“I don’t know. No, I don’t think she’s right, but I don’t know for sure. All this Hutch stuff has made me question everything. Even you.” Devon knew she sounded like a hypocrite. One day she’s friends with Raven and the next she’s accusing her of something horrible. No wonder she was short on friends these days. Then again, there was no easy way to accuse someone of a secret pregnancy with a dead guy who may or may not have been murdered.
The bell rang. They were late for class. Devon waited. Their conversation would soon become a welcome distraction for the students filing into the nearby classrooms. “Okay, for the record,” Raven hissed. “No. Hutch was like a brother to me. I would never. Sure, I thought I was pregnant for a minute this summer, but that was with my boyfriend, Drew, not with Hutch. Anything else you feel like you need to know about the contents of my uterus?”
Devon nodded. She deserved that. “Raven, please don’t be mad. I’m just trying to figure this one out.” She kept her chin low, hoping her sheepish composure would soften Raven’s anger. “There’s still a pregnant girl out there that we don’t know about.”
Raven shifted her backpack to her other shoulder. Her long skirt swayed and the hem held onto a few dried leaves on the stone walkway. “Okay. You’re right. And I’m sorry. Seriously, it wasn’t me though.”
“I know,” Devon said quickly.
“But you really think Hutch has a baby out there?” Raven asked.
“Let’s talk later,” Devon said. Heads were turning in their direction. Naturally, it was time to be in class. But one of those heads was Maya’s.
WE HAVE TO TALK.
Devon passed Maya the note as Raj stumbled through an answer about recurring motifs in A Tale of Two Cities. Maya tucked it in between the pages of her notebook without a glance Devon’s way. When Mrs. Freeman dismissed the class, Maya stayed in her seat to apply a fresh layer of coral lipstick on her lips. Devon stared, but Maya focused on smoothing her hair back into place. She’s going to ignore me as long as she can, Devon thought. Devon was almost out the door when Maya whispered behind her, “Tonight. After curfew. We’ll talk.”
Devon paused, her back still turned. Okay, at least that was something.
AFTER THE FINAL RUSH through the Bay House halls, after Mrs. Sosa had knocked on every last door and said good night to each girl, Maya crept into Devon’s room. Only her desk lamp was on, turned away from the door. Maya was wearing her robe and a plush pair of slippers. She stood in the middle of Devon’s room, awkward, waiting.
“You can sit down,” Devon whispered.
“I guess I’ve never been in your room before,” Maya said. She sat in Devon’s armchair and tucked her legs underneath her. Even with the bulky robe and fluffy slippers, Maya looked small and childlike in the oversized chair. “It’s cool,” she added automatically.
“I spoke to Raven,” Devon started.
“I can’t believe Isla did that.” Maya sighed, casual, relaxed, like she and Devon were two regular friends chatting.
Was Maya stalling for some reason? It like a game of chicken. Who would reveal what she knew first? Devon sat up straighter in bed. It might as well be her. “Raven isn’t the one that’s pregnant with Hutch’s baby. And like you said, we both know that.”
Maya swallowed hard and stared down at the floor. Let the subject fill the silences. Devon had gone first, now she would let Maya finish. The words tumbled out of her mouth in a terrible rush.
“I’m ten weeks pregnant. I found out just as school was starting. Hutch got a pregnancy test for me because I was too scared to be seen buying one in Monte Vista. You’re the only one that knows.” Maya slowly looked up. “I don’t know what to do.”
CHAPTER 16
Wednesday, October 10
Devon wondered why she’d even bother coming to the library. Studying or concentrating was out of the question. She sat at one of the wooden tables with the old green lamps, the ones that burned so hot they threatened to singe the arm hair on anyone who dared to touch the power switch. So, Hutch had gotten Maya pregnant. Well, Maya hadn’t said those exact words out loud, but it was clearly not Immaculate Conception. Instead she talked only about the baby. She was determined to keep it, but knew she would start showing in a few