“I was talking with Jordan, Jasper needs help with his English class.”
“Yeah, sure. And I should care because?” I froze. “Mom, why doesn’t Jasper talk?”
But she ignored me and continued her monologue. “He has trouble following his special needs teachers, but he seemed comfortable with you. You have great grades in English.”
“Don’t even think about it. I’m not setting foot in that house again. Not even if we were broke, and you wanted to burn my Christmas pajamas to keep us warm during the winter nights!”
“Watch it,” she exclaimed, amused.
“And now that I think about it, canvasses burn better. If we were penniless, your paintings would finally be useful.”
“Quit being a smart aleck. It’s—”
“What, Mom?”
“Jordan noticed that Jasper got along with you.”
I saw trouble coming from a mile away. “But he didn’t say a word to me!”
“You played together. He trusted you, that’s a big step for him.”
“Why?”
“He has a mild form of autism, but he’s a smart kid. Ever since his mom left him, he’s had selective mutism. Unfortunately, she wasn’t very present in his life.”
Damn it, she’d already gotten to me.
“Think about it, June.”
I would have if his brother and I didn’t hate each other’s guts.
36
June
“Don’t you think it’s time, June?”
I slammed the locker door, feigning a calm that I didn’t feel.
“To?”
I wasn’t great at masking my emotions no matter what they were.
“Break the silence,” said William, leaning his arm over the locker and blocking me. I ducked under him.
“I would’ve called you again last night, but my mom had this dinner.”
“What dinner?” he asked, watching me dog-ear the science book. Didn’t James tell him?
There were two options: lie or tell the truth.
“I was at James’s house.”
He knit his blond brows. “Uh, what?”
“I didn’t know it was his house when I went there. Our parents are organizing an exhibition, but what do I know,” I grumbled, irritated.
“James told me you went to his house the other night.”
