15
With Kevin, Dad didn’t notice.
く
Tests were coming up, I didn’t wanna fight.
I didn’t ask for much.
A place to live, food.
Enough to study.
Jessica was smart, I asked for help.
She got better at English, I got better at
Math.
Test day, Jessica gave me a gift.
A book.
“Alive.”
She smiled, “Happy birthday.
“And I hope we both stay alive.”
I got it, and I smiled.
“We won’t do anything stupid again.”
Home.
I put the book on my nightstand.
A few pages every night.
Dad saw it.
He nodded, “Good to read. From a
bookstore?”
I shook my head, “A friend gave it to me.”
“The library’s full of books for you and
Brittany. Go read there.”
“Okay.”
After school, I went to the library.
Brittany was there.
“What are you doing here? Who let you in?
Get out!”
At school, Brittany never talked to me.
She showed off about Dad, and ganged up to
ignore me.
I didn’t care, I studied.
I wasn’t scared of her at home.
Г
I got past her, “Dad said I could come.
“I’m not leaving.”
I went to the shelf, picked “Robinson Crusoe.”
Brittany glared, I ignored her.
Ten minutes later.
The door slammed.
The walls shook.
She was angry.
