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Summer wiped away more tears. “Like I said, it’s never been about me. Except for my circle of friends, I’m pretty much ignored. Some kids are bullied constantly. We all see it. There’s this one girl.” She shrugged. “We let her eat lunch with us when she wants. Not really brave, huh? But it’s something. I just didn’t know it could happen to me.”
Erica struggled to find the right words to help her daughter. She was grateful Summer didn’t want to go the revenge route. Erica would be thrilled to see those kids’ social lives destroyed but it wasn’t exactly the mature response. In this neighborhood, this school district, not a lot of fathers went to jail. It was news. Torturing Summer because of it was simply what teens did. It wasn’t right, but she was more concerned about her daughter’s feelings and mental health.
“So no going to the administration,” she said lightly, just to confirm.
“The videos are stupid and I never stole a car, but aside from that, they aren’t lying. Dad really is in jail and I guess he did those things. I don’t want to get into a big deal about bullying. I’ll deal.”
Brave words, Erica thought. But hard to execute.
“What does ‘dealing’ mean?” she asked. “This is painful. You need a plan.”
“You and your plans.”
“You’re going to school every day. You have a couple more games. You drive your own car so you don’t have to worry about something happening on the bus or while walking home. If one of them showed up here, your grandmother would so take them on.”
Summer managed a faint smile. “They’re not coming to the house, Mom. Their world is online. They’ll post mean memes. Then they’ll move on to another victim.”
She drew in a breath. “I think I’m okay at the games. The last two are away ones. My team will be there.”
“As will I and the other moms. We’ll look out for you.”
“I know and I’m grateful. School’s a drag, but there’s nothing to do. They don’t want the teachers finding out, so they won’t be obvious. I guess I just have to get through it.”
Erica tapped her daughter’s phone. “You could stop looking at this so much.”
Summer stared at her. “I’m not giving up my phone.”
“No one’s saying you should. But maybe a little less time on it. Turn off notifications. Stop scrolling a couple of hours before bed so the bad stuff isn’t in your head. Start looking at videos of puppies and kittens.”
“Then I’ll want a dog.”
“I’d rather fight with you about getting a dog than see you so unhappy.” Erica cupped her face. “You’re my best girl. I’d do anything for you.”
“I know. Thanks, Mom. This totally sucks.”
“It does. I really want to do something to those kids.”
Summer drew back. “But you won’t, right? Having one parent in jail is enough for me.”
Erica smiled. “I promise to be lawful in every way, but I will hate them in my heart.”
“Thank you.”
Erica glanced at the clock. “It’s nearly seven. Want to go downstairs and get something to eat?”
Summer perked up a little. “Grandma ordered in Italian but I wasn’t hungry. Lasagna sounds really good.”
“Is there garlic bread?”
Summer grinned. “Mom, Grandma placed the order. There’s everything.”
Allison tried to watch Summer without making it obvious. The teen seemed in better spirits. She was talking and laughing with only a faint hint of wariness in her eyes. But about twenty minutes into the meal she realized that Summer had left her phone upstairs.
Allison held in a sigh, thinking she’d never seen Summer without her phone nearby. It was practically a new limb for her. Erica was firm—dinner was family time. During those meals, her phone was usually on the big island, where its regular beeps and tones would cause her to glance at it longingly. Annoying but normal.
But not tonight.
Allison didn’t know the kids who were bothering her, but she wished she could confront them. She wasn’t sure what she would say, or why her opinion would matter, but she burned with a need to do something.
