Page 96 of A Boy Called Lovesong

As I passedEarl’s Auto, Earl tried to wave me down. “Noah. I got good news. Your car’s all fixed. She’s as good as new.”

“Not now, Earl.”

I kept running, my lungs burning as I pushed through the door and almost barreled straight into Maybelle carrying Chet in one arm.

“Noah! Slow down, child! What’s going on? You didn’t get caught, did you?”

I was panting so hard I could barely speak. “I… I found something. Something terrible. I have to get to Lovesong. But first… there’s something I need.”

I bolted for the stairs, no time for the slow, grinding elevator.

I dodged the holes and broken steps.

I sprinted into the room I shared with Lovesong, rummaged through my suitcase and pulled out the cassette tape.

It was time to tell Lovesong everything—

Why I was there…

What happened to Joel…

And what Lovesong’s father was guilty of.

With the Bible, the note, the letter, and the tape, I bounded back down the stairs.

I raced past Maybelle and Chet, shouting over my shoulder, “I’ll be back. I need to tell you what I found. You need to know everything.”

I charged through the open door.

I heard Maybelle calling, “Chet! Come back here now!”

But I didn’t have time to look back.

I ran as fast as I could into the cotton fields, the spikes of the prickled bolls scratching at my skin again as they had the other night.

But I didn’t care.

With sweat pouring down my face, blood streaking from the scratches, I kept running.

I had to get to Lovesong.

He had to know the truth.

When I burst out of the cotton fields and onto the dirt road leading to the crossroads, I could see the cotton pickers in the field opposite.

I saw Lovesong and hurried across the road, calling his name. “Lovesong! Lovesong, it’s me, Noah. We need to talk! Now!”

He raised his head, then shook it. “There ain’t nothin’ I wanna talk with you about, Noah. I’m busy.”

“Lovesong! I need to tell you everything! Now!”

I saw him huff, then storm his way through the cotton plants toward me. “Where are you?” he demanded impatiently. “At least tell me where you are!”

“I’m right in front of you, here on the edge of the road. Just keep walking.”

He plodded out from the field, and I reached out to catch him. “I’m here. I’m right here.”

“So, what the hell do you need to tell me, huh? What’s so important that you need to tell me now, when last night you wanted to keep everything a secret?”

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