“Stop.”
“You’re still sick.”
“Your dad will be okay.”
“He’s been good. You heard him.”
She sounded cautious.
I stayed silent.
He was okay.
Just a twisted ankle.
After paperwork, it was late.
I stood and took a deep breath.
Ashley knew where I wanted to go.
“You wanna go home? I’ll come.”
The building was old. The halls were dark.
Ashley almost tripped a few times. I helped
her.
I heard her in the dark.
“Was this where you lived after the transfer?”
I didn’t answer.
It was.
My dad wanted to stay.
We packed his stuff, then went back.
Ashley left at dawn.
We ate.
Ashley wasn’t bothered.
When she was done, Ashley said, “I’ll be over
when I can. Call me.”
“Don’t come. It’s over.”
Ashley paused.
She was silent.
I called Alex.
“Need you to ask your girl where Chad is.”
I drove to a hotel.
When I walked in, people were already there.
Mostly people from high school.
My appearance caused a stir.
“Nate? The prez?”
“What’s he doing here? He wasn’t invited.”
“Is that really the prez? He’s changed.”
I ignored them. I spotted Chad.
“Nate?” Chad looked shocked.
Then he smiled. “How’s your dad? You shouldn’t be at the hospital…Ow!”
I grabbed him and punched him. “You behind
this?”
Chad’s face twisted.
I glared at him and asked, “Did you do this?”
Everyone went silent. Only Chad grunted.
I kicked in the bathroom door and pinned
Chad down.
I turned on the water and said, “I accepted
Ashley. You staged the watch thing.”
“Now you’re hurting my dad.”
“Chad.” I punched him. “I don’t want your
crap. Leave me alone.”
“If my dad gets hurt again, I’ll blame you.”
Chad winced. No one had hurt him like this.
He glared at me.
He didn’t deny it.
I figured everything out.
Chad stole the watch.
The snack stand was hit after Chad came.
I thought it was him.
The people saw Chad.
Confused.
Shocked.
Disbelieving.
No one thought Chad would do that.
“So… Chad did everything?”
“Nate was right?”
“He was the first to look through Nate’s
The room got quiet.
Everyone looked at me.
The girl who’d kept her money away spoke.
“Sorry.”
Chad and I traded places.
I didn’t know how I left.
I squinted at the sky.
On the way to the hospital, I bought my dad
his favorite snack.
Ashley was back.
Ashley was back.
I stopped at the door. My dad was thanking
her.
Ashley brought lunch. She said it wasn’t her,
it was me.
My dad laughed and ate, then said, “Thank
you for the money.”
“I changed after that.”
“Nate talked about you. But you didn’t talk.”
My dad stopped.
He noticed Ashley was angry.
“What’s wrong…”
Ashley stared.
Her eyes quivered. “What money?”
Ashley left, frazzled.
She didn’t see me.
