care.
Because there was Tony, who helped her through the short-lived tragedy of her breakup, and the real near-tragedy of the most terrifying moment of her life. All of which had happened in the space of a few days.
The jumble of e motions confused Scarlett. One thought stood out in the mess, however, like a bright star in the night sky: when they were trapped in the alley, with the thugs closing in, Tony pushed her behind him. He told her to run to safety, to get away. Then he tried to stop the attackers, guys about twice his size.
At that moment of greatest threat, Tony didn’t run, didn’t try to save himself. Even before that, he didn’t leave her when she was slowing him down as they ran; he stayed with her. She continued to rewind the scene in her mind. In that situation, they weren’t thinking, weren’t planning. They were a couple of terrified kids facing real danger, serious danger. They acted on instinct, without thought. And Tony’s instinct was to protect a girl he barely knew, to put himself in harm’s way for her. He didn’t think; he acted. Acted for her good. Would David (was that his name?) have done that? No way.
Tony did.
As she watched a plane circle overhead, Scarlett imagined herself bouncing merrily on a trampoline, bouncing higher and higher until her head bumped a cloud.
23
Tony pulled into the parking lot of the Miles Forge Sherriff’s Office. Max was next to him on the seat, turned off at the moment. He killed the engine of his Mom’s car and sat there, wondering what to do next.
Just a few steps through the front doors and he could report the attack, maybe get protection for himself and Scarlett. After all, incidents like this were supposed to be reported. The police were there to help, he’d always been told.
T ony picked up Max, marveling, as always, at how perfect the phone felt. No sharp edges. No rocker switches or buttons; no holes or openings anywhere on it; nothing to mar the smoothness. Almost like it was made of butter, butter that wouldn’t lose its shape or melt. Max was truly one of a kind.
He replayed, yet again, the events of the previous day. He couldn’t shake the feeling that the attackers were looking for him specifically, not just an easy score. He didn’t know why; he just felt it. If that was the case, they could still be in danger. Telling the police was the right thing to do.
The evening was warm, and Tony rolled down the front windows by hand; no automatic buttons for this car. He looked inside the windows of the station. A cop was standing at a counter, talking to someone. Another one was by the window, typing on a computer. He looked out at Tony and smiled. Tony smiled back.
These were people who could help. But how? Tony couldn’t give much of a description when they’d ask him about the attackers. Two big, strong guys with jeans and black t-shirts. They chased me and my date several blocks. We got away. I know, it sounds crazy, officer.
How did you get away, they were sure to ask. What do I say then? Well, I’ve got this phone, see…
And that would be that. They’d want to see the phone after hearing what it could do. No, they’d demand to see it. Once they saw it, they’d take it. Once they had it, they’d keep it. Tony would never see Max again.
A police car pulled in next to Tony. A fat cop eating a donut got out. He had a Dunkin’ Donuts box in his other hand. I guess sometimes the clichés are true, Tony thought. He knew he should go in to the station, but instead he stayed in the car, holding Max. He didn’t want to give up the phone, to these cops or anyone else; even though he still knew, in a small part of his brain he’d managed to mostly ignore, that Max didn’t really belong to him. He’d found Max under a bush, and phones that did the things Max could do weren’t simply thrown away. Since he was sure Max had been lost, he figured that the owner would come looking for him. But the owner never had. Tony had tried
Because there was Tony, who helped her through the short-lived tragedy of her breakup, and the real near-tragedy of the most terrifying moment of her life. All of which had happened in the space of a few days.
The jumble of e motions confused Scarlett. One thought stood out in the mess, however, like a bright star in the night sky: when they were trapped in the alley, with the thugs closing in, Tony pushed her behind him. He told her to run to safety, to get away. Then he tried to stop the attackers, guys about twice his size.
At that moment of greatest threat, Tony didn’t run, didn’t try to save himself. Even before that, he didn’t leave her when she was slowing him down as they ran; he stayed with her. She continued to rewind the scene in her mind. In that situation, they weren’t thinking, weren’t planning. They were a couple of terrified kids facing real danger, serious danger. They acted on instinct, without thought. And Tony’s instinct was to protect a girl he barely knew, to put himself in harm’s way for her. He didn’t think; he acted. Acted for her good. Would David (was that his name?) have done that? No way.
Tony did.
As she watched a plane circle overhead, Scarlett imagined herself bouncing merrily on a trampoline, bouncing higher and higher until her head bumped a cloud.
23
Tony pulled into the parking lot of the Miles Forge Sherriff’s Office. Max was next to him on the seat, turned off at the moment. He killed the engine of his Mom’s car and sat there, wondering what to do next.
Just a few steps through the front doors and he could report the attack, maybe get protection for himself and Scarlett. After all, incidents like this were supposed to be reported. The police were there to help, he’d always been told.
T ony picked up Max, marveling, as always, at how perfect the phone felt. No sharp edges. No rocker switches or buttons; no holes or openings anywhere on it; nothing to mar the smoothness. Almost like it was made of butter, butter that wouldn’t lose its shape or melt. Max was truly one of a kind.
He replayed, yet again, the events of the previous day. He couldn’t shake the feeling that the attackers were looking for him specifically, not just an easy score. He didn’t know why; he just felt it. If that was the case, they could still be in danger. Telling the police was the right thing to do.
The evening was warm, and Tony rolled down the front windows by hand; no automatic buttons for this car. He looked inside the windows of the station. A cop was standing at a counter, talking to someone. Another one was by the window, typing on a computer. He looked out at Tony and smiled. Tony smiled back.
These were people who could help. But how? Tony couldn’t give much of a description when they’d ask him about the attackers. Two big, strong guys with jeans and black t-shirts. They chased me and my date several blocks. We got away. I know, it sounds crazy, officer.
How did you get away, they were sure to ask. What do I say then? Well, I’ve got this phone, see…
And that would be that. They’d want to see the phone after hearing what it could do. No, they’d demand to see it. Once they saw it, they’d take it. Once they had it, they’d keep it. Tony would never see Max again.
A police car pulled in next to Tony. A fat cop eating a donut got out. He had a Dunkin’ Donuts box in his other hand. I guess sometimes the clichés are true, Tony thought. He knew he should go in to the station, but instead he stayed in the car, holding Max. He didn’t want to give up the phone, to these cops or anyone else; even though he still knew, in a small part of his brain he’d managed to mostly ignore, that Max didn’t really belong to him. He’d found Max under a bush, and phones that did the things Max could do weren’t simply thrown away. Since he was sure Max had been lost, he figured that the owner would come looking for him. But the owner never had. Tony had tried
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