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“Wait, Jess,” I say, jerking my chin toward the old, shitty 4Runner with silver paint oxidized from the sun It sits on the far side of the driveway, halfway in the yard It’s a long shot It h to be hotwired, though Definitely an early nineties model

“Worth a try, right?” I shrug, and Jess reluctantly makes his way over to the run-down SUV to check it out I follow He opens the door, and the sound of ainst metal assaults my ears

“The keys are in it,” he says, sounding about as baffled as I feel, butwith any hope I had, falls because we

both knohat thatvehicle He tries theine roars to life “No fucking way”

“Eeek!” I squeal, hopping in as he slides over into the passenger seat

“Good old Henry was right This place is nothing like The Bay”

“And look,” I say, pulling et you to school”

“You know, on second thought, this is stealing…” Jess says

“And you suddenly have a problem with that on the day you start school?” I ask with an arched brow

“I’ht not want to steal fro us live with him Don’t bite the hand that feeds you and all that”

“Fuck hi up to do And this piece of shit doesn’t even begin to cover it” I slide the seat forward as far as it will go and put the car in reverse “This is the first day of our new life, little brother Don’t screw it up”

“You’re not his legal guardian?”

“No, h, and I’ve never had a probleh ti kicked out

“That’s fine, as long as he does live with you and you both live within the district You’ll need to fill out the Custodial Statereement forms, then come back with your proof of residence, and, if at all possible, a parent’s signature He will be able to start as soon as we have that infor Maybe thirty, with blonde, stringy hair and a pair of black-fralasses perched on her petite nose

“Listen…” I start, leaningonto the na you need But Jesse has already been out of school for teeks It’s his senior year He’s going to have trouble catching up as it is” It’s a damn lie Jess is brilliant The only way he won’t catch up is if he doesn’t try The sooner I get this over with, the sooner I can look for a job “I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that every day he misses is another day he’ll fall behind”

Lacey worries her bottoives her his best innocent, underprivileged boy face

Lacey sighs, and I knoe’ve won “Fine He can start Fill out these fornature tomorrow at the latest”

“Thank you!” I say, slapping my pal her to jump in her seat “Really, thank you We needin the public school system”

Lacey bea before disguising it as a cough