though.
“But none of the rest of us can,” Tuukka tried to argue. “You’re the only one Elisa’s dad hasn’t ever seen before.”
“Playing detective might have been fun in elementary school, but this isn’t a game.”
Lumikki opened the balcony door and let the frigid air rush into Elisa’s room. She had been forced to spend nearly half an hour in the saccharine-smelling closet while Elisa and the boys enjoyed themselves downstairs eating the chicken soup her dad had made. Finally, Elisa’s father had gone back to work.
Lumikki drew fresh air into her lungs. It didn’t matter that it stung.
“But it might be the only way we’ll ever find out what’s going on,” Kasper said, joining in the coaxing.
“Or maybe we should stop this fooling around and go talk to the police,” Lumikki said.
No, no, no. Because of the party. Because of the drugs. Because of the break-in at the school. Because of the money. Because Elisa’s dad was a cop and who was going to believe them unless they had more information, more than a few pictures and a deleted e-mail?
“Ditching school day after day might not matter to you guys, but I’m not interested in flunking out.”
Determined, Lumikki set off downstairs. Elisa, Tuukka, and Kasper followed her like puppies. All that was missing were the lolling tongues.
“All you have tomorrow is two hours of physics and two hours of PE,” Elisa said. “And you’re not anywhere close to missing too many classes in either of them.”
Lumikki glanced at Elisa. Had she checked on her class schedule and absences? Pretty smart move. Surprisingly smart.
“If you do this one more thing, I swear I won’t bother you anymore.”
Elisa looked sincere.
Lumikki didn’t give any sign that she was tempted, either by the idea that they wouldn’t bother her anymore or by the actual task. She knew she would be good at it. She was good at being invisible, inconspicuous, nonexistent.
“Okay. But right now I’m going to school. I can still make art class.”
Elisa’s expression brightened when she realized that Lumikki had actually agreed. Spontaneously, she hugged Lumikki, who felt like a boa constrictor had her in its coils. She should have rebuffed Elisa’s first surprise attack. Now shewas clearly trapped in a cycle of hugging she was never going to escape.
“Thank you thank you thank you.”
Lumikki wriggled out of the embrace.
“Don’t make me change my mind.”
Tuukka was standing above them on the stairs, leaning on the railing and smiling crookedly. He probably thought his slanted smile was ironically sexy, but really it just looked stupid.
Outside, Lumikki looked at the clock on her phone. It was 12:35. She would have to be back here in seventeen hours.
The attacker came at Lumikki from the right. Quickly, she delivered two right jabs to his nose followed by two uppercuts to the chin. Immediately, she repeated the sequence. Two jabs, two uppercuts. Jab, jab, up, up. Lumikki’s pulse was pounding around 175.
Her opponent staggered, but stayed upright and continued trying to get ahold of her. Lumikki aimed her right elbow at his rib cage and then lifted up lightning fast, continuing the motion with her right fist directly into his cheek. Then she finished the job by lashing out with a quick side kick.
Her attacker lay on the ground. Sweat streamed down Lumikki’s back, calves, and face.
Her attacker attempted to rise, but Lumikki firmly pushed him back to the floor with her right hand.
Don’t try anything, you little shit.
She started punching with her right hand, letting her fist fall with all her force on his upper body and face. At first,the blows were slow, accurate, and relentless. Little by little, their speed accelerated and they turned wild, an angry flurry of hate.
Useless to beg for mercy. This isn’t church, and you’re not going to be forgiven for your sins.
Salty sweat ran into Lumikki’s eyes, making them sting. She tried to blink it away,
“But none of the rest of us can,” Tuukka tried to argue. “You’re the only one Elisa’s dad hasn’t ever seen before.”
“Playing detective might have been fun in elementary school, but this isn’t a game.”
Lumikki opened the balcony door and let the frigid air rush into Elisa’s room. She had been forced to spend nearly half an hour in the saccharine-smelling closet while Elisa and the boys enjoyed themselves downstairs eating the chicken soup her dad had made. Finally, Elisa’s father had gone back to work.
Lumikki drew fresh air into her lungs. It didn’t matter that it stung.
“But it might be the only way we’ll ever find out what’s going on,” Kasper said, joining in the coaxing.
“Or maybe we should stop this fooling around and go talk to the police,” Lumikki said.
No, no, no. Because of the party. Because of the drugs. Because of the break-in at the school. Because of the money. Because Elisa’s dad was a cop and who was going to believe them unless they had more information, more than a few pictures and a deleted e-mail?
“Ditching school day after day might not matter to you guys, but I’m not interested in flunking out.”
Determined, Lumikki set off downstairs. Elisa, Tuukka, and Kasper followed her like puppies. All that was missing were the lolling tongues.
“All you have tomorrow is two hours of physics and two hours of PE,” Elisa said. “And you’re not anywhere close to missing too many classes in either of them.”
Lumikki glanced at Elisa. Had she checked on her class schedule and absences? Pretty smart move. Surprisingly smart.
“If you do this one more thing, I swear I won’t bother you anymore.”
Elisa looked sincere.
Lumikki didn’t give any sign that she was tempted, either by the idea that they wouldn’t bother her anymore or by the actual task. She knew she would be good at it. She was good at being invisible, inconspicuous, nonexistent.
“Okay. But right now I’m going to school. I can still make art class.”
Elisa’s expression brightened when she realized that Lumikki had actually agreed. Spontaneously, she hugged Lumikki, who felt like a boa constrictor had her in its coils. She should have rebuffed Elisa’s first surprise attack. Now shewas clearly trapped in a cycle of hugging she was never going to escape.
“Thank you thank you thank you.”
Lumikki wriggled out of the embrace.
“Don’t make me change my mind.”
Tuukka was standing above them on the stairs, leaning on the railing and smiling crookedly. He probably thought his slanted smile was ironically sexy, but really it just looked stupid.
Outside, Lumikki looked at the clock on her phone. It was 12:35. She would have to be back here in seventeen hours.
The attacker came at Lumikki from the right. Quickly, she delivered two right jabs to his nose followed by two uppercuts to the chin. Immediately, she repeated the sequence. Two jabs, two uppercuts. Jab, jab, up, up. Lumikki’s pulse was pounding around 175.
Her opponent staggered, but stayed upright and continued trying to get ahold of her. Lumikki aimed her right elbow at his rib cage and then lifted up lightning fast, continuing the motion with her right fist directly into his cheek. Then she finished the job by lashing out with a quick side kick.
Her attacker lay on the ground. Sweat streamed down Lumikki’s back, calves, and face.
Her attacker attempted to rise, but Lumikki firmly pushed him back to the floor with her right hand.
Don’t try anything, you little shit.
She started punching with her right hand, letting her fist fall with all her force on his upper body and face. At first,the blows were slow, accurate, and relentless. Little by little, their speed accelerated and they turned wild, an angry flurry of hate.
Useless to beg for mercy. This isn’t church, and you’re not going to be forgiven for your sins.
Salty sweat ran into Lumikki’s eyes, making them sting. She tried to blink it away,
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