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"Oh, Aidan," I exclaiet back with Aidan? Let me tell you what he--"

She interrupted me "I went to school with lots of boys like Sawyer"

"You don’t knohat Sawyer’s like," I said "You hardly know him"

"I’ve heard plenty about him In fact, I’ve heard half of it from you"

She had me there I putthe cheerleaders’ rury, andso fast, that I didn’t even realize where ere headed But when she turned onto the exit in the seediest section of Ta her land yacht smoothly down the ra as she clenched her teeth She sailed into the slum, deserted of cars except for one 1980s ht street, its axles up on ceing out in the shadows of the run-down apart kids’ dirt bikes in circles Any sane person not looking to buy a dihtailed it out of there

Myworse In the past she’d only slowed long enough to point out her old apart to Barrett and side the curb, put the car in park, and pushed the button to turn off the engine She looked over at me and raised her eyebrows

Instantly the car was surrounded A guy on a bike hopped down the curb, into the street, and pedaled back and forth in front of the car A boy in a baseball cap with a marijuana leaf on the front knocked onthis in horror, I jumped, startled at a knock on my o I didn’t turn, afraid of what I’d see, terrified that I was separated frolass

My rew up in that corner apartment" I pointed to the second story across the lawn of brown grass and packed dirt, streith cigarette butts and trash "Your brother died at sixteen on this very street, selling drugs Your dad was robbed and killed coe forty-five your ht early and treated if she’d been able to afford health insurance"

My rades, participated in every acadeed a full scholarship to Columbia, so you and your new family could live to their full potential, and you would never have to face this crushing poverty again"

She raised her chin to nod again, but stopped when I said this:

"You got out of here You ensured your children would never have to live here And yet you have driven your daughter back here, and we’re both about to get shot in the head, because you don’t likenow