I covered up the newest bruise from Daddy with makeup I’d stolen from the corner store. I didn’t like stealing. I felt horrible doing it, but I had no way to pay for it. There was a purple welt on the top of my cheekbone from when Daddy had backhanded me because I was caught leaving.
I was sure to be caught after tonight, but at least now I had makeup to cover up all the bruises. It took a while to figure out the right combination of colors to cover up the blue and purple, but now you could barely see it. It turned out the foundation I’d already stolen wasn’t enough to cover it up, so you could still see some of the bruise, but it wasn’t as noticeable. You had to really look now.
“What’s wrong?” I asked Eli. He’d barely spoken since coming to get me at our spot, the tree in Mrs. Nelson’s yard. As the years passed, Mrs. Nelson never said a word about us using her backyard to meet. She even still gave me jellybeans. I wondered if that wonderful woman would live forever.
I hoped so.
Eli gripped the steering wheel of his new car. It was a beat-up red truck. He loved it and I loved that he loved it, but I didn’t agree with how he’d bought it. Eli had started working for Zero, and I just knew Zero was no good.
Eli had taken me to a meeting with Zero a couple of weeks before, but I’d never go again. I tried to get Eli to stop, but Eli believed Zero was his ticket outta town. If anything, Zero was gonna keep him grounded. Eli had casually mentioned to me that his schoolmate, Deacon, dropped outta school to work with Zero. I’d asked him if he was going to drop out of school, too; I was worried because Eli was the best in his class. Eli assured me he wouldn’t, but the thought still haunted me.
Even so, when I saw how happy Eli was with the purchase, I buried the bad thoughts.
I was getting really good at burying the bad thoughts.
“I can see the bruise on your cheek, Grace.”
I touched my cheek lightly. “I did my best to cover it.”
“It’s not that,” Eli sighed, flipping down the turn signal. We turned left onto a dirt road. “I swear someday I’m gonna kill that man.”
“Let’s not talk about the bad stuff, Eli.” The number one thing I loved about his old truck was that the front seat was one big seat. I scooted across and snuggled up to him. “Let’s just have a good night.”
Eli pulled the car over and turned it off, leaving only the dim dashboard lights on. I tilted my chin up to him. I was pretty sure this wasn’t where the party was. Eli had promised me a party that night. I never got to meet other people, much less party with them, so he’d agreed to take me to one.
Eli hated sneaking me out just about as much as I hated sneaking back in. He knew what Daddy did when I was caught, and Eli couldn’t bear to be the reason for my bruises. No matter how many times I explained that I would get beat even if I didn’t sneak out, Eli felt responsible. It had taken a lot of convincing to get Eli to take me to this party.
Eli released his grip on the steering wheel and pulled me to him. I no longer cared if we were at the party. This was heaven: there with Eli, held in his arms. I thanked providence daily for bringing Eli into my life.
Eli pressed his lips to my forehead. “We could run away, Gracie,” he said into my hair. This was a recurring song with us. “Right now. We could take this truck and just drive until we feel at home.”
“I feel home with you. Always.”
“Let’s go, Gracie.” There was an urgency in Eli’s voice that hadn’t been there before. Even when he brought up running away, it was never like this. It never sounded so… terminal.
“And then what?” Reluctantly I removed my head from the perfect spot in his chest. Eli was smart. Not just our-town smart, but nation smart. World smart. He had a brain that would put Einstein to shame. He was meant for something more than just running away with me.
He was meant for greatness.
“And then everything.” Eli smiled.
I leaned up and kissed him lightly on the lips. “Let’s go, we’re going to be late.”
Eli kissed me back, his hands snaking around to grip me tightly on the waist. I felt drawn to him by more than his hands; I was drawn to him by energy. Slowly he pulled away and I whimpered, never getting enough of Eli.
“It’s a party,” Eli whispered. I opened my eyes just in time to see him wink and grip his steering wheel. “There is no late.”
Eli tugged my hand, leading me toward the barn.
“Eli wait.” He stopped, waiting for me to speak. “I just…” I wasn’t sure what to say, but I had to say something. Eli was waiting for me to continue.
The barn loomed in the distance, dark save for the gaping yellow maw of its open doors. I heard loud music, hooting, and hollering. I could see the shadowy outlines of people dancing and mingling. I saw one shadow pull another shadow tight as it tried to push away playfully. I watched shadows chase each other into the dark abysses.
I was excited. I was nervous. It was my first party; I didn’t know what to expect. I did know, though, that with Eli at my side, there was nothing to fear. I wanted to go and become one of those shadows.
I smiled at him. “I love you.” He tugged hard on my hand, making me stumble into his chest. I laughed as his body braced my fall.
“Grace Wall,” he said, holding me firm,