“Of course. I knew you weren’t feeling well when you missed revival last night. Rest well, baby. The rest of y’all, come on,” screeched Mom. Mom and Dad weren’t angry about the fight. They’d always told us to take up for one another, and since Alex was fighting for Toya, no punishment necessary. At school, on the other hand, Alex got ISS (in-school suspension) for two weeks. Alex and I had always wanted ISS. It seemed easier than regular school. No forced social interaction, no reading aloud, no cafeteria; just cubicles filled with books. That’s not punishment, that’s paradise. I was happy for Alex. He deserved it. While I was thankful for the day off, I couldn’t shut down my mind. Deanté, Alex, Mom, Dad, Aunt Evilyn, the twins, Josh—even Braveheart made its way into my brain. The bagpipes, oh dear God, the bagpipes. Mostly, I kicked myself for calling my brother a loser to his face. I knew that I needed to stop talking, but my woman motor took over. My woman motor was usually fueled by estrogen and premenstrual syndrome, but between Deanté’s lecture and Josh’s attack, I was an atomic warhead of built-up anger, disappointment, frustration, anxiety, and confusion.
