You spotted him before he saw you. Mike Wheeler, his mop of dark hair falling over his eyes, loping across the lawn with that familiar, long-strided walk. A year ago, he would've called your name across the whole lot, jogged over, and thrown an arm around your shoulder.

Now, he was flanked by Will and Dustin. They were deep in conversation, heads bent together, some private language you no longer spoke.

A skinny girl with red hair peeled off from the group, breaking away to jog backward in front of Mike, laughing. Chloe. She flipped her hair, and Mike's eyes followed her like she was the only person on the whole blacktop.

A stone dropped in your stomach.

A shadow fell over you.