Page 87 of Run Away Home: Tempered

“I thought you meant fighting with words?”

“You know I meant physically fighting too, Danny!”

“You were going to have a fight last night. I just read the texts!”

“No, I was not. I wouldn’t have fought him. He’s pathetic. I don’t even understand why he wants to fight me. Because I’m much smaller than him? So that he can feel tough?”

“Is this why you told Hayley to sleep in the other room last night?”

“Yup.”

“So, you’re done with her?”

“Yup.”

“So, she’s going to move out?”

“No, Danny. She’s not moving out.”

“Why not? You want to live with your ex? That’s weird.”

“She has nowhere to go.”

“She can move in with Tristian.”

“He’s sleeping on his friend’s floor.”

“What a loser.” Danny laughs.

“Yes, because only losers get into physical altercations.” I look over, and he rolls his eyes.

“Yeah, yeah. Did she cheat on you?”

“Why would you ask me that?”

“Seems like it. I mean everything was fine, and then it wasn’t.”

“Nope. No, that’s not what happened.” I cough a wee bit, gripping the steering wheel tighter—one finger at a time—and locking my elbows.

“She did, didn’t she?”

“Is this diorama for history class? What is your teacher’s name again?”

“Mr. Gates.”

“Gates, like Bill... I’ll remember that.”

We pull up in front of the school.

“You said that the first time,” Danny replies as he swings the door open.

“This time I mean it.”

He gets out of the car and looks back at me. “She sucks, anyway.”

“Yeah. Like you said when I took the TV... Way more than I do, right?”

“ONE THOUSAND TIMES MORE THAN YOU DO.”

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