“Her mom just gets mad at her and tells her to quit flirting with him. It’s so gross, Dad.”
“Okay. Look, I’m gonna give you some leeway here because you’re helpin’ a friend and that’s what we raised you to do, but you’re still grounded until you get your grades up.” Dad handed me my phone. “You can have this back for now, but if she’s not willin’ to tell a teacher what’s goin’ on, then you need to.”
“I’m not a snitch.”
“Then I’m gonna talk to Auntie Payton.”
Payton was the principal for the elementary school most of us kids attended.
“I’m okay with you talking to Auntie Payton,” he said. “That’s actually a good idea.”
“I know it is. Now, you might want to apologize to Tate and smooth things over with her.”
“She’s just gonna grill me for information.”
“Well, then you need to figure out how to stay strong and not tell her if that’s what you feel you need to do.”
I stared at my phone. “Yeah.”
“Park, look at me.”
I met his eyes and Dad smiled. “I’m real proud of you, son. I’d like you to talk to me first in the future, but I get that you were helpin’ a friend, and that means somethin’.”
Dad left me and I went to find my mom. She was in the kitchen, and I immediately went to her, wrapping my arms around her waist.
“I’m sorry, Mama,” I said.
“All forgiven, cherub.”
“I’m gonna go get my grades up now.”
She cupped my face. “I love you to the moon and back, Parker.”
“Love you too, Mom.”
I headed upstairs and pulled out my phone. Time to fix things with Tate.
* * *
Tate
“She’s such a slut,”I hissed, sobbing against my mom. “Why won’t Flash see that?”
“Sweetie, let’s try not to be cruel in our sadness, okay? Calling someone a slut is unkind.”
“Well, she is.”
“Honey, she’s eleven—”
“She’s twelve,” I corrected.
“Even at twelve, Tate, if she’s doing things with boys that maybe she shouldn’t, it’s because she’s being abused. You need to have some grace.”
I scowled at my mother. “You’re supposed to be onmyside.”
“Baby, Iamon your side, but if you lower yourself to being a mean girl, you’re no better than she is.”
“But, Mom, Flash is gonna fail all his classes if he keeps letting her boobs dictate his life.”
