My whole day had been miserable. Ruth was home sick, so I didn’t get to talk to her or go to her house after school, delaying our dreaded conversation yet again. Meanwhile, Frankie, Tess, and Nicole had teased me all day about my “traitor friend” who let me take the blame for her and now was too ashamed to show her face. Even though I tried not to listen, they stirred up my anger, anger at them, at Ruth, at the whole dumb situation. I lifted Higgins into my arms and edged toward the door, wishing instead that I could run away. Mom’s voice shook with frustration. “You should have told them yourself. But you didn’t, so I did.” “I had everything under control,” Dad answered. “Did you, Matthew? This time it was a fist. What if next time it’s a gun? These aren’t suit and tie guys from Silicon Valley.” “Don’t be ridiculous.” “What if they came to the house?” Mom’s voice was on the edge of breaking. “What if they came in the middle of the night?” “Cindy, you’ll wear yourself out.”
