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“Is that my guitar?” Bryan asks his son.
“Yes, sir.” Bo jerks up his chin.
Bryan’s eyes narrow. “I don’t recall giving you permission to pick it up.”
“I wasn’t picking it up,” Bo says sarcastically. “I was playing it.”
“Robert.” Bryan sighs and shakes his head. “Son, I’m so disappointed in you.”
Bo’s shoulders drop. My heart hurts for him. I know it’s a heavy weight being on the receiving end of your father’s displeasure.
“I asked him to play it.” I step closer to Bo. “Actually, I insisted. I ...”
My courage flies away like a frightened bird as my dad appears. He’s the point on a wedge, and all the rest of the men fall into place around him.
I try to shrink into a ball. Unlike everyone else in my family, I don’t like being the center of attention. I wish I could run away like Harmony did, but I won’t. I can’t leave Bo alone. He is my friend.
“I dared Bo to do it.” I started with a small lie, but it grew, feeding on my panic. “He told me no. He said he would get in trouble.” I weave a tale as tall as the Paul Bunyan ones we’ve been studying in my advanced English class. “But I took it off the stand and gave it to him. It was me. It’s all my fault.”
“Why, Peace?” My dad swallows my lie in one gulp. The taste obviously bitter, he scowls at me. “You know the rules.”
Don’t touch your things. Don’t go into the studio.
“I don’t like the rules.” Another lie. I do like rules. I like knowing what’s expected of me.
“That’s not an excuse, Peace.” His displeasure slices through me.
“I don’t have an excuse.” My courage leaking from me like air from a pin-pricked balloon, I hang my head in shame and murmur, “I just wanted to hear Bo play. He’s really good. If you would listen to him, I’m sure you’ll see how—”
“I think you both know better.”
At the sharp sound of Bryan’s voice, I lift my chin. Catching the look he gives Bo makes me feel bad for my friend.
“Go to your room.”
“But, Dad,” Bo protests. “Peace isn’t—”
“No more excuses.” Bryan cuts him off. “You did what you did. Accept the consequences. One being that you’ll stay in your room and out of trouble until we leave in the morning.”
“Yeah, okay.” His expression dark like a thundercloud, Bo unclips the shoulder strap and hands his father the guitar. His arm doesn’t even shake. “See you, Peace.” He flashes a quick glance my way.
“Bye, Bo.” Fiery darts prickling my skin, I watch him as he walks away.
Will this be the last time I see him? Bo lives in Vancouver. Will we still be friends when we’re apart? I’m not sure. My stomach sinks to my toes.
“Peace,” my dad says.
“Yes?” I snap my head in his direction, discovering he isn’t just mad at me. He’s furious.
“You’ll sleep in Harmony’s room after our company leaves, and the rest of the nights this month.” Flames are practically shooting from his eyes. “Maybe being around your sister, you can learn to make better choices.”
“Right.” My cheeks burn.
One lie, well, a couple of them, and the earlier connection between my dad and me is ashes.
Bo
I don’t say anything as my dad comes into my room. He shuts the door and turns around, and the look he gives me is a familiar one. It’s ice and venom. It chills my blood and punctures my heart, which ceases beating.
