“That,” I say, pointing.
“What? Carley?”
“Not Carley. Her expression. Her posture. She looks worried.”
“So?” Luke asks. “You think that means she knows?”
I take a deep breath and let it out, relieved. It’s a small victory.
“Yes,” I tell my boyfriend. “She knows.”
“Now what?” he asks.
I look him in the eyes, so glad to have him in my life.
“Let’s go,” I say.
“That’s it? That’s all we came for? To see Carley’s expression?”
“Yep,” I say.
“You aren’t going to do anything else?”
“Nope. Don’t have to.”
Luke shakes his head at me as he starts the ignition and pulls out of the parking space.
“Seems like a waste of time,” he mutters.
“I hope it wasn’t,” I say quietly.
“For Jamie’s sake, me, too,” Luke replies. “I just can’t believe that’s all you’re going to do.”
“Well, there is one other thing,” I say.
“What’s that?” Luke asks.
“I’m going to forget this ever happened.”
40
There is a cop car in the Meridan High School roundabout this morning. It’s not something you see every day. Students are whispering; Carley Lynch’s friends are consoling her at the top of the main hall.
It’s all a bit unnerving.
When I arrive at Spanish, I find that Jamie is already there, leaning on top of her desk with her chin on her arms. She looks like she’s been crying.
“What’s the matter, J?” I ask softly as I sit down next to her.
“What do you think?” she asks, without looking at me.
I think forward to whispers about Jamie in the hallway. To a hostile courtroom. A testimony. A conviction.
I lie.
“I don’t know, Jamie, but seriously, fight or not, you can talk to me. I’m always here for you.”
Jamie looks at me with red eyes and a puffy face. The bell rings, and Ms. Garcia starts a Spanish-language movie. A few minutes in, Jamie turns to face me again.