Sang got up on her knees like she had before. Silas reached over to help her with lifting her shirt where the bruise had been. He took the edge of her skirt and moved it down just enough to reveal how big the splotch of purple really was. Now that he was calmer, it wasn’t too bad, but he could see where it would still hurt.
“Sang, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.” Kota made a face.
She shook her head at him. “No, it’s just a bruise. There’s nothing to do about it. Just wait for it to heal.”
Kota looked at Victor and then at Silas.
Silas wasn’t sure what to think. He didn’t know what happened with Max. He knew Kota lied to her about it to suggest it was an accident, something that dogs just did. But he had sent Max to jump on her on purpose. It was up to Kota to decide if he wanted to say something about it being his fault.
At the same time, it wasn’t like Kota wanted to bruise Sang. It was just a result of getting Max to stop her. But Silas got the feeling Kota hadn’t known about the bruise.
Sang had hidden it from him. Even after getting her wrist bandaged.
Silas pressed his lips together. Something that small, and Sang didn’t tell him. What else did she not trust them with?
This meant today was probably a terrible disaster, more than he had suspected before. Kota wanted to get her to trust him, any of them, yet she hadn’t mentioned the bruise. Maybe she thought it wasn’t worth worrying about, but she seemed very embarrassed to be showing them now.
Victor twisted his hands over the steering wheel as he drove. Silas didn’t know what was going on with Sang, but this was bad progress in getting her to trust them.
The other problem was that with what Kota had said, if she had been trying to run away, it seemed the only injuries so far had been from Max. Not every sort of abuse was physical, which was why every situation needed to be handled delicately. Her odd handling of things made it seem like there was more to Sang and her life.
Sang quietly moved around again to sit in her seat. She reached up for the seat belt, pulling it around to strap in.
Silas touched the back of her hand that was holding the belt buckle. “You don’t have to wear that if it hurts.”
She shook her head. “It’s not that bad. Really. You just surprised me.”
He wasn’t so sure about that answer. She had winced pretty badly. Still, he let it go, and he let her go.
“What I want to know is how that guy got so close to you,” Victor said, his voice rising. “Wasn’t she with you, Silas?”
Silas frowned, ready to answer him... that it was his fault.
“It’s not his fault,” she said before Silas could say anything. “He was taking care of the tray when Greg walked over.”
“He had enough time to tell you his name and go with you down that hallway,” Victor said. “What were you two doing in there?”
Sang blushed and then touched her lower lip with her finger. “I... I was going for the restroom. I went looking for you all but didn’t see you. I thought I’d slip into the bathroom where he couldn’t follow me.”
“You’re probably lucky you didn’t make it,” Kota said. “If he was determined, he could have followed you in, and if no one else was around...” His face paled, and his lips twisted slightly. He shook off the expression. “Next time, just walk into the guy’s bathroom if we’re in there.”
“No next time,” Victor said. “We’re not going to leave her by herself long enough to let ‘Gregs’ be a problem.”
Silas wanted to grumble, but he smothered it. He should’ve known better. He knew Greg and his friends had been walking around. He hadn’t left her for that long, but he should have thought of not leaving her alone.
Sang became quiet and stared out the window. When no one else said anything either, Silas mimicked Sang, gazing out the window. He had really messed up today. He shouldn’t have yelled at that guy in the first place. Maybe if he had walked away with Sang and ignored it completely, Greg and his friends would have lost interest from the start.
There was a small touch to his hand. Silas unfocused from his deep thoughts, finding Sang looking at him.
She brushed her fingertips over his fist. He was confused at first as to why. Until he looked down at his hand and realized he was grabbing Victor’s bookstore bag. He opened his fist, letting go of the bag.
She took it from him, putting it in her lap delicately and smoothing it out. She offered a smile to Silas. It was small, but she was making an effort.
He stared at her. For a moment, his thoughts were clashing. He was angry with himself still, but she didn’t seem to be blaming him for what happened. She wasn’t blaming anybody.
You couldn’t fix the past. That was something North always told him. Regret was useless. There was only the moment you had now and what you did in the future.
He tried to smile back at her—he hoped he wasn’t making a weird face—and turned toward the window again.
He wanted to say something to her. He wanted to say he was sorry for leaving her alone. He just didn’t know what to say.
He didn’t know anything about her. Maybe that was the worst, that he didn’t know her and he’d already exposed her to danger. In a way, he kept thinking Kota should be the one to say something.
But he couldn’t think of what others should be doing, either. He needed to reach out to her.
Silas focused his thoughts. Stop blaming other people. Just do it yourself if it needs doing.
But what? What else could he do?
8
It wasn’t long before Silas was back in his own bedroom. He had picked up the mail and found the white envelope with his name and address in the center, and another address he didn’t know in the left corner.
He’d placed it on his bedside table, lain down and stared at the ceiling. He didn’t bother to open the envelope. His boots were still tied to his feet, hanging just off the edge.
He thought about taking a drive, but his mind was busy replaying what had happened today, with Sang, with Greg, and with the guys.
The lights in his bedroom were off. The only light in the room at the moment was coming from the window, and the sun was on the other side of the building, so it was dim and gloomy.
He wanted to call Sang.
Despite what happened today, Sang had been quiet for the rest of the ride as the guys dropped Silas off. She didn’t seem displeased or anything, just quiet.
Silas wanted to talk to her. Maybe if it was by phone, she’d be more comfortable. Maybe if they weren’t at a mall, or around anyone else...
He wasn’t even sure what to say. Sorry? And then what?
But he had to try. If Kota and Victor were trying, he wanted to, too. He’d be another reason why she didn’t have to run off.
And if she ever felt she needed to escape from her home, he wanted her to have his number. To call him to come get her. Whatever she needed.
Silas pulled out his phone and dialed up Kota.
“Did we forget something?” Kota asked as soon as he answered.
“Is Sang okay?” Silas asked.
“We just dropped her off at her house. She didn’t say much, but when I asked if she needed to go home, she said it was probably a good idea.” Kota sighed. “Although, I did tell her to come by whenever she wanted.”
“It feels a little awkward. I feel like I should say something.”
“After today, let’s give her some time. At least one night. I can keep an eye on her from here. It was a lot all at once today.”
“No kidding.” Silas pressed a forefinger to his brow and scratched. “Maybe I can text her. She should know she can reach us any time. Do you have her phone number?”
“She doesn’t have a cell phone, remember? But I think we can look up the house number.”
Silas waited a few minutes, listening while Kota was checking in on his computer. Kota eventually rattled off a number.
Kota mumbled it to himself, but Silas caught it, repeating it
in his memory.
“I think that’s it,” Kota said. “It’s always harder to be sure with a new phone listing. But they have been there for about a month. This is probably the right number. Not too many Sorenson households in Summerville.”
“Do you think it’s okay to call her?” Silas asked.
“Possibly? I would wait. At least a day. She may be really tired. She was up late last night.”
Silas got off the phone with Kota, looking for a piece of paper and jotting down Sang’s number.
And then he copied it again. In a way, he was doodling, trying to convince himself to listen to Kota.
Wait.
Wait until tomorrow.
He tapped his pen on the small paper pad, making ink dots along the edge.
She should have someone’s number. She should know they wanted to talk to her.
Silas wanted to talk to her.
Before Silas could lose his nerve, he dialed her number into the phone.
What was he going to say to her? Maybe just to explain to her that today was unusual. They weren’t the sort of people to cause trouble. Getting into fights wasn’t normal.
The Sorenson’s phone rang a few times, and he was pretty sure it was about to go to voicemail when the line picked up.
“Hello?” a mature woman’s voice said into the phone.
Sang’s mother? Silas forgot to ask Kota about her home life. That was the whole reason for today, right?
Sang wanted to run away for a reason... It would’ve been helpful to know whatever he knew. “Hello,” Silas said. “Is Sang at home?”
Suddenly, Silas realized this might make things harder with Sang rather than reassure her. He had a deep voice. He probably sounded like an adult instead of a teenager.
The woman on the phone paused for a long time. Then there was a sound, like her hand covering the phone.
A couple of minutes passed all too awkwardly as Silas could hear some kind of conversation but not what was being said. Should he hang up?
“Hello?” Sang said a small voice into the phone.
Silas lifted himself up off the bed to pace, his heart beating like he’d been running instead of lying down. “It’s Silas.” He sucked in a breath, holding it. Waiting for her to tell him she wasn’t interested in talking or hang up on him.
She spoke again. “Hi.”
Silas glanced around his bedroom blankly, trying to find something to talk to her about. “I just wanted to make sure you got home safe.” That was something stupid to say. Of course she was, she was talking to him on the phone now.
She was quiet for a long time. “How did you know my number?”
Right. That should’ve been the obvious question. “Kota had it.” As soon as he said it, he realized Kota had not been given her phone number. He’d just made Kota seem like some sort of stalker when it was Silas asking that got him to look it up.
“Oh,” she said quietly.
He wasn’t sure if her short responses were because she was quiet and shy or if she didn’t really want to talk to him. Maybe she was tired, like Kota suggested.
“He said I should wait to call. He said you were probably freaked out still from this afternoon and we needed to give you a break.” Maybe he was blurting this, a little like tattling on Kota, but he was never the sort to not just talk about what was on his mind.
“I... I’m fine,” she said quickly.
“Who is it?” the mature woman’s voice came through the line.
“It’s the school,” Sang said.
Uh oh. If Sang had to lie about who she was on the phone with, then it wasn’t a good idea to call her.
Silas frowned. It was just a phone call. Or was Sang grounded and wasn’t supposed to be chatting? “Not safe to talk?” Silas asked.
“Uh huh,” Sang said.
He probably shouldn’t call her again, at least until tomorrow. But then, he’d be busy... “I won’t be around tomorrow,” he said. Then he realized he couldn’t get into telling her why. “I’ve got practice.” That was good enough. He just didn’t want her to think he would be avoiding her.
“That’s okay.”
He hesitated. He wanted to say something else, but words jumbled in his mind. What else could he offer? “Talk to you later?”
“Yeah,” Sang said.
“‘Bye,” Silas said, and he hung up.
He regretted hanging up the moment he did. He forgot to give his number. Hopefully, she had some sort of caller identification. If she wanted to reach out to him, she could.
Would she?
Silas dropped the phone onto the bed.
He stood there, looking at it, and then sat down when his fast-beating heart started to slow.
And after a few more minutes, he was on his back again, staring at the ceiling.
Sang being unable to talk bothered him. Was she in trouble because he had called and she wasn’t supposed to take phone calls right now?
Would she call him back if she could?
He wasn’t even sure if he’d been clear at all, that she could call him, that he was concerned...
Maybe he shouldn’t have mentioned practice. He could drop going with North so he could be available.
He stared up at the ceiling. What was she in the middle of that she wanted to run away from? She was nice and sweet, and seemed far from a rebellious type.
The phone rang suddenly. Silas popped up, scooping the phone up and checking the screen.
North.
Silas answered it. “Yeah?”
“Kota said he got the letter. Sounds like everybody did.”
Right. The letter. Silas tried to pull his thoughts from Sang and focus. “I haven’t opened it yet.”
“We’re still waiting to hear back from Mr. Blackbourne. He’s been out all day. It sounds like a new job, but we’re about to start at the school. I’m not sure if the timeframe works. It may overlap.”
“We could use the favors.”
North grunted into the phone. “We could always use the favors, but the school is our big payoff.”
Silas glanced out the window. “Our payoff may take time. The entire year at that school, maybe.”
“True,” North said. “It might. If we’re here for a year, may as well enjoy it.”
Silas shook his head. “If I had one school year to enjoy, this wouldn’t be the school I would have picked out.”
North was silent for a moment. “Maybe if it isn’t too much trouble, if this new job only needs one or two of us at a time, then we can do it. They wouldn’t have bothered sending letters like this if they didn’t think we could.”
“Maybe...” Silas said.
Silas didn’t really have an answer for him. Sure, they could all use more favors. They’d spent a lot. The school, if it worked out, meant they’d graduate.
But they didn’t really know what they were up against, either.
And then there was Sang...
Silas got off the phone with North. At first, the apartment was still.
Then there were footsteps, like that morning.
Theo trailed from his bedroom to the kitchen. There was clicking. The stove was being turned on.
He was lighting a cigarette on the stove.
Charlie must not be home.
Silas toyed with the phone in his hands. He adjusted the volume of the ringtone. He wanted to keep it close. He was itching to get Kota to go check up on Sang. Maybe he was becoming paranoid. The conversation with her still bothered him.
Theo was bugging him, too.
He stood up, walking out of his bedroom.
Silas stopped short as Theo came around, coming back down the hallway. A cigarette hung from his mouth.
Theo paused in the hallway, a dark eyebrow going up. “Ti?” He wore the same pajama clothes as that morning.
“Want to go out tomorrow?” Silas asked.
Theo scrunched his face. “Why?”
“School starts soon for me, but I was thinking that maybe we s
hould get out on the weekends sometime. Make it a regular thing. Go to the beach?”
Theo’s eyes darkened, and he glanced at the wall. “Dirty beach.”
Silas pursed his lips for a moment. Theo called American beaches dirty, compared to the near pure white beaches in Greece. “Maybe catch a movie?”
“Varetó...”
Boring. Silas shrugged. “You name it. We’ll go.”
Theo waved his hand at him, altering his course to walk around Silas.
Silas sidestepped to block him. “Is it me?” he asked. “We used to hang out. Before...”
Theo stared at the carpet in the hallway, not looking up. The cigarette smoke floated above his head, mixing into his hair. “Leave me alone.”
Silas released a breath and slowly stepped to one side, allowing Theo through.
Theo took his opportunity, darting down the hall, disappearing into his room and shutting the door. Music blared soon after.
Silas remained in the hallway.
Something was wrong with Theo, too. It wasn’t just the smoking. It wasn’t just that he was pacing in the morning and too afraid to ask for a light from their father. He was unhappy, depressed.
Silas wanted to help, but Theo didn’t seem to want it. He’d try again every day to ask if he wanted to go out, or to go to therapy.
Maybe he’d make dinner tonight for him and ask again.
He wasn’t sure what else to do. When someone didn’t want help, it became nearly impossible to do much more than just keep offering and wait until they accept.
After dealing with Theo, Silas finally realized what bugged him the most about Sang’s situation.
She didn’t hang up on him when he called.
She stayed on the phone with him, for as long as she could. She could have hung up. She could have said very early on something like sorry, can’t talk, or whatever.
They’d worked to connect with her in whatever way they could that morning.
She was reaching back by staying with him on the phone.
Did Kota say she wanted to go back, or did he suggest she should and she accepted because she didn’t want to burden Kota?
Silas’s brows furrowed, and he went to his room. He paced the floor by his bed. He replayed her conversation in his mind, trying to be sure he wasn’t being delusional.