Fake ID

Nick’s mother wakes him the next morning to tell him that school has been canceled because of Eli’s death. He dresses and rides his bicycle to talk to Reya about Eli. He finds a number of Latinx people, including the very pregnant Pilar, Reya’s young cousin, standing on the porch. A well-dressed man dashes out of the house, gets into an expensive car, and drives away angrily.

Inside, Nick finds a group of family members in a circle saying the rosary for Eli. When he identifies himself, Eli’s mother says, “He talked about you. He never talked about people from school” (94). She kisses him on the cheek and thanks him for being Eli’s friend. She calls out to Reya, who’s in the back of the house, to make Nick a plate of food. Reya takes Nick back to her bedroom to talk.

Alone with Reya in her bedroom, Nick brings up the topic of Whispertown and explains that it might have something to do with Eli’s death. Nick asks if it’s possible that Eli’s laptop is in his room, but Reya’s mother is treating the room like a shrine—no one can get in there to see.

Just then, Zach enters Reya’s bedroom and starts talking to Reya.