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―She‘s been great,‖ Mr Anderson said ―I keep asking her to be et‖ He lifted his eyebrows as he looked at ain ―Sure‖

―Well then, I won‘t keep you, Jenna,‖ said Ms Sher fine‖

―Yeah,‖ I said, finally I know: very articulate ―Things are great‖

―Excellent Don‘t look back,‖ Mr Anderson said as we took the stairs The tardy bell rang and the halls eot to his rooet off You‘re welco your study hall, you know that Or--‖ His lips twitched into a grin ―Eat the sandwich you haven‘t gotten out of your locker yet‖

I didn‘t know if I should thank hied ―You looked like you could use the rescue She was hassling you

People like The Tankworse than being constantly reet What exactly does she think you‘re going to say, anyway?‖

All the things I wouldn’t ht, Bob Of course, I kept quiet We said good-bye and went our separate ways I don‘t remember if I ate my sandwich that day

That seehts, he dropped by the library on the way to his car--to see hoas getting on, he said He would talk about the cross-country tea well, but he didn‘t pressure me to join Other days, he didn‘t coh the lot and raised a hand The ere polarized, so I don‘t know if he saave back But he knehere I was, Bob, he knew

Then, ten days before Mom‘s book party, on a Tuesday: 6:45 PM, and still no Mom It would be dark in another ten h the library s, lights glowed on a soccer ga on the upper field Beyond was a dense thatch of blackness where the woods began

When the library closed, I didn‘t knohat I should do I didn‘t have a cell yet I couldn‘t go anywhere Even if I could, I was afraid Moet pissed She was really stressed out about the store and the book party Tio, leaving just her and Evan, the storeshe needed was for o MIA So, better for me to wait on the curb when the librarian shooed ot too spooked, I could always hts in the breezeway

One of the dubious perks of coot my homework done, and I could use the library computer to write to Matt, which was safer than home because I wasn‘t allowed to lockhowin a jail There are so s you just don‘t--can‘t--do) Now, I found the sentence where Matt asked how things were going and startedon with h? You are so brave My life is nowhere near as exciting School is, you know, school : But it beats the hospital My favorite class is cheot this awesome teacher

―Hey‖

I was so startled I actually jumped The librarian always retreated to her office so she could count down the seconds until I would stop being this major inconvenience and just leave already No one else used the library this late I‘d been so absorbed, I hadn‘t heard anyone come in I craned my head around

―Oh,‖ I said ―Hi‖

―Hi‖ David‘s dark hair was damp, and pearls of sweat stood on his upper lip He s froh for a cello dangled from his left ―Want so here?‖ Brilliant: like the guy had no right to be in the school library

―Fencing practice‖ He hunched his left shoulder with its huge bag ―I saw you from the hall Actually, I see you here every afternoon, but you‘re usually gone by now‖

He‘d seen uidance counselor would even think to look-- or care--was a little jarring ―Yeah, II have to wait for my mom She‘s late‖

―That sucks Have you called her?‖

―I don‘t have a phone‖

―No way No cell?‖

―Well, II just never needed one Ito call me?‖

―If you don‘t have a phone, hoill you ever know?‖ His eyebrows pulled down in a frown ―Seriously, you should have one for eencies at least‖ He made a move for a front pocket of his jeans ―You want to use ot delayed at the store, that‘s all‖

―Okay‖ David studied ot? ―I et one‖ I didn‘t have a license either, but he hadn‘t asked about that ―Maybe this su around ht and chirpy: ―I get all my ho to depend on my folks all the time It would drive me nuts‖