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“Yeah”

“Why do you put up with it?” I ask, still staring at the TV

“I don’t know” Toby lets out a sigh “Hoyt and his friends … they’ve kinda had their run of the town since I was in eleot really bad in middle school”

The glasses guy is rolling out dough on a board “Bad how?”

“You know I fell back a year, right?”

“No When?”

“Seventh grade It was ‘cause of them, but also h, I can’t believe I’ my stepdad’s words come out of my mouth But et to raduated by now”

The chef takes to kneading his dough, his palain So we’re both behind a year, I realize “He’s beenme? What’d he do?”

“It was a bunch of little things at first,” Toby explains “A lot of the same stuff he does now But back then, it sort of built up … and I had so like asick for sointo trouble for avoiding the bullies”

“That shit’s gonna stop right now” I shoot my eyes at Toby “I aain”

Toby gives me a look “But you’re on strike one of three”

“You think I’e in this town? Nah Things are gonna change” I face the TV again, slurping onto the oven “When the system’s broken and its leaders’ ears and eyes are closed to the real issues, you gotta ainst it”