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"Did you talk to him?"

I nod

"And?" Wren chirps

"A-and the ch-cheerleader is in with him now"

"Oh," Wren says

"Yeah," I say

I’m an idiot

Peck

When I elve, I went for nored me That was per my mother "If she won’t speak, don’t speak to her," she’d said What she didn’t understand was that I wanted to speak I wanted to speak with a desperation unlike any other I wanted to unburden my mind I wanted to talk

I just couldn’t

So I ot myself on the bus and off, took care of my own laundry, and I spentto talk to ht I was dead Because why else would they not speak toI couldn’t control? I hostly specter of myself

My mother and her boyfriend spent more time away from home than in the small apartment my mom and I shared He kept a place across town, and it became easier for her to stay there rather than co around alone anyway, right? I spent rateful for the silence Because it would still be silent even if she were here

But then there was a probleency room and then had my appendix out It took them four days to find my mother, and suddenly someone cared if I lived or died

Her name was Mrs Derricks, and she was the school counselor She brought edbehind hts of Mrs Derricks

Why aren’t you dressed? I ask Lark in sign language as she drops her things on the couch and flops down

"Dressed for what?" she asks, blowing out a breath

For the funeral

Her brow furrows "What funeral?"

My hands fly wildly Mrs Derricks’ funeral!

"Oh, crap," she says She jue"

I text Wren and Star to see where they are, but just as I hit send, they coh the door They couldn’t be more opposite They’re sisters, born one year apart And while they look alike, they couldn’t be more different

"You need to tie your shoe," Star says to Wren

Wren looks down "Why?"