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There’s no way I’ll ever let her go.
Chapter Forty-One
SUMMER
There’s someone sitting at Jamie’s desk.
No, wait. Jamie is sitting at Jamie’s desk.
I’m slightly miffed that he didn’t greet me outside like usual, but I remember it’s in the low forties today. I’d never want him sitting outside in that kind of chill. After jogging back to my office to grab his cup of coffee and an apple, I approach him on stealthy librarian tiptoes. When I’m just behind his shoulder, I whisper for dramatic effect.
“Boo!”
What I expected was a small jump of surprise.
Instead, Jamie flinches away from me, curling in on himself like he’s expecting a blow to land.
What the hell?
Then, almost reluctantly, the teenager shifts in his chair to face me.
Despite having seen a lot of things while working at a public library, I’m not able to stifle my gasped shock when I get a clear view of Jamie’s face. His normally smooth skin is swollen in places, darkened, and discolored with bruising. One of his eyes squints shut, the lid fat and heavier than the other.
Then I notice his arms, skinny where they stick out of his T-shirt sleeves. There are bruises there, too. Some big. Others small ovals. Like fingerprints.
My body aches at the sight, but certainly nowhere near as much as his battered form does. Jamie wraps his arms around his middle as if that’s all that holding him together.
You can’t touch him. Don’t hug him. He’s terrified. Be calm. Don’t cry.
Don’t cry.
For his sake, don’t cry.
“Jamie.” Good, there’s no wobble in my voice. “You don’t have to tell me what happened. But I would like to know.”
“You want to know everything,” he mutters.
“You’re right.” I nod. “I do. Especially when it comes to the people I care about.”
He shudders as if my words have a physical effect on him. Maybe enough to break through this wall built from pain and some kind of betrayal.
“My dad kicked me out.”
I don’t tell him I guessed that. I don’t say anything at all. I just let him talk.
“He found out I was dating someone. A guy. He freaked out and said I wasn’t allowed back in the house unless I fixed whatever is wrong with me.”
“Nothing is wrong with you.” I can’t stop the words. But he needs to know. And I need to stop thinking about murdering his father.
Jamie stares off to the side, picking at the cover of the book on his desk, breathing in deep breaths, one right after the other.
“I’ve been sleeping at my boyfriend’s. Snuck into his room when his parents were asleep and left before they woke up. But yesterday, I accidentally slept in. His mom walked in and found us in bed together. They had a similar reaction to my dad, only they didn’t kick Craig out. Just me.”
So much hate in the world, and Jamie has had to shoulder more than most.
“Where did you go?”
He huffs out a breath. “School. Then here. And then, last night, I tried going to one of those shelters. Just for a place to sleep.”
