No. And Devin hasn't either. Neither have our parents. Haven't you gone to see his grandmother or talked to his mom?"

"His mom is gone, her car is never at his house and if she is there she hasn't answered the door when I knock or the phone when I call. His grandmother is still in the hospital and the painkillers aren't doing her dementia nay good and they are only letting 'Family' visit. I—I –I just wish he called me or sent me a letter or even a telegram, even if it was to say goodbye forever." Tears were coursing down her cheeks and splashing onto the floor of the garage. "You guys have no idea what this is like."

"Hey, that's not fair. Matt's been my best friend since second grade. I care about him and miss him as much as you do. And unlike you, I've been loyal and stayed with him."

Devin let out a gasp. "Look Julie, what he mea—"

"How dare you. What the fuck does that mean, that you've been more loyal to him than I have. I was the only one who stayed with him at the funeral when he buried his dad. Not sat with him while the grave people shoveled the dirt in, I stood there and watched Matt shovel all the dirt into that grave."

"Yeah, and you're also the girl who's always been pushing him away and breaking up with him. Like two years ago, you broke up with him for, what was his name, oh yeah, The Swede. Did you ever find out that guy's actual name?"

"Stop it. This isn't some contest about who misses or is more worried about Matt. None of us have heard from him, okay? If Landry or I hear from him, the first thing we'll do is let you know, okay?

"Well, why hasn't he called?"

Devin glanced at Landry, then put her hand on Julie's shoulder and started walking her down the driveway. "I don't know. Neither does Landry. Now, if you want to be angry and mad about this, that's fine, I think you should be. You want to yell and scream and get all riot girrl, go for it. But...look have you talked to your parents about this?

Julie rolled her eyes.

"I'm serious. Your mom was a counselor for a couple of years, so she's dealt with this kind of thing before, well, maybe not a boyfriend disappearing and leaving town, but breakup and stuff, even if you and Matt weren't broken up, right? Were you?"

"No….I don't know. When we got home from the music festival, actually the whole way home it was like there was this thing hanging over us, that was just gonna crash down and…I don't know it was us breaking up. But neither of us said it."

Devin sighed. "Okay. Julie, I think you need to see a therapist. Even if it's just for a couple of sessions. You can talk with them about stuff that you can't talk with your parents about, for whatever reason. And they can't tell your parents anything, unless, you say that like, you're feeling suicidal or that you wanna shoot up Dillon or they notice cuts on your wrists and think you're hurting yourself. I'm betting your mom can recommend a couple of people, and if you want I can tell her about the one I see."

"You see a therapist?"

"Since I was in third grade. 'Course back then I had no clue what actually went on when you saw them, or what's supposed to happen. And yeah, it has helped. Think about it."