Xvi by Julia Karr Page B

happened to them. I had no plans of being political, ever.
    I was depressing myself by overthinking when Derek snapped me out of it. “You know, Sal’s cool. He likes music and his brother has all those great trannies. How’d you meet him anyway?”
    “Actually ...” Should I tell them how? So far only Sandy knew about the incident in the park. What could it hurt? They were my friends, too. And with all the noise in TJ’s I wasn’t too concerned that AS cops would pick up on a conversation that was some girl talking about some guy.
    “Some ’letes in Lincoln Park were beating up on him. I, uh, told them to take off.”
    “’Letes.” Derek made a face, shaking his head and shoulders.
    “Shut up, man,” Mike hissed and nodded in the direction of a table full of guys wearing Chicago University letter jackets.
    Derek shrugged. “Huh, so that’s how come Sal was all cut up and bruised.”
    “Yeah,” I said. “They really did a number on him. Anyway, I kinda helped him. Made sure he was okay. You know ...” They both nodded. “He was dressed homeless, and I still don’t understand why he was dressed that way. What’s up with that?”
    “Girls,” Mike said, shaking his head. “Skivs! The guy’s lying there half dead and you’re worried about what he’s wearing?”
    “Could be he’s into stuff he doesn’t want anyone to know about. Black-market parts? Big business there, soupin’ up trannies. Maybe that’s why he hasn’t had us over to his brother’s shop yet?” Derek’s eyes crinkled mischievously. “Or maybe he was playing around—like when you change your hair color or wear different clothes.”
    “I don’t change my hair color,” I retorted, “and I wear the same clothes all the time.”
    “I know.” He pinched his nose and made a face. “P-U.”
    “Oh, what are you, five years old, Derek?” I gave him a little shove. He was sitting on the edge of the booth and he slid off, landing on his butt.
    Mike howled; I laughed. The waitress scowled.
    Derek stood up. Grinning, he brushed off the seat of his pants and sat back down. “Don’t know your own strength, eh? As far as Sal goes, why not just ask him?”
    “Yeah. I’ll do that. But I think I’ll leave out the part that you think he and his brother are big-time gangsters.” I didn’t bother telling Derek I already had asked Sal about it, not to mention that Sal’s answer had been cryptic to say the least. “I wish Sandy were here. I miss her. I can’t wait to be back in school again and see everyone.”
    “Well, we mith you, too,” Mike mumbled through the fries in his mouth.
    “Uh-huh.” Derek looked at me with the same dreamy eyes as before. I fingered the horse charm around my neck.
    Once again, the memory of what Ginnie and I had been going to talk about that night surfaced. I’d eventually figure out how to deal with Derek. But I didn’t have a clue how to deal with missing Ginnie.

XIV
    On Monday morning, Dee and I stepped off the number 33 transit at the corner of Dickens and Clark and into our old neighborhood. I doubted she remembered it the way I did, since she’d just turned six when we moved.
    We passed the ancient brownstone walk-ups and trendy little boutiques. Mike and Derek were waiting for us at the next corner. The four of us swished our way through the leaves toward Dee’s school. Halfway down the block we ran into her friend Maddie. They were so thrilled to see each other I had to tell Dee twice to wait for me by the trans stop after school. Seeing her PAV receiver clipped to her bag reminded me of Ed. I grabbed her arm. “Dee, be careful and don’t go anywhere with anyone else. Promise?”
    “Skivs! What kind of idiot do you think I am? See ya!” She yanked her arm away and ran off with Maddie, instantly swallowed up in the crowd of elementary school kids surging toward Dickens.
    Several blocks later, I was standing in front of Daley High, nerves jangling. Even though it had been four years