Page 11 of 4-Ever

I took the offered tray, a steaming bowl of lentil soup and rice.

Too bad I didn’t feel like eating at all.

Then I heard the heavy sound of footsteps, and suddenly, Ronin’s voice.

When he entered my bedroom, I nearly jumped up and ran over to him. My dad nodded at us, then closed the door.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” Ronin replied as he stood there, hands in his pockets, his toe tapping out a nervous rhythm. “I was wondering why you weren’t in class this morning.”

“I didn’t feel good. And shouldn’t you be there right now?” I asked.

Ronin shrugged. “I told the teacher I had stomach cramps. I’m not going back today.”

“You wanna stay and play video games?”

He nodded, then finally dropped his backpack on the floor like usual and wandered over to sit beside me on my bed.

“How did the testing go?” he asked quietly.

“Okay. I have dysgraphia.”

“Dis what now?”

I nearly laughed at his comment. “It means I have trouble getting what’s in my head put into words on a page. Or a laptop screen.”

He nodded.

“Does this mean another tutor? Or,” he paused and licked his lips. “Another school?”

“Another tutor, three hours a week. I’ve already got homework.”

Ronin’s tight expression finally eased. He leaned over and bumped my shoulder. “Sorry I walked out on Friday. It’s just?—”

“I get it.”

“No. I mean, you do get it, but I just… I didn’t know how to talk about it. It felt like—” Ronin blew out a deep breath. “Like I was losing you. If you go to another school.”

“Which I’m not. And you’d never lose me.”

“I know that. But Friday, I thought maybe it was happening,” Ronin looked down at his hands. “Ever since Dad left, I worry that people close to me will leave. And never come back.”

Ronin’s quiet admission made my stomach flip over. His dad cutting off contact like that was never going to stop hurting Ronin. I wished I could do something to help him.

All I could do was be his friend.

“Even if I had to go to another school, we’d stay besties,” I replied and put my arm around his massive shoulders. “I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me. Forever.”

Ronin laughed and turned to look at me. “That’s a long time, boo.”

“That’s our friendship.”

CHAPTER 4

FAISE

AGE 16

---