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someone’s ceiling.
    â€œThat was fun today,” Lucas whispered to Nora. He took one last clumping step toward the couch. “We need to have more fun.”
    Nora sneered at him.
    â€œAbout our adventure—” Lucas began.
    â€œSit!” Mr. Wilson interrupted. He directed Lucas to the space next to Nora on the sofa.
    Nora prepared herself to be punished. Although she had to wonder what more could be taken away from her.
    â€œAfter what happened this morning, it has occurred to us that you’ve both gotten a little stir-crazy,” Mrs. Wilson said, tilting her head at the kids.
    â€œSo we’ve decided to let you go outside,” Nora’s father put in. “Run around and blow off some steam.”
    â€œWe aren’t in trouble?” Nora bolted up to her feet. At her father’s strong stare she plopped back onto the couch, feeling the springs settle beneath her weight. Perhaps the day wasn’t ruined after all.
    â€œYou’ll need to do extra chores,” her mother said. “And an extra math assignment.”
    Nora groaned.
    â€œDoes Lucas get extra math?” Nora asked.
    â€œNo,” her mother said. “He’s younger than you, Nora. You should have known better than to fight with him.”
    â€œHe started it,” Nora complained, but then let the argument drop as she realized they’d said something more important. She had to be sure she’d heard right. “Wait, did you say we can go out of the apartment?” Nora would gladly do a million math assignments for an afternoon in the sun and a chance to see her friends.
    â€œIt’s Halloween,” her father said, as if Nora hadn’t already known. “A special occasion.”
    â€œYeah . . .” She wanted them to hurry to the going outside part.
    â€œYou can go to the park,” her father added, squashing Nora’s plans to rush over to school and see all her old friends. Nora strained to hear when he turned to her mother and said in a whisper, “Mrs. Daugherty’s living room window faces away from the park. It’ll be fine as long as they hurry across the hall and avoid hanging around waiting for the elevator.” He glared at Nora and said in a louder voice, “Use the stairs.”
    â€œStairs?” But there were so many. Nora began tocomplain, when her mother pinned her with a stern look.
    â€œWe will watch you from here.” Their own living room window looked out directly at the park. Her mother’s voice was hard. “You may not go anywhere else.” She lowered her eyes at Nora and didn’t blink.
    Ugh.
    Going to the park was so babyish. There were swings and a slide designed for kids half her age. Then again, the park was better than nothing at all. Plus, if she thought about it really hard, Nora was certain she could figure out a way to get Hallie and Lindsay to hang out with her there. She’d need a plan, that was all.
    â€œOkay.” Again Nora began to get off the couch.
    Her father stopped her escape. “You’ll go today from noon to three.”
    Nora slumped back down. “But school isn’t out until three,” she whined. “Hallie and Lindsay don’t come around the corner until twelve minutes after! With that rule, I won’t see them.”
    Mrs. Wilson shrugged. “It’s for the best,” she said, flashing a glance at Nora’s dad.
    â€œThat’s the deal,” her father said. “Take it or leave it.”
    â€œHmmm.” Nora exhaled sharply. It wasn’t like herto break rules; that was Lucas’s thing. But maybe, just this once, Nora could stay out an extra fifteen minutes. She’d do two million math problems for the chance to see her friends.
    â€œI’m not finished,” Mr. Wilson said. “Nora, you have to take Lucas with you.”
    â€œWe can’t go today.” Lucas grinned. “We’re going to have a