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“Hey, ready to go?” Colton asked as he and Ryan approached the front foyer, where I sat with my backpack on. “You said you were leaving early to meet Marcus and play basketball.”
“He said he would drive me today,” I explained. We never called my uncle by his first name. Colton and Ryan stopped a few years ago and I sort of picked up on the habit, too.
“He’s gone, Luke,” said Ryan, his lips turning up into a sneer. “Colton’s driving us now.” Ryan attended middle school with me while Colton went to high school.
“Let’s go, Luke,” said Colton. “We’re leaving now.”
I looked down the hallway, past Colton, to my uncle’s recliner. It sat empty and shame burned inside my gut.
He had promised me! He had looked me in the eye and told me he would take me today. Why would he do that to me again? Was I that unlovable? Maybe this was a test. Or maybe he ran an errand this morning and would be back to take me. “No, go ahead. I’ll wait.”
“Luke, don’t be stupid. He’s not coming. Let’s just go.”
My lower lip trembled, but I bit down on the inside of my cheek. The pain helped redirect my attention. I shook my head, and Colton sighed. “Suit yourself, kid. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Colton and Ryan strode out of the house, Ryan looking back one last time. His eyes pleaded with me and he mouthed, Come on! But I shook my head again. This time, my uncle would come through. He had promised me and I believed him.
Ryan slammed the door behind them, and I jumped from the sound. At twelve, I no longer slept with the nightlight on, but loud noises still bothered me. The night my parents died, the phone rang in the middle of the night, startling us, and now whenever I heard a loud noise I felt uneasy.
Thinking of my bedroom, I thought to check my uncle’s room, in case he was still getting dressed. I climbed the staircase and knocked on the door. When there was no answer or sound from the other side, I turned the knob and stuck my head inside.
My aunt slept soundly, her snores reaching me across the large bedroom. She never woke before noon. Colton said it was because of all the drugs she took. But I only ever saw medicine bottles next to her bed. I checked the study next. Even though I’d never seen him with a book, he liked to read the newspaper and drink whiskey in that room. I knew it was too early for a drink, but perhaps he was reading the paper.
But he wasn’t there either.
Damn it. Ryan was right. I was stupid. Why did I think this time would be different? Why do I keep doing this over and over again?
My throat tightened, but I wouldn’t cry this time. I was done crying over him.
I grabbed my school bag and flung it over my shoulder. Slamming the door behind me, I picked up my pace and raced toward the school. After walking about a block, I spotted Ryan’s black hair. He crossed his arms and turned toward me, narrowing his eyes.
“He didn’t show, did he?” he asked.
I shook my head but kept my promise. I didn’t cry.
Ryan put his arm over my shoulder and leaned his head against mine. “You don’t need him, Luke. You don’t need anyone. You got that?”
I nodded.
When we reached the school, Marcus was already playing three-on-three and I didn’t feel like joining, so I walked in the opposite direction.
Oof!
“I’m sorry,” I said, realizing I’d bumped into some girl. Her notebook fell to the floor and a dark photo of a woman lay open on the ground. Picking up the notebook, I examined the picture.
“This is that famous painting… What’s her name?” I asked.
She rolled her eyes and sighed. “It’s The Mona Lisa.”
“That’s it!” I looked closer at the picture. “Why do you carry this around with you?”
She snatched the notebook from my hand. “Because it’s the greatest,” she huffed, her breath tickling my forearm. Then she walked away.
I’d never seen this girl before. She must be new. “Hey, what’s your name?” I asked.
She turned her head to look at me over her shoulder, her long black hair falling in front of her heart-shaped face. “Grace.”
“I’m Luke.”
