“We never told you about Nell.” Lara said to Celeste as they approached the house. “She was one of the gang when we were all small. She moved away when we were in fourth grade.” “Nell hasn’t had the easiest life,” Dana added quietly. “Why?” Celeste asked. “When we were nine years old,” Lara began, “Nell had an accident.” “It was nobody’s fault,” Dana interjected. “She got burned,” Lara continued. “Her face and hands. She had to have extensive plastic surgery, which was very painful. She looks okay now, but it’s always there between us. You see, the accident that burned her---each one of us contributed to it.” Lara tried to smile to relieve her tension. “I guess you would call it our deep, dark secret.” “Was anyone else hurt?” Celeste asked, stooping down to make a snowball. Obviously she did not notice how badly the topic disturbed them. “No,” Dana said quickly.

Do not talk about it. Do not remember.

“No one else,” Lara echoed weakly; not exactly a lie. Nicole hadn’t really been hurt. Nicole had died.