Page 123 of Run Away Home: Tempered

“Because I don’t have a book.”

“What is that?” I point to the box of envelopes next to him.

“These are called envelopes, Daniel. You use them when you want to send letters to people.” He smirks.

Oh my God, I know what they are!

“What I really wanted to say is, I know you’re writing a letter and not a journal! Who’s it to?”

I lunge forward and grab the paper. He’s fast, though. He grabs it at the same time, and it rips right in half. He stares down at the ripped paper in his hand and then up at me. He sighs. I look down at my half. The writing is all in cursive. I don’t know how to read cursive!

“Why do you write in cursive all the time?” I ask.

“That’s what you have to say for yourself?”

He stands and holds out his open hand. I peek once more at my half, then hand it to him. He stares at both halves for a little while. After a while, he tears the paper until it’s only little pieces and dumps them into the garbage basket.

“Why can’t you just tell me what you were writing?”

“Because it doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t!” he yells.

“If it doesn’t matter, why would you write it?”

He looks down into the garbage. “I don’t know, Danny. Please, go back to bed. I’m going to sleep now.”

“No, you’re not—”

“Yes, I am!” He puts one hand up to shush me and walks back to bed, lifting up the covers.

I look down at my feet and see the envelope he was going to use. It must have fallen. YES! I step on it and pull it closer to me with my foot.

“Oh, okay. Well, goodnight then!”

He turns around and gives me a weird look. I begin to back up, sliding my left foot and dragging the envelope out the door. I guess he doesn’t see me do it because he just gets into bed like he really doesn’t give a shit. HA!

“Good night, Danny. Try to get some sleep, please.” He reaches for the lamp on his bedside table and turns it off.

I keep sliding, and finally make it out of the doorway. I bend down and pick up the envelope, running into my room with it against my chest. It’s freaking dark! I stub my toe on the door frame.

OW! CRAP, CRAP, CRAP, CRAP!

I flick on my light switch and hop to my bed on one foot. I pull the envelope away from my chest...

BLANK? IT’S BLANK!

All that work, and there’s not even a name or address on here!

Chapter Twenty-Two

Peter

BLUE CHECKERED? BLACK? Which brings out my eyes more? I hold the shirts against my chest as I stand in front of the mirror in my room. Black. Definitely black. Hair down? Or up? I don’t think she’s seen me with my hair down yet. Hayley did say it “changes my face.” That’s a compliment, coming from her.

“PETER, THERE’S A SPIDER!” Hayley yells from the living room.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I call back from the bedroom.

“I wouldn’t kid about something like that!”

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