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Beside him, I’m small and ugly, while he walks with a confident stride and holds his head high. Most people give us a wide berth, and his hand remains clasped in mine. Whispers ripple through the hallways as we pass the bleachers and head toward the school parking lot.

“Hey, Tommy!” someone calls out. We turn to see Bax with his long hair like the people I see on TV. His round glasses remind me of John Lennon. He was the one at FreshMart with Remy. “What’s happening, man?”

Tommy shrugs. “Going for a drive.”

Bax shoots me a small smile, then shrugs as if my presence is no big deal. I instantly like him. His hair hangs in waves down to his mid-back, probably the same length as mine. “You’re playing with fire. Coach wants us to train today.”

Tommy’s hand tightens around mine. “Not today. I’m gonna hang with my girl.”

His girl?

My cheeks turn to fire.

His friend sizes me up with a glance and shrugs, seemingly unconcerned. “Right on, man. I dig it,” he says. “Well then, peace out, man and woman.” He flashes a peace sign and ambles off. I watch him do a little dance as he joins another group, high-fiving everyone, and I can’t help but smile.

Tommy watches him and snickers. “That’s Baxter.”

I squeeze his hand. “I like him.”

“Yeah. Everyone likes Bax. Come on, let’s go. Lunch is only an hour.”

A silent prayer escapes my lips, begging God for forgiveness for what I desperately want to do.

Tommy stayed true to his promise. We listened to music—bands like Styx, Supertramp, and Led Zeppelin—as rain pelted the roof of the car. He made me memorize the title of each song. He kept his hands to himself and didn’t ask questions I didn’t wish to answer.

I forgot about the scarecrow’s unsettling grin, the shadows of my guilt, and the deep stain on my soul from my sinful thoughts. It reminded me of when we first started hanging out, how we just existed together.

I helped him with math for a while, and eventually, my head fell onto his shoulder until he drove me back to school on time.

I don’t know what love is…I’ve never experienced it, even from Mama. But this is similar to love. The warm ache inside, the pain, the longing. The serenity. The gut punch in my core when Tommy failed math today, as if his feelings were tied to my own. Day by day, bit by bit, Tommy is becoming my safe space. Like he’s all I have.

After school, I went to see the teacher to grab my extra assignments. He asked me questions about my plans for college and offered to help me apply for scholarships. I was polite and smiled, but secretly, my stomach’s been fluttering since lunch with Tommy, and I can’t stop thinking about him.

At 5:00PM, the halls are bare. Tommy is at track practice with Bax and Remy, which should end soon. I consider waiting to see if Tommy can drive me home but think better of it. Something as silly as getting myself home shouldn’t be Tommy’s burden.

I’m still smiling, picturing him as I round the corner and come face to face with Cindy and her two friends. Her eyes turn dark when she sees me, as if something evil lurks inside. The girls flank me from the side, and the three of them corner me.

Cindy crosses her arms and taps her foot, the strands of her auburn hair flipping at the end. “Didn’t I tell you to get out of town?”

I roll my eyes. “Let me go. I need to get home.”

“Absolutely not,” she growls, shaking her head. “Not this time.” She sharply nods at her friends. “Get her.”

They hesitate. “Are you sure, Cindy? We could get in an awful lot of trouble.”

“Now, stupid.”

I try to lurch forward, but they grab me from behind, looping my arms behind my back. I don’t fight as the two of them hold me. Cindy stalks up to me, and I stare at her. She’s at least a quarter inch taller and far leaner, likely because of her daily access to food and workout regime from cheerleading.

“I told you to stay away from Tommy,” she says. “He doesn’t need you ruining his life.”

“I haven’t done anything to Tommy,” I snap at her, but instantly regret it.

Her pupils darken like inkpots. “Not yet, you haven’t. I have a bad feeling about you… You’re up to no good.”

“The feeling is mutual,” I quip.

She sweeps her leg, and I fall to the ground. Helpless, I lie there as the three of them tower over me. “Do you know how we deal with evil ‘round here?” she says calmly, walking over to the water fountain a few feet away. She pulls out her bottle and fills it, walking back to me with a vicious grin.