I need you to do something for me,” I tell Jesse on the way to school the next day. “But you’re not going to like it.”

“Okay?” Jesse says.

“You need to be friends with Brandon.”

“What are you talking about?”

“We’re all going to hang out.”

“I don’t trust that guy.”

“Yeah. I know. He doesn’t trust you either.”

Jesse stops and looks at me like I’m crazy.

I shrug. “You both have good reasons.”

Jesse closes his eyes, shakes his head, and then starts walking toward school again. “Just because you’ve decided to change everything doesn’t mean we all have to.”

“I’m not asking you to change everything—just the things that need changing.”

“Whatever,” Jesse says, and then walks five feet in front of me the rest of the way to school.

Since Jesse won’t speak to me during first, third, or fourth period, it’s not a hard decision to sit with Brandon at lunch.

“Hey,” I tell him. “You’re coming over after school today, okay?”

“Is Jesse coming too?”

“Not sure yet.”

He crumples an empty bag of chips. “You know, I think I’m busy.”

“I just need to warn you that you’re going to see some things.”

Brandon frowns. “What kind of things?”

“Hard to explain. Best to just wait and see.”

“Are you manipulating me?”

“Yeah.”

“Well done. You know, I’m more and more impressed with you every day, Record Breaker.”