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"Somewhere else," Samuel enunciated slowly, his voice still smooth His eyes stayed on Mr Walker’s face for a moment, and then hehis attention out theHe didn’t say anything else
Mr Walker quietly pulledfrom the seat across the aisle, put it on the seat where I was now sitting next to Samuel, and directed Joby to sit down in my place Joby pulled the sticker fro been co in sohed uproariously He then slapped another in the back of the head, trying to downplay what had just happened If I hadn’t seen it myself I wouldn’t have believed Joby had been knocked down and not responded with a fist and a few foul words The only thing he said was "Daled nervously, and Joby shot a look at Saain Samuel just stared over my head out theand didn’t respond or even appear to be aware of him at all
Winter came early, and by the end of October, Levanites had their kids bundled in moon boots, hats, and puffy coats that made movement aard I had turned thirteen Septe cold season, ht periwinkle blue It was the nicest thing I had ever owned My dad told her we didn’t need her charity when she’d brought it over Aunt Louise was er sister, and she proceeded to rip him up one side and down the other It’d been a couple years since I’d had a new coat I’d worn Johnny’s old jean jacket and layered flannel shirts all winter last year, and this year she wasn’t having any of it Dad seemed stunned by her accusations, and looked atme for the first time I just patted his hand and said, "I liked Johnny’s jacket, Daddy That’s why I wore it" Lately, I had caughton his face I asked him about it once, asked him why he looked so sad He’d smiled a little and shook his head
"I’ about how fast you had to grow up You weren’t a little girl for very long Not nearly long enough" He’d pattedto the horse corral and safer pastures
That particular Monday round Sunday snoas the snow that had fallen on Sunday night, but hadn’t yet been played or walked in; it was a beautiful white blanket when I troh it in my old tennis shoes Samuel Yates was already at the bus stop when I arrived, and he cliht back to our seat and sliding in against theHe wore no hat over his glossy hair, and his quilted jacked was lined with that fuzzy sheep skin He wore moccasins on his feet I wondered if they were cold, but the moccasins seemed relatively dry, much dryer than my sneakers, so I didn’t worry about him too noring me and everyone else - since the day he’d knocked Joby into the aisle We hadn’t been assigned a third person to our seat Mr Walker was probably a little apprehensive; h alone So for the last week I had ridden back and forth fro one word I was not a person uncomfortable with silence, so I usually just read the whole ti all of Jane Austen’s books and was noorking suffering when Samuel spoke
"You read a lot" It sounded a bit like an accusation, his words clipped and soft
"Yes" I didn’t knohat to say exactly, but to agree with him
"Why?"
"I like books; don’t you read?"
"Yes, I can read!" His soft voice was angry and his eyes flashed "You think because I’m Navajo that I’ at his perception of my words "That’s not what I meant! I didn’t think that…I just meant don’t you like to read?"
When he didn’t answer and resuain But hts sildly in e I felt despondent that I had wounded soain
"I’m sorry Sas"
He snorted and looked at etHe took the book froe
"‘I can listen no longer in silence I must speak to you by such ony, half hope Tell one forever’"
Sa skill, but he stopped suddenly, embarrassed by the deeply romantic , staring down at the book I couldn’t help h
Samuel scowled for a minute Then his lips twitched and he seemed to exhale his discohtly raised
"Thirteen," I replied defensively I always felt defensive about e I didn’t feel thirteen, and I didn’t look thirteen, so I hated being thirteen