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“Damn straight,” my dad says.
“I understand,” Joel’s dad says into his phone before he hangs up.
“Mr. Wilkinson, please, we can handle this without lawyers.”
“I certainly hope so. But the lawyer I spoke to is on the board of education, so I’m certain he’ll make sure of that.”
They end up letting our parents take us home.
“I wish you would have told us,” Mom says as she and Dad look between Sarah and me.
I look around the backyard where everyone else seems to be having a similar conversation with their parents.
“We didn’t even know who did it until this morning. I didn’t know what to tell you. I didn’t even want to talk about it or think about it.”
“I shouldn’t have pushed to handle it like we did,” Sarah says, then she rubs my arm. “I just wanted to protect you. I hate seeing you upset.” She pulls me tightly into her arms.
And with that, Mom and Dad don’t seem to have the heart to lecture us anymore.
The parents dismiss us to the back deck, but I think that’s mostly so they can get themselves some strong alcoholic drinks.
Everyone walks up the stairs to the deck, but I stop at the bottom.
I feel trapped in this stupid day.
Desperate for an escape, I turn and start running down the driveway.
Sarah calls after me, but I run faster. Turning at the end of the driveway, I start down the block. I have no idea where I’m going, but I run.
I run harder and faster than I thought I could.
I run until I feel like my lungs are going to burst, then I collapse on the steps of the huge Catholic church.
What seems like only seconds later, someone sits down next to me.
“When’d you learn to run like that?” Joel asks, panting.
I should’ve expected it to be him. Helikesrunning.
“I don’t know. I don’t think I could do it again,” I say, still gasping for breath.
The tears I’ve been trying to keep down rush to my eyes.
“Rae Rae, come here,” he says, wrapping an arm around me. “I’m sorry you have to deal with all this. And I’m sorry if we aren’t making it easier.”
“No, it’s okay,” I say, wiping my cheeks even though more tears are falling. “I’m glad I have you guys. I’m glad you were there for me, but sometimes it’s overwhelming trying to deal with things with everyone else around. I needed a minute.”
“So you ran?”
“It seemed appropriate.”
He shakes his head. “I’ve never seen you run like that.”
“And you never will again,” I say, wiping away the last of my tears.
He laughs, then stands up. “Come on, I’ve got an idea.”
He pulls me up and wraps his arm around me as we walk slowly toward my house, still trying to catch our breath.
