Dear Blue Sky by Mary Sullivan

have to worry about that because she’d never be able to wait 13 hours to get gas. Never. If she has to wait for anything for more than a few minutes, she goes crazy. It’s weird, ever since Sef left, my family are like strangers. It’s like I can’t reach anyone. You’ve been through so much I know I shouldn’t complain to you.
    I will write again soon.
    Cassie

CHAPTER 17
    HANG IN THERE
    IN THE MORNING I went to the principal’s office to ask her if we could collect things to send the troops in Iraq. She said we could start right after Thanksgiving. “We’ll do whatever we can to support Sef and our troops. I’m praying for him. Every single day, I am.”
    â€œThank you, Miss Pat,” I said, and stepped back in the hallway. I wasn’t going to cry, even though I felt like I’d been cut down the middle and my insides were falling out. I leaned back against the wall. I’d never be able to walk back to class.
    Rob and Jesse came out of the main office. Rob put his hands up, and Jesse threw him the basketball.
    â€œAre you busted?” Jesse asked. His Celtics shirt said PIERCE on the back.
    â€œNot quite.” I forced a smile. I was sure my eyes were glassy. Of all the times to talk to me, why was he talking to me now? “I’m going to set up a donation table in the cafeteria.”
    â€œFor your brother?” Rob asked.
    â€œYeah.” I nodded. “And the others.”
    â€œHow’s he doing?” Rob tossed the ball to me.
    I thought about how Sef and I had beat them the time we played HORSE. I threw the ball back and started down the hall with them.
    â€œHe’s all right. Says it’s better than school.”
    They laughed. “When’s he come back?”
    â€œNot sure. It’s supposed to be about a year, but they always extend the tours, I guess.”
    â€œThink he’d like a CD or something?” Rob asked.
    â€œYeah, I do.”
    â€œMy mom would freak out if I went to Iraq,” Jesse said.
    â€œMy mom
is
freaking out.”
    Jesse sprinted down the hall, pretending to shoot the ball.
    â€œWe have to go back to gym,” Rob said. “But you should hang out at Fresh with us sometime.”
    Everyone had started hanging out at Fresh. They had smoothies, sandwiches, ice cream bars, and the best chocolate pie in the world.
    â€œI’d probably have to bring my little brother Jack with me.”
    â€œThat’s okay. He’s funny.”
    He knew Jack, and he still wanted us to go out with him.
    â€œGuess I better go,” Rob said. Then he stopped. “You okay?”
    I nodded.
    â€œGood,” Rob said. “Hang in there.”
    That’s what Sef said. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. That place inside of me that was pinched and hollowed out like a cut suddenly felt smaller. My chest didn’t hurt so much. It seemed to fill up with air and light. I breathed in. And out.
    â€œOkay, see ya,” I said.
    â€¢Â â€¢Â â€¢
    After school, I was upstairs getting money to go to the corner store with Jack when the doorbell rang. The FedEx truck was parked outside. “Answer the door, Jack!” I yelled.
    Downstairs was quiet.
    â€œJack?”
    He was sitting on the couch. I asked, “Why didn’t you answer the door?”
    â€œI can’t,” he said softly.
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œMom said I couldn’t. It might be someone to tell us Sef’s dead.”
    â€œShe said that?”
    He nodded. “She wants to answer the door.”
    â€œShe really said that?”
    He nodded.
    â€œYou didn’t believe her, did you?”
    He shook his head. “Is she crazy?”
    â€œCome on, let’s go.” I grabbed his hand.
    I bought a Mountain Dew at the corner store. We took swigs until it was gone. Then we tossed the bottle back and forth, laughing and running down the sidewalk. I asked Jack if he wanted to go to Fresh