I grab hold of the fence, hoist myself up.
I hobble forward, able to put a little pressure on my right leg while holding on to the fence.
This truly sucks. Blair and her friend Stacy are supposed to pick me up tonight, take me out to the Circles. It’s the first time she’s ever come over, given me a ride, and I was really looking forward to it. I’ve only hung out with them at school and at the swimming hole because I could ride Cookie there, tie her up where no one could see her.
Not that I’m ashamed to ride a horse; I’m just embarrassed that I don’t have a car like everyone else my age around here. As cool as Pa is, he doesn’t want me driving his work truck at night, especially if he knows I’m gonna be drinking. Not that we actually discuss all that, but because he’s been letting me have nips of his wine since I was thirteen, he’s no dummy.
Pa could drop me off places, but that would be even more embarrassing than being seen on Cookie.
Tonight was also gonna be my first time to ever go to theCircles, which is basically a clearing in the middle of woods where the teens here party.
After about half an hour of limping, to my massive relief, I see a shiny red truck cruising toward me. It’s vintage, unmistakably Pa’s.
I wave my arms wildly, shout at him even though I know he can’t hear me.
He sees me, though, and slows, crossing the median of the highway, and eases onto the shoulder next to me.
“What in the world, Sunshine?” His shirt is puckered to his skin, wringing with sweat. He looks concerned.
I burst out in tears; I can’t help it.
“How did you even know where to find me?” My voice comes out mangled.
“The horseknows.”
That’s one of Pa’s favorite sayings.
Massive relief. “Cookie? She came home? She okay?”
“She’s like a boomerang. Yeah, she’s fine, only some scrapes. I drove the usual way to the store, and when I didn’t find you, I decided to look down here. What happened?”
“This asshole—sorry, this jerk—sped up to us in a red BMW, rode right next to us. Revved the gas. And Cookie took off and swerved toward the fence, which dragged me off her.”
“Lemme see.”
I stick out my right leg.
“Jesus.”
“Can you stand on it?”
“Yeah, but it hurts.”
“But how bad? One to ten.”
I grit my teeth, put my weight on it. “Five.”
Pa nods briskly. “Okay, okay, lotsa blood, but hopefully it’s not broken.” He scoops me up in his arms, carries me into the passenger seat.
Back home, he pulls right up to the front porch, yells for Mom.
She steps out the door, a scowl stamped across her face, hands on her hips. She narrows her eyes at me.
“Come down from there and help us!” Pa yelps at her.
I wrap an arm around each of their necks so they can guide me up the steps, get me inside.
The cabin feels dark and cool, almost cave-like, after being out in the summer sun. It takes my eyes a few minutes to adjust.
