Page 15 of Full Circle

“Now, Chief, we don’t have a set rule about these things,” Mr. Wyatt began, but the sheriff cut him off.

“I say we do.” He took a large step towards Daddy, squaring up with him.

Wesley’s face was crestfallen. Without a word, he threw the tongs down on the ground and ran into the crowd, heading in the same direction as the old oak tree.

“Jonah, your daddy would tan your hide for hurting a kid like that!” Nana sputtered at him. She leapt out of her lawn chair in a fit of anger.

The chief took a step back and gave a curt nod to her, ever the Southern gentleman respecting his elders. “My daddy wouldn’t want a little hothead punk from Atlanta to bring trouble into this town,” he challenged. “I did some digging on that brat as soon as I heard he stepped foot in my town. He shouldn’t be here, and the sooner we get that through his head, the better.”

The injustice of it all made my blood boil. It was just a silly contest at a local party, but I knew Wesley wouldn’t see it that way. He would internalize it as another way he was different, another justification for why no one wanted him, only now he would believe that of River’s Run just as much as Atlanta. It wasn’t fair for anyone to do that to him.

For once I didn’t care about my manners. “You’re just a big, ugly asshole!” I had never used a swear word a day in my life and I imagined my mama rolling over in her grave from hearing that word come from my lips.

Except I couldn’t bring myself to care. Whirling around, I ran into the crowd, pushing people out of the way as the tears streamed down my face.

CHAPTER 7

BONFIRES AND BREAK INS

WESLEY

I hated everyone here. No matter what I did, I was never going to fit in. They didn’t like anyone who couldn’t trace their ancestors through the graveyard on Church Road. I was so tired of everyone looking at me like some worthless punk who threw around his daddy’s money.

Except they were right about half of it—I was a worthless punk. Wasn’t that why my mother left? She didn’t love me enough to take me with her or keep in contact? Wasn’t that why all of my teachers gave up on me if I challenged them? Okay, maybe “challenged them” wasn’t exactly what I did, but it’s not like I was the only kid ever to have gotten in fights or messed up school property. They didn’t think I was worth the dirt on their shoes, as Nana would say.

Oh, I could bet what Nana would have to say to me now that I had run out on them like that. She was finally growing to like me and I just ruined it all over again. Probably with Marla and Mr. Hendricks, too. Celeste had promised to always forgive me, but everyone else always broke their promises to me, so why wouldn’t she? My dad promised to call me every week, but I had been here for close to eight with radio silence from Atlanta. Nobody cared about me.

Then fuck them! My rebellious heart sang. Fuck them all!

I threw myself down onto a large rock in the creek bed a few feet away from where our favorite tree was. It only took a minute for me to hear Celeste’s feet pounding behind me. I knew it was her just based on the sound alone, that was how in tune with her I had become. But now that connection felt spoiled. Tainted. How could she be friends with someone worthless like me?

“Don’t you listen to that,” Celeste said quietly behind me, stopping short. I couldn’t see her face, but her voice was low with what sounded like sorrow.

I snorted. “Listen to what? All the people who don’t think I belong here?”

“The voice in your head that’s telling you they’re right.”

I shot up and turned on her. “You don’t know anything about it! You’ve lived here your entire life surrounded by the same boring people, all set to grow up and have more boring babies to keep this stupid town running! I hate it here! I hate all of them!”

Celeste nodded. “’Kay.”

Her monosyllable response made me angrier. “That includes your family! Everyone here is just a dumb, redneck hick! I wish this whole town would burn to the ground!”

Round green eyes filled with tears, but that was the only reaction I got from her. She didn’t say a word, didn’t move to walk away, or anything. Seeing one trail down her cheek made all the rage burn out of me.

“I’m sorry, Celeste.” I pulled her into a hug, throwing my arms around her tightly. Being the one to make her cry made me feel like the world’s biggest prick. She should never have to cry over me.

She instantly molded into the hug, wrapping the arms I pinned to her side around my waist. “I’m sorry, too,” she whispered into my shoulder.

Of course she was. Celeste was too good not to apologize on behalf of those idiots.

“I didn’t mean what I said,” I promised her as I pulled away. “You’re my best friend in the whole world, Celeste. I don’t hate you or your family.”

She sat down on the rock I had been perched on and patted the small space beside her. “I know that, Wes. Mama always said people say hurtful things when they’re mad because they want others to join them in misery. I’m already upset at what they did to you, so nothing you say can hurt me right now.”

More of her mother’s logic to save the day. I would need a book someday to keep up with that woman.

I squeezed into the small space next to her on the rock, our sides pressed together as our bodies fought for nonexistent space. Feeling her touch calmed me even further. Things were just simpler with her. Easy in a way that I couldn’t understand but didn’t want to question.

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