As I Descended. Robin Talley

had seen her.

      As he climbed off the landing, though, he saw a familiar black ponytail bouncing toward the end of the hall ahead of him. Was that seriously her? She never came up here anymore.

      “Maria?” he called. “Maria! Hey, Ree, hang on a sec.”

      Maria stopped but didn’t turn around.

      “Hey!” Brandon jogged the length of the hall to catch up with her. Why didn’t she look back? She had to know it was him. “Where’ve you been? We were supposed to meet at dinner, remember?”

      Maria tilted her head. For a minute Brandon could’ve sworn she didn’t recognize him. She’d been acting so strange lately.

      Then Maria’s face broke into her usual smile. “Crap. Hi. I’m sorry. Lily and I spaced out and missed dinner, I guess.”

      “Wait, you mean you didn’t eat at all?” That wasn’t like Maria. Not during soccer season. She was the only girl Brandon knew who routinely went back for third helpings of the cafeteria’s eggplant casserole.

      Maria didn’t answer. Her smile was still in place, but her eyes darted around the hall.

      She was keeping a secret from him.

      That wasn’t like her either. Brandon and Maria always told each other everything.

      “Something’s wrong, isn’t it?” Brandon lowered his voice and stepped closer to Maria. The fourth floor of the dorm was pretty empty—most people were still at dinner, or hanging out on the front steps during these last precious hours before lights-out—but there were a couple of people milling around at the far end of the hallway. “Are you still freaked from the other night? I kind of am. I even had a dream about it. Do you think it meant—”