Free Secret of the Sevens by Lynn Lindquist

squeezes my arm tighter. I gotta admit, I don’t really mind right now. Still, I’m eager to change the subject. “So can I ask you a question, Laney? Since I’m risking my life, following dicey instructions given to us by a secret society that murdered for profit, do you think you can at least explain to me why this is so important to you?”
    â€œI’ll tell you if you tell me why you need the money so bad.”
    When I don’t answer, she says, “Okay then, let me guess. Gambling debt? Child support payments? No, I know. To pay for rehab for your cereal addiction.”
    I try to come up with one of my typical, smart-ass answers, but I’m too fixated on the darkness to be clever. “The money is for me.”
    She slips her hand out from my arm. “Of course.” Her voice carries an edge now. “I should have guessed. Money you’ll probably blow on vodka and girls.”
    â€œVodka? Money I’ll probably blow on rent and ramen.”
    Her squinty eyes travel up and down me. “What do you mean?”
    â€œNot everyone has a mommy and daddy to take care of them, Laney. You know the deal. Once you graduate, you’re done at Singer. My free ride is over the second they hand me my diploma. I have no family to go back to and I’m not going to college. I’ll be homeless again. Did you ever think of that? Because I think about it every day.”
    â€œOh … ”
    I turn and walk ahead so I don’t have to face her pity eyes.
    â€œMom and Dad would help,” she blurts out, behind me. “Or maybe the school could—”
    â€œNo.” I spin around. “The school will forget about me. And you and your parents will forget about me. Just like my father, whoever the hell he was, forgot about me. Just like Gram, who dumped me at Singer and my mother, who forgot me in the closet. I can take care of myself.”
    My chest tightens so much it hurts. I don’t want to talk about this anymore.
    I walk away, but she catches up and touches my sleeve. “We’ll figure something out.”
    â€œThere’s nothing to figure out,” I say. “You asked what I wanted the money for and I told you—I need to set myself up somewhere until I can find a decent job. Unlike you, when I graduate I don’t have a family or a future waiting for me.”
    Laney acts like I spit on her. “What do you mean you don’t have any family? You have a family. We’re your family.”
    â€œWhat don’t you get about this? It’s not the same for me as it is for you. I was abandoned by my mom, Laney. Your parents may have raised me, but they aren’t my real mom and dad.”
    â€œThat’s exactly the same as me,” she snaps.
    â€œWhat are you talking about?”
    â€œI’m adopted. My real mother abandoned me too.”
    The words are slow to sink in.
    â€œYou’re adopted? Why didn’t I know that?”
    Her face tightens. “Nobody knows. My parents hide it from everyone. They never even told me. ” She stares up at the ceiling and blows out a slow breath. “Do you remember the community service project I spearheaded sophomore year?”
    â€œWhich one? You do more volunteering than United Way.”
    â€œThe blood drive.”
    â€œYeah?”
    â€œWell, my parents came. Of course. To make a long story short, they both donated type O blood.” She rubs the back of her neck and mumbles. “I’m type A.”
    I shrug my shoulders.
    â€œGeez, you took biology. Don’t you remember anything from the genetics unit? Two type O parents wouldn’t have a type A child. It’s impossible. That’s how I figured it out. They lied to me all those years.”
    â€œYou’re kidding? … Well, what’d they say when you confronted them?”
    â€œThey got all flustered and denied it. Said I was ‘mistaken.’ When I gave them proof,