"What's wrong with everybody?" Tony got off the bus and walked into the school accompanied by Latisha and Cathy who wondered the same thing. The mood was somber. Several girls cried and kids talked in hushed voices. "You'd think somebody died." he quipped.

As if in answer to his words an announcement came over the loud speaker instructing them all to proceed to the auditorium instead of their home rooms. "Gees, maybe somebody did die." Latisha said sounding frightened . They obediently headed towards the auditorium.

Cathy froze and looked frantically around. "Tony, do you know where Joey is?"

"No, I haven't seen him since Saturday. Hey, where you going?" he shouted after her.

Without warning she ran down the hall. She rounded the corner to Joey's locker but he wasn't there. Panic seized her chest. "Dear God, what happened?" she spoke aloud.

"I think some kid died, a senior, in a car crash," a girl told her as she passed by. "I don't know who yet." she said quickly before she ran down to the assembly.

"Oh, dear God, no. Please, no," she mumbled. She took quick and shallow breaths and collapsed against Joey's locker. She slid down to the floor, hiding her face in her shaking hands praying incessantly. "Please, no, not Joey. Anybody but Joey." she muttered. But she knew that explained everything. His parents weren't at the game yesterday and they weren't home last night. "Please, no." she pleaded, tears springing to her eyes. The halls emptied and she was all alone. She stayed there crying begging for a miracle.

"Cathy?" an all-too-familiar voice said softly.

She looked up and through the blur of tears she could see the face she thought she'd never see again. She jumped up throwing her arms around him and cried harder than ever. "I'm sorry, Cathy," Joey said hugging her to him. "Tony said you were down here looking for me. I'm so sorry, Cathy."

"Joey, oh, Joey. I was so scared. I thought...I thought you...oh, Joey." she stammered helplessly clinging to him for dear life.

"Scared.... about me? Why?"

"I was so afraid I'd never see you again. Benny missed the game. Why weren't you home?" she asked anxiously.

"My grandmother. She had a stroke Saturday night and we left to see her. We didn't come back until late last night."

"Oh...she okay?"

"Yeah, she'll be living with us as soon as she gets out of the hospital. Mom stayed with her." Joey told her but his eyebrows creased. "Cathy, I'm really sorry. Are you okay?"

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