Sutherland's address. I still had that, did I?
Finally, the bell rang. Both Jason and I got up. I started away from him,
heading to my 6th/7th block. Jason caught me by the elbow. I turned to look at
him.
"Hey," he said, "I just wanted to let you know that I thought
you did a good job taking care of that last night."
This was different than the Jason who always wanted to protect me. He was
actually acknowledging that I could handle myself.
"Thanks," I said.
"Just make sure you do the same thing tonight if something happens,
okay?" Jason asked.
"I will," I said.
"You better. I don't want anything to happen to you."
* * *
I knew that it was a stupid idea to go to Mr.
Sutherland's house. I was convinced he was the man who'd attacked me in the
parking lot, and that meant he was dangerous. I'd promised Jason I was going to
be careful. If I went there, I'd probably be in a lot of danger, and there
would be a strong chance that I'd end up getting hurt. I knew that I really
shouldn't go.
But after I found Mr. Sutherland's address, I just couldn't let the idea go.
Jason walked me home after school. We didn't say much. Things were still
awkward between us. I wanted to say something. To apologize maybe. But just as
I was screwing up my nerve to say it, we got back to the apartment. Lilith was
there. She was on our computer, and she smiled when we came inside.
"Hey!" she said.
I didn't say hi to her. She'd put me instantly in a bad mood. How long was
Lilith going to stay here, anyway? I didn't think I could handle it for much
longer. We needed to find someplace else for Lilith to go. She'd only been here
for four days, and already she'd managed to practically destroy my relationship
with Jason.
"Zaza, I thought you had detention," she said.
"Can you not call me that?" I asked.
She made an apologetic face. "It's just habit. I'm sorry."
"Mr. Sutherland wasn't there, so detention was cancelled," I said.
"Cool," said Lilith.
Jason was walking through the living room towards his bedroom.
"Jason, where are you going?" Lilith asked. "We've got to be at
work in fifteen minutes."
"I'm going to change," he said. "I'll be back in second."
Jason disappeared into his room. I was left with Lilith. We gazed at each other
for a few seconds.
"Well," I said, "I'm gonna go to my room too."
"Wait," said Lilith. "I, um, I couldn't help overhearing you and
Jason last night."
Really? Dammit.
"I mean," she continued, "not everything. It was muffled. But I
was sure I heard my name. Were you two arguing about me?"
I shrugged.
"You want me to leave, don't you?" asked Lilith.
"I . . ." I did want her to leave. But how could I say that?
"No, Lilith. You can stay as long as you need to." God. How had she
gotten me to say that? She really was manipulative, wasn't she?
"Really?" Lilith looked so relieved. She threw her arms around me.
"Oh, thank you so much. I really need this. Thank you."
I didn't hug her back. "It's fine," I said. "It's really
fine."
After Lilith and Jason left, I went and found the gun, just like I'd told Jason
I would. I loaded it with bullets. Then I stalked around my house, locking the
doors and windows, telling myself it was very, very stupid idea to go to Mr.
Sutherland's house.
If I did go, I told myself, I'd bring the gun. I'd fight him off if he tried
anything. After all, I'd fought him off the night before. Who was to say that I
couldn't do it again, if I needed to? I could do it. I knew how to use the gun.
I wanted to confront Mr. Sutherland, anyway. I wanted to know who he was and
what he wanted. He'd given me his address because he obviously wanted me to
come to his house. He'd tried to drag me off last night. He wanted to see me.
Alone. How was I going to find out what he wanted if I didn't do what he asked?
And if I was wrong, then I'd know it immediately. If I got to Mr. Sutherland's
house, and he didn’t have a swollen, purple nose, then I'd know it wasn't him
last
Finally, the bell rang. Both Jason and I got up. I started away from him,
heading to my 6th/7th block. Jason caught me by the elbow. I turned to look at
him.
"Hey," he said, "I just wanted to let you know that I thought
you did a good job taking care of that last night."
This was different than the Jason who always wanted to protect me. He was
actually acknowledging that I could handle myself.
"Thanks," I said.
"Just make sure you do the same thing tonight if something happens,
okay?" Jason asked.
"I will," I said.
"You better. I don't want anything to happen to you."
* * *
I knew that it was a stupid idea to go to Mr.
Sutherland's house. I was convinced he was the man who'd attacked me in the
parking lot, and that meant he was dangerous. I'd promised Jason I was going to
be careful. If I went there, I'd probably be in a lot of danger, and there
would be a strong chance that I'd end up getting hurt. I knew that I really
shouldn't go.
But after I found Mr. Sutherland's address, I just couldn't let the idea go.
Jason walked me home after school. We didn't say much. Things were still
awkward between us. I wanted to say something. To apologize maybe. But just as
I was screwing up my nerve to say it, we got back to the apartment. Lilith was
there. She was on our computer, and she smiled when we came inside.
"Hey!" she said.
I didn't say hi to her. She'd put me instantly in a bad mood. How long was
Lilith going to stay here, anyway? I didn't think I could handle it for much
longer. We needed to find someplace else for Lilith to go. She'd only been here
for four days, and already she'd managed to practically destroy my relationship
with Jason.
"Zaza, I thought you had detention," she said.
"Can you not call me that?" I asked.
She made an apologetic face. "It's just habit. I'm sorry."
"Mr. Sutherland wasn't there, so detention was cancelled," I said.
"Cool," said Lilith.
Jason was walking through the living room towards his bedroom.
"Jason, where are you going?" Lilith asked. "We've got to be at
work in fifteen minutes."
"I'm going to change," he said. "I'll be back in second."
Jason disappeared into his room. I was left with Lilith. We gazed at each other
for a few seconds.
"Well," I said, "I'm gonna go to my room too."
"Wait," said Lilith. "I, um, I couldn't help overhearing you and
Jason last night."
Really? Dammit.
"I mean," she continued, "not everything. It was muffled. But I
was sure I heard my name. Were you two arguing about me?"
I shrugged.
"You want me to leave, don't you?" asked Lilith.
"I . . ." I did want her to leave. But how could I say that?
"No, Lilith. You can stay as long as you need to." God. How had she
gotten me to say that? She really was manipulative, wasn't she?
"Really?" Lilith looked so relieved. She threw her arms around me.
"Oh, thank you so much. I really need this. Thank you."
I didn't hug her back. "It's fine," I said. "It's really
fine."
After Lilith and Jason left, I went and found the gun, just like I'd told Jason
I would. I loaded it with bullets. Then I stalked around my house, locking the
doors and windows, telling myself it was very, very stupid idea to go to Mr.
Sutherland's house.
If I did go, I told myself, I'd bring the gun. I'd fight him off if he tried
anything. After all, I'd fought him off the night before. Who was to say that I
couldn't do it again, if I needed to? I could do it. I knew how to use the gun.
I wanted to confront Mr. Sutherland, anyway. I wanted to know who he was and
what he wanted. He'd given me his address because he obviously wanted me to
come to his house. He'd tried to drag me off last night. He wanted to see me.
Alone. How was I going to find out what he wanted if I didn't do what he asked?
And if I was wrong, then I'd know it immediately. If I got to Mr. Sutherland's
house, and he didn’t have a swollen, purple nose, then I'd know it wasn't him
last
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