Page 127 of Everything She Feared

“Who?”

“Arlee.”

“What did Arlee call you?”

Ethan didn’t respond.

“It’s okay to tell me.”

He dropped his voice. “Half-breed.”

She tensed as a million hurts in her life knifed through her heart. Her first reaction was to go all momma grizzly on the situation, call Arlee’s parents, call the school.

But it’s not a perfect world. Besides, that wouldn’t help Ethan.

She pushed all of it aside, glad that he’d found the courage to tell her.

“What did you do when he said that?” she asked.

“I just walked away.”

“I don’t know this Arlee—is he a friend?”

“Not really, he’s just in my class.”

“Did you tell the teacher?”

“No.”

“Does he keep calling you that name?”

“Yeah, but he never used to.”

“Really?”

“He started when I saw he got an F on a science test. No one else knew or saw, but I saw it, by accident, walking by his desk. He looked like he was all embarrassed and said, ‘Mind your own eff-ing business, half-breed.’”

“I see,” she said. “Well, maybe in that moment, he needed to feel he had the power over you to make you feel bad, too. And it sounds like he wants to keep it, you know? So don’t give it to him.”

Ethan considered that.

“What do you think you should do next time Arlee says it?”

“Just keep walking away, hang out with other kids.”

“See how it goes.”

“Okay, I’ll try that.”

“Is this why you decided to come to the party, to meet new kids? I mean, like I told you, I’m going to help because Amber’s dad is my friend from work. And it’s nice that she invited you, too. But you surprised me.”

“You said there was going to be hot dogs, cake and ice cream.”

“Ah,” she said.

“How could I resist, Mom?”

They both laughed as Pierce continued driving to Shoreline, a few miles north of the city at the edge of King County.

---