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"I was hit by a car… I think" My brain is hazy, but I re open "I’m not sure… Can you just take me home?"

She studies me with uneasiness in her eyes "I think we should take you to a doctor"

I shake ht, o home"

She wraps her arm around my lower back Her death is silent, but her life whispers to me: Take me, take me, take me

It takes a while, but we accomplish the walk back andwith life again Her car is parked on the side of the road with the engine running and the driver’s door open

I wiggle froely liberated "Maybe I should walk home"

"Get in the car," she orders sternly, but there’s a hint of exhaustion in her expression "You need to go back home There’s officially a town curfew in affect now that Farrah’s body was found"

Maybe the sa to kill me

"Okay" I hop in the car and slam the door

She climbs into the driver’s seat and buckles her seatbelt, then she leans over the console and clipsthe car out onto the road "I really, really think you should go see a doctor You look like shit"

"I’ the dried petals, fascinated with its lack of luster "A car just bumped me a little and I tripped down the hill"

"Yeah, right" She shifts her car and speeds down the highway, the tires squealing "You don’t just trip after a car bu to the doctor," I insist "So take me home"

She flinches at my hostile tone and doesn’t say a word for the rest of the drive

I’ve calmed down by the time we pull up to my house It’s still early but the sky is bleak with clouds The lights are on in the living room and my mom’s car is parked in the driveway

I unbuckle ers around the door handle "I’ with me… I just feel so… confused"

Raven presses her lips together and eyes h my little meltdown"

"About Laden?" I brush the dirt off the front of s

She nods slowly "I’m not ready to talk about what happened yet, but I pro to do with his disappearance And you have to promise me you’ll tell me what happened today, when you’re ready"

"Youthe door open "Or with the car?"

There are bags under her eyes and her olive complexion looks pallid "Both"

"Ca" I shove open the car door "And when I’m ready, I’ll try to explain what happened with the car"

She sht?"

"I love you too" And at that o into the house My h the bills at the kitchen table with takeout in front of her She has on her uniform, a checkered dress covered by a white apron, and her hair is pulled up into a bun

"Where have you been?" she asks, looking up from the bills

I step into the kitchen "I was out at the lake"

Her brown eyes bulge "Why are you covered in dirt and scratched?"

"I picked a fight with a rose bush"

"And you lost?"

"No, I think I ht have won" I still have the dead rose in my hand and I drop it on the table

She sets the papers down and stares at the rose "Where did you get that?"

"That’s as left over frorab a fry fro

She picks up the rose, twirls it in her fingers, and dead rose petals float to the table "You know I never expected your dad to leave"

"Which time?" I chew on the fry "When he moved out or when he disappeared?"

"E back" She places the rose on the table "He’s probably dead"

"I know that" I pick up the phone bill froht red OVERDUE "But I won’t completely accept it until they find his body"