* * *
19
I pulled Tony toward me, twisted around him, and kicked the knife out of the kid’s hand.
Tony recovered quickly. He grabbed the kid by the collar of his jacket and slammed his face into the locker. “That wasn’t very nice.”
The kid snarled. “Streak isn’t happy with you.”
He tried to push away but Tony had a firm grip on him. “I don’t give a shit about Streak. He can drop dead. I told him already. The deal is off.”
I saw Principal Granger coming down the hall and tapped Tony on the shoulder. “Top Dog coming in behind you.”
Tony glanced in that direction and grinned. He grabbed the collar tighter. “If you ever come at my girl with a knife again, I’m going to plant you so deep in a locker, they’re gonna need a tow truck to get you out!”
His loud voice had made everyone in the hallway stop. Principal Granger pushed through the startled crowd. “Is there an issue, Mr. Burns?”
Tony toed the knife on the floor. “This creep came at my girl with a knife.”
Granger tensed. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and called the office. He looked at the kid that Tony had pinned against the locker. “Mr. Keller. I believe this is a breach of your parole.” He almost sounded happy.
A man in overalls came running down the hall. The students parted for him. I recognized him as one of the janitors. He grinned. “I’ll take this one, Burns.”
Tony let him go and the burly janitor grabbed the kid’s arm and hauled him toward the office. Tony chuckled. “Taking out the trash. Bob’s the best.”
The bell rang. Principal Granger looked around the crowded hallway. “Don’t you people have somewhere to be?”
Tony closed his locker and slipped an arm around me. “I’d better get you down to the art room. You got a date with a picture.”
The principal frowned. “And then you’ll meet me in my office, Mr. Burns.” Tony groaned. Granger’s face slid into a half smile. “The police will want a statement so they can lock up Mr. Keller.” We started to walk away. “Well done, Mr. Burns.”
Tony smirked. “Wow. I never thought I’d hear that from a principal.”
He left me at the art room door. I pulled my work from the drawer and went to the table. The little dragon behind the candy dish was calling to be revealed. I sat down and lost myself in the work. The tiny claws of the dragon gently touched a bending flower. The dragon’s face was sad as if it mourned for the early demise of the cut plant.
Ms. Gilbert stopped next to me and put a hand on my shoulder. “Erin, that is absolutely magnificent.”
I considered the full image. “I think this one is done.”
Others came and stood around my chair. One of the few boys in the class was standing right next to me. “I’ve never seen such emotion captured in a still life.”
I sprayed the picture and pulled out the others. The story was taking shape. Ms. Gilbert gave the five minute warning. She paused by the finishing table and looked at the four images. “This is one of the most impressive story sets I’ve ever seen.” She turned to look at me. “How are you doing?”
Her question caught me off guard. “I’m okay.” I put the drawings in my portfolio.
She hadn’t walked away. “Erin. It’s okay to admit if you’re sad. You’ve had so much going on in your life, especially the loss of your mother.”
The bell rang. I looked toward the door and was relieved to see Tony standing there. “I was once told that where one door closes, another often opens.”
She followed my gaze. “You have certainly changed that one for the good.” She grinned and walked away.
I moved toward the door. Had I really changed Tony or had I simply altered the way he and David were dealing with this case? I studied Tony’s face. He was grinning. He reached out his hand and I let him pull me into his embrace. I leaned into him. “So, how did everything go?”
He leaned into my ear. “Killer won’t be an issue anymore. Sounds like his parole officer is tired of playing with him, too. They’re going to send him to the big boy court.”
We stopped at his locker and I grabbed my books for math. We walked up the stairs together. I noticed that the people around us got out of our way but it was no longer out of fear. Their expressions had changed. Some smiled while others looked curious. I had changed Tony in that respect. He was no longer feared by the general student body.
David sat next to me in math class. He seemed stiff. After Mr. Craig finished the lecture and everyone began working on the assignment, I looked over at him. “Is everything okay?”
He studied me for a moment and dropped his voice. “What Tony is doing to you isn’t fair.”
I noticed several others watching us. I didn’t want to say the wrong thing. “It’s a choice I made and I’m conscious of the circumstances.”
David looked down into his textbook. “He’s pushing the line and putting you in danger.”
The bell rang. I collected my books and headed for the door. Tony was waiting there for me. I glanced at David. He was scowling. I was almost afraid he wanted to fight for real. I decided not to give him the chance. I pulled Tony away. “I’m starved. Even cafeteria food sounds appealing.”
Tony felt my forehead. “Wow! Are you feeling okay?”
We ate lunch and I spent the rest of lunch period in the library getting my homework done. Soc-Ec went by quickly. Tony collected me from the classroom door and guided me down to his locker. I could tell something was up.
I swapped books. “What happened?”
He grabbed his and shut the door. “I had a run in with Streak.”
We moved through the halls, avoiding collisions with others headed in different directions. I paused at the classroom door. “Are you okay?”
His face was taut. “I’ve been better.”
His tone made me worry. I put my arms around him and did a fast physical survey. He winced in several places. “They damaged you. What shape are they in?”
He leaned his head on my shoulder. “I didn’t have anything I could call them on but a couple of them are feeling worse than I am right now.”
David stopped next to us. “That’s disgusting.”
Tony looked up at him. “Mind your own business.” He pushed David away. I saw the note passed from his hand to David’s.
I pulled Tony into the room. “Come on. Let’s go sit down.” We moved back to our corner. I noticed David stayed on the other side of the room. He slumped into a chair and glanced at the note. His expression changed. He looked over at Tony with concern and made a couple of fast hand gestures under his desk.
Tony made some back then leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. “Wake me when the class is over.”
Professor Linton came in with his arms full of papers. I tapped Tony’s arm. “I don’t think you’re going to get that snooze.”
He groaned. “Usually I love getting homework back.” He pulled out a paper from the folder.
Professor Linton had started on the other side of the room. I gently touched Tony’s side. “How bad is this on a scale of one to ten?”
“Not broken but miserable enough.”
The professor made his way back to us. He put the paper on Tony’s desk and took the other one. “Well done, Mr. Burns. I can tell you have strong sympathies for the people who live on the streets of Tacoma.”
Tony’s face tightened. Everyone should. It’s worse than what the Joad family had to deal with.”
Professor Linton nodded and gave me my paper. “I like your personal comparisons. It made your paper very compelling.” He took the new one and walked away.
Tony was reading the comments. He frowned. “I don’t think Linton really gets it. Those people on the street have no choices. They have nowhere else to go and no way to get out of hell.”
I thought about that as we discussed the unfair attitudes of the land owners toward the migrant workers. I listened to the discussion that Tony started a
bout the unfair attitudes that people have about the homeless. He made a compelling argument.
The bell rang and we walked down to the gym. Tony was very quiet. I gave his hand a squeeze. “Where are you at, Boyfriend?”
He stopped and pulled me into his arms. I could feel him trembling. I looked up and saw the tear trickle down his cheek. My breath caught in my throat. I reached up and wiped at the tear. He held me closer. “Oh, Erin.” He buried his face in my shoulder.
All I could do was hold him. Several of the girls hurried past and I knew the bell was going to ring. I gently lifted his chin. “You can’t carry all the burdens of the world on your shoulders. You can only control yourself and your responses to the events around you.”
His face was close to mine. His eyes were glassy. He leaned forward and kissed me. I returned the kiss. At that moment, I didn’t care. He broke it and pulled me close as the bell rang. His lips moved against my neck. “I love you.”
I forgot to breathe and had to gasp. I pulled back to look at him but he moved away without looking at me. He wandered down the hall alone. I staggered into the locker room.
Rita was whining to some of the other girls on the team. “But she won’t let me compete in the competition coming up. It’s not fair!”
I slipped past the group, hoping not to be noticed. Jill was already in her leotard. She grinned at me. “Wow! You and Tony really get serious when you make out.”
I sank down on the bench and opened my backpack. I didn’t know what to say. It was what everyone was supposed to think when they saw us. I looked up at her. What about you and your boyfriend?”
She giggled. “He’s a little shorter than me so it’s always kind of awkward.”
I found myself thinking of the way my body fit against Tony’s. He was only a little taller than me and it felt comfortable. I finished changing and hurried out onto the floor.
Ms. Addison broke us into groups for rotations. Rita scowled at me from across the mat. Heather finished her routine. She sighed. Without Rita, the team doesn’t stand a chance this weekend.”
“You’re pretty good. I could help you with your routine if you want it.”
She looked hesitant. “Why don’t you try out for the team?”
I dusted my hands with chalk. “I work after school and on weekends. I don’t have time to be on a team.” I went to the bars and did my routine.
Heather watched my twists and dismount. “You always stick your landing. How do you do that?”
I spent the rest of the period helping Heather improve all of her routines. By the time Ms. Addison sent us to the lockers, Heather had improved enough that I thought the team might do just fine.
Tony was waiting for me outside the gym. He pulled me close and hurried me toward his locker. He was glancing around. I did, too. “What’s going on?” I kept my voice low.
“I had another run in with the No Names. One of them left in an ambulance. I just don’t want any retaliation to come back on you.”
I grabbed my coat and did a quick visual exam of Tony. “You’re limping.”
He grimaced. “I’ll be all right. Let’s get you out of here. I’m taking you to the dojo on the bike.”
We went out the back way. We both relaxed when we got to the dojo. The senior bus was parked at the curb. I pulled Tony inside, passed the elderly students of Max’s Senior Yoga class. Max was just saying good-bye to an elderly man. I got his attention and waited.
Max came over. His expression changed to concern. “Erin, what’s wrong?”
“Could you check over Tony and see how bad he’s hurt?”
Tony groaned. “Erin, I’ll be fine.”
I gave him a stern look. “I’ve worked in dojos where students did serious damage to themselves and said the same thing. Max has advanced first aid. Please let him look over your injuries?”
Max agreed and pulled him into the men’s locker room. I went into change. They came out several minutes later. Max was still asking Tony questions about the encounter. “You were lucky. That blow to your back could have ruptured your kidney. You will be very careful tonight. Consider yourself on light duty.”
Tony sighed. “As long as I can stay close to Erin. My biggest concern is that I’ve increased the danger to her. I hadn’t intended on either fight but I had no way out. These guys don’t give the option to back down. All of them are serious players.”
Max eased into the chair in his office. “I know how that goes. I’m still feeling it. I’m not sure what to do tonight. With Philip gone, I really need Erin to teach her own and his classes. I just hope I can manage my own.”
I tapped on the chair. “Take this with you. Your students will understand. If there’s something you need demonstrated, call one of us. You still have seven experienced junior masters here.”
Max took my advice. Tony sat in on all of my classes but I was careful about what I asked him to do. I watched his face for signs of pain. He actually got on very well with my younger students.
He sat next to me at dinner. Linda sat on the other side. She kept glancing at him as he and Max chatted quietly after we’d finished eating. She pulled me aside as I was washing plates. “He seems so mature. You must have really had a serious effect on him.”
I laughed. “Even the principal at my school has noticed. I’ve convinced him that he doesn’t need to fight or hurt others to look tough. He’s really a very sweet guy if you give him a chance.”
She grinned. “How does he kiss?” I felt my cheeks warm. Linda laughed. “That answers my question.”
It was nice not having to rush after classes were over. Tony and I rode back to the safe house. Gloria was sitting on the couch watching television. She turned it off as we came in. “Whoa, there Mac truck! How many dents are you coming home with?”
Tony sighed. “How much damage did I do the kid?”
“Busted his collar bone and dislocated his knee. He won’t be back in school any time soon, either. There was enough chemical in his system to land him back in juvi.”
Gloria helped me make the bed into a couch while Tony went in and changed. He got under the blanket and was almost asleep by the time I came out. I listened to him breathe and fell asleep myself.
He got me to school early enough the next day to beat the bus line to breakfast. We sat in our quiet corner, surrounded by a growing number of kids who respected the silence. The morning slid by quickly. I started the next drawing in art class. The little dragon was no longer hiding. There was a reflection from across the room in the surface of the vase so I decided to use it. By the end of the period I had the little dragon next to the vase studying his own reflection.
David sat next to me in math class but was quiet. Tony didn’t want to let me out of sight so I ended up finding a new quiet corner to study in. Tony brought me down to the boiler room. The brawny janitor who I’d seen the day before was sitting on a chair by the door eating lunch. Tony waved at him. “Hey, Bob. How’s the world?”
“Still spinning, brother. What shape you in, Burns?”
“I’ve decided a career as a punching bag isn’t a direction I want to go.”
Bob pushed the chair back on two legs and laughed. His jolly voice echoed down the hall. “If you lookin’ for the boys, they ain’t here.”
Tony looked around. “Good. They make too much noise. Erin and I have to finish our homework.”
Bob whistled. “Whoa, lady! You done changed this boy for the better. Sit yourselves on down and I’ll run trouble the other way if it comes calling.” We both managed to finish our papers by the bell.
Rebecca and I started a debate with several other students over the negative impacts of social inequality that carried right over into Grapes of Wrath. We got into a debate on the benefits of the government camp. I liked Ma’s statement that it made her feel like people but the crazy lady who didn’t like to dance made me feel uncomfortable. Tony seconded that motion. “It’s not that she doesn’t like to dance, it’s the whole reason
why that gives me the crawlies.”
We only had mats for gym class so I spend the period helping Heather get her floor routine to shine. Ms. Addison called everyone to hit the showers. Heather hung back. She looked at me. “Rita is wrong about you. I don’t think you’re stuck up at all. You’re just really good. Thanks for your help with this routine. The team might actually have a chance, even without Rita.”
I walked with her into the locker room. “I’ve watched Rita do her routines. You’re a much better gymnast than her because you listen when people offer you suggestions.”
Tony drove me to the dojo. It was raining and the pelting drops hit hard even at the slow speed of the city streets. “How do people manage on the freeway?”
Tony chuckled. “They wear padding.”
He worked with me in my classes again. Max had sorted out Philip’s classes between several of us. It made for larger class sizes so I was glad to have Tony there. And he was catching on fast.
Dinner was amazing. Susan had made the most wonderful salad with fresh greens, cubes of apples, walnuts, and bite-sized pieces of chicken. Ryan sat next to Tony. After we had finished eating, Ryan turned to him. “I hear you helped Erin deal with Little Marty.”
Tony laughed. “He’s got quite an attitude, doesn’t he?”
Ryan grinned. “He started out in my class. I know how much trouble he can be.”
Tony scratched his jaw. “I don’t know. I think he just needs some positive attention. I watched his mom when she picked him up. She was on the phone and didn’t even look at him. He was trying so hard to tell her that he’d gotten that kata. He finally gave up. The look on his face was heartbreaking.”
Linda turned to Tony. “I saw you go up and give him a high five as he was leaving. That made him smile.”
“Sometimes a little goes a long way and it can make a big difference for a kid.”
Yan got up with his empty plate. “Is that what went wrong with you?” His tone was harsh. He disappeared into the kitchen.
Max frowned. “That wasn’t polite.” He stood up. “Because I’m still on the injured list, I’m going to be directing from the sidelines tonight. Let’s get our dinner things cleaned up and do some Tai Chi.”
Tony looked uncertain. “I know this is the master’s class. I’m just going to sit this out and watch from the sidelines. I’m still a little achy anyway.” He washed his plate and slipped in to change back into street clothes.
We had finished the Tai Chi and started working through some katas when Philip came in. Yan rushed up to him and gave him a careful hug. The others also went up and clustered around him. He seemed to be able to talk a little better tonight.
Tony nudged me. “Aren’t you going to go up and say hi?”
“I don’t want to cause a scene.”
I heard Philip mention my name. Yan frowned. “She doesn’t care. She’s got a new boyfriend already.”
My chest went tight. Tony grabbed me. “Steady. Remember that breathing thing? It’s really important.”
I thought about what Tony had told me. Everything snapped into place. I got my balance and pulled away from Tony. I moved through the others and came up to Philip. I hugged him gently. I’m glad to see you.” I turned to Yan. “I’m sorry about what happened to your girlfriend.”
Yan’s face tightened. “It was a hard learned lesson.” His voice was harsh.
Philip put a hand on Yan’s shoulder. “You must remember to control your anger, my friend.” He hugged me back. “I’m glad you have found someone.”
“I didn’t intend to, it just kind of happened that way. I was trying to help another student in school feel safe.”
Yan scowled. “Ya, right. As if Burns needed to feel safe.”
Tony pushed through the crowd. “I wasn’t the one who needed to feel safe. Kevin was. I was doing something that I didn’t think really hurt him to look tough. Erin realized it was hurting him. She convinced me to change the way I deal with people.”
Philip took Tony’s hand. “I remember you. You went to my school for a while.”
Tony looked down. “Ya, I did. I know it looked bad but…”
A saw Tony reaching for his pocket. I captured his hand. He looked at me. I could see the uncertainty in his eyes. I didn’t want him to break cover. “Tony changed.” I turned to the others. “That’s why what we do, both in the dojo and outside it, makes a difference. The most important thing that we can teach is our example.”
Philip hugged me. “I am sad to be leaving but I know that you are strong. You are a dragon.” He let me go. “I’m sorry for the way I acted last week. I honestly don’t even remember coming here. The pain medicine that the doctor prescribed was too strong and I made him change it.” He looked around. “I will truly miss all of you.”
We all said our good-byes to him. He asked me to walk with him to the door. He put his hands on my shoulders. “I can’t kiss you right now. I’m sorry for that. Max told me what happened to your mother and to you. I’m so sorry. I will always remember her smile.” He hugged me. “Be well, Erin.” He let me go and disappeared into the night.
No one could focus after that so Max finished up the class early with a breathing exercise. Tony sat next to me and followed along. He helped Max and Susan clean things up while I got changed.
The rain had let up a little. The ride home didn’t feel like being hit by a thousand pellets but it was definitely colder. When we got in, Tony wrapped me in a blanket and turned up the heater. “Maybe we should ride to school with Davy tomorrow.”
“Really? Won’t that hurt your standing with the boys?”
Tony chuckled. “I’m teaching by example, remember?”
Gloria came in. “You two look like icicles. How about I make some hot cocoa.”
Tony hugged her. “You’re the best mom ever.” They both laughed.
I felt empty. I slumped down on the couch. Tony came over and sat next to me. “I’m sorry, Erin.” His voice was soft. He put his arms around me and held me.
The tears came unbidden. When was it going to stop?
He rocked me gently and I gradually got it under control. Gloria came over and put steaming cups of cocoa on the coffee table in front of us. “This will take the chill off.”
I wasn’t cold anymore. Tony had warmed me. I thought about what he’d said to me the day before at school. What if he really felt that way? When he went in to change, I looked over at Gloria. “David keeps warning Tony about the rule concerning minors. I know we have to make it look like we’re in a relationship at school but I’m worried that our friendship might be taken wrong by others outside of school. I don’t want to get Tony in trouble.”
Gloria grinned. “You’re seventeen, right? The actual law in the state of Washington gives legal consent for sixteen and older to be in a relationship with anyone they want to be as long as it’s not forced. The whole minor thing that Davy is spouting is office policy. Pierson is old school. It’s not really your age that’s the issue but the fact that you go to the school where the boys are working. Once they wrap this case, you and Tony can have any kind of relationship you want.”
I was stunned. “And I won’t get him in trouble?”
She laughed. “Not at all. Personally, I think you’re good for him. You’re more mature than any girl I’ve ever seen him with and I’ve worked with him for four years. His last one was a nightmare.”
Tony came out of the bathroom. I didn’t know what to say. I picked up my pajamas and took my turn. When I came back out, Gloria and Tony were transforming the couch. I helped with the bedding.
Gloria picked up the glasses. “I’m going to run into the house and work through a few case files. I’m close to wrapping a case and I want to make sure I’ve got all my ducks in a row. I’ll try not to wake you when I come in.”
We said good night and Tony pulled back the blankets. “There’s a spot with your name on it.”
I got in and he tucked the blanket around me. I watched hi
m crawl in on the other side. He turned out the light. I lay quietly, thinking about what had happened in the hallway Monday afternoon.
Tony rolled over to face me. “You’re not sleeping. Is everything okay?”
I felt odd. There were no dragons on these pajamas. I rolled toward him and ended up in his arms. He seemed surprised. I rested my head on his chest. He hugged me. His arms around me made me feel safe, even without a dragon. “Can I ask you something?”
“I’ve always hated that question.” He pulled me closer. “But you can ask me anything.”
“What were you thinking about yesterday after Lit class?”
His arms tensed slightly. “I’m sorry, Erin.”
He started to pull away but I held on to him. “No, this is important. We need to talk about this.”
He rolled back toward me and buried his face in my shoulder. “Oh, Erin.” He was trembling. “I’ve tried to keep the boundary between work and real life separate. I know I’m not supposed to get involved but I can’t help it.” His voice was shaking.
I found his face with my fingers. “Tony, how do you really feel about me?”
He sobbed. “I know I’m not supposed to.”
I kissed him. He lost control. His kiss was very different from anything that Philip had done. I didn’t know how to respond but it didn’t matter. Tony was a gentle teacher and I soon found his rhythm.
He eventually broke the kiss. He held me close. He was crying. “I can’t help it. I love you.”
I brushed at the tears running down his face. “It’s okay. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. It’s not like the way I loved my mom. But I love you, too.”
He buried his face in the side of my neck and wept. “We’re not supposed to.”
I gently pulled back far enough so I could bring my forehead to his. “Tony, it’s okay. I asked Gloria about it. We’re not breaking any laws. Even if we go farther we’re not.”
“But I’m an adult.”
I put my finger over his lips. “And I’m over sixteen, which, according to Gloria, is the legal age of consent in the State of Washington. She says Davy is going by an office rule. Once the case at Hamilton is over, no one can say anything.”
He laid there breathing for a moment. “Could you really love someone like me?”
I nestled into him and held him tightly. “I already do.”
His lips found mine and the kiss was deep and tender. I’d never felt anything like that before. He eventually broke the kiss. “Oh, Erin.” His arms were the dragon around me. I finally relaxed and fell asleep.
Gloria woke us the next morning. “Sorry, kids, but Mickey says it’s time to get up and go to school.”
Tony rolled over and looked at his watch. “Crap. I haven’t overslept in a long time.” He looked back at me. “I have to get you to breakfast.”
Gloria chuckled. “How about you two get dressed and I’ll cook breakfast for both of you. You need a break from cafeteria food.”
We got dressed and made the bed back into a couch. Gloria called us to the table and set out a breakfast feast. She joined us and started to talk about her case. Tony hushed her. “Gloria, this meal is amazing. Just enjoy it.” He winked at me and dug in.
We got to school with just enough time to make it to his locker before the first bell rang. Tony frowned. “I’m bad. Now you haven’t had time to study.”
I grabbed my books for first period. “It’s okay. I’m a couple of days ahead. Old habit.”
He closed his locker and walked me to class. He paused at the door and pulled me close. Several of his boys were not far off. He grinned. “May I kiss you?”
I kissed him. He gave me a real steamy kiss that made several of the girls in the hallway blush. I finally broke it. “I’ll see you after class.”
“Count on it.” His tone was suggestive. He gave a hand sign to the boys as he walked away and they whistled at him.
Mr. Yenny had a shorter than normal lecture. “Tomorrow we’re going to be looking at some new solar technology. I want you to get some extra reading time in on this chapter to be ready for the lab tomorrow.” He left the room.
A few of us actually opened our books. It wasn’t that I really needed to as I’d already finished the chapter but I was ready to work ahead.
Todd looked over at me. “Have you taken Chemistry?”
I closed my textbook. “I had AP Chem last year. Why do ask?”
He pulled a tattered notebook out of his backpack. “Look at the pages marked with a sticky note.”
I took it and opened to the first one. I recognized one of the equations that David had failed. Todd had gotten the same result. I struggled to keep my breathing even. “You must have Professor Marsh. A friend of mine has him for Chemistry. He’s fighting with the same experiments.”
Todd looked around the room. “I had him last year. I couldn’t figure out why none of these experiments worked.” He pointed to the tabs. “But my brother was home last month from college. He’s working on his masters in Chemistry. He looked at the equations and said I got what I should have. It was the expectations that were wrong.”
I wasn’t sure what to say. “What did your brother say about these results?”
Todd leaned closer. “He looked them up on a website. He said that if you combine some of these, you get prescription drugs. Some of them can really be dangerous if the wrong person takes them.”
I gave the notebook back to Todd. “You didn’t do anything wrong. You were just following the instructions the professor gave you.”
Todd put the notebook away. “Do you remember the girl who got sick in the hall last week? She had many of the symptoms of a bad reaction to one of the drugs. I’m worried that Professor Marsh is giving some of these drugs to students.”
I glanced at the clock. The bell would ring soon. The information Todd had would surely help the case but I wasn’t sure how to get it to Davy and Tony without blowing their cover. I looked at Todd. He was shaking. He needed a dragon. “Bring me a shirt. I’m betting there’s a dragon out there for you.”
The bell rang and we picked up our books and headed for the door. Tony was waiting across the hallway. He watched Todd walk away before coming up to me. “He looks a little pale.”
I slipped my arm around his waist. “He had Professor Marsh for Chemistry last year and his older brother, being a Chemistry major in college, discovered the drug connection.”
“Oh-oh. What’s he going to do?”
“He’s going to bring me a shirt so I can make him a dragon.” We paused at his locker.
Tony opened it so I could put my books on the shelf. “I don’t understand.”
“I’ve found that when I give people dragons, it gives them confidence. Now I just need a way to connect Todd with Davy and you’ll have proof that Dr. Marsh has been doing this at least two years here at Hamilton.”
Tony kissed me. “You’re amazing. Have I told you that?” He led me down the hall toward the art room.
Kevin came down the stairs, also headed for art. He paused when he saw us.
Tony smiled at him. “Hey, Kevin. How are you doing?”
The boy looked amazed. He gave a tentative smile and nodded.
Tony grinned at him and made a hand sign.
Kevin beamed and returned the gesture. He went into his class.
I paused at the door. “What was that?”
Tony kissed me on the forehead. “That was sign language for ‘it’s all good.’ When you said that Kevin doesn’t speak well, I figured he probably knows sign language.”
I kissed his chin. “Look who’s amazing now.” The bell rang. “I have to go. I have a little dragon waiting for me.”
I took my art board and went to my seat. I looked at the sketch I’d done the day before. The dragon still looked sad. I didn’t like that. I reworked his features and got a large portion of the shading done.
Ms. Gilbert stopped beside me near the end of the period. She smiled.
“I like the tenderness in the face of the dragon as he’s looking at his reflection. I’ve gotten the feeling from the other pieces that he was searching for something. Maybe he’s found it.”
I put my work away and washed my hands. Tony was there waiting as the bell rang. He pulled me close. “Is your little dragon happy with you?”
I leaned into his embrace. “He’s coming along nicely.”
We navigated through the flow of bodies until we got to his locker. Tony opened it so I could pull out my math books. We walked up to the math wing. Kevin was getting his books from his locker. He turned when he saw us. He made a few hand signs at Tony.
Tony chuckled and returned a few gestures. Kevin laughed. He went into the class room.
I looked up at Tony. “This is something I’m going to have to learn. What did you say to each other?”
He hugged me and nuzzled my neck. “Kevin was asking if you were better and I told him you were awesome.” He kissed me lightly. “I’ll see you after class. I have to turn you over to Davy for the period. Don’t let him bore you to death.”
I saw him coming. “Speaking of, he’s coming down the hall. I don’t want him to get upset.” I let Tony go.
Tony gave me a sad face. “I’ll make it up to you later.” He looked at David. “Hey, cuz. How’s life treating you?”
David stopped next to us He didn’t look happy. I could see the piece of paper between his fingers. I turned to Tony but opened my hand. “Maybe you should go to class. You might surprise your teacher.”
“If I could remember who my third period teacher was or what class I was supposed to be in, that would be great.”
I turned back to David and shifted the note to Tony’s hand. “Well, we know what class we’re supposed to be in. Shall we?”
Tony kissed me on the neck and walked away. Several of his boys followed. David and I went into the classroom. I headed for my seat.
David followed. “You should be careful. Tony is pushing the line.”
I stopped so fast that David almost ran into me. I turned to face him. “Can you drop that already?”
David’s face wrinkled. “I just don’t want you to get hurt. I know him.”
I was trying to decide what David was really saying. Kevin jumped out of his seat and planted himself between us. “No! Leave her alone!”
I don’t know who was more surprised, me or David. David stumbled for something to say.
Kevin struggled with his words. “She changed him.” He pointed at a seat on the other side of the room and then at David.
David shook his head. “Fine. Whatever.” He glanced around Kevin at me. I shrugged and went to my desk. David went to the one Kevin had indicated and Kevin sat down. He glanced at me several times during class but didn’t say anything as we left.
Tony walked me to his locker before lunch. “What’s with Davy? He looked pissed.”
“Kevin wouldn’t let him bug me.”
Tony stopped at his locker. “Run that by me again?”
I explain what had happened as I swapped books. Tony laughed. “Wow. There’s a turn around.”
I hugged him. “It just goes to show that you can have a positive effect on people, too.”
After lunch, we studied by the boiler room. Tony was disturbed by the reading assignment. “I’m not looking forward to this discussion in class.”
Bob was leaning back in his chair. “Why is that?”
“Because when Steinbeck talks about being drunk, he makes it sound like a good thing. The line about sleep being death’s brother creeps me out.”
I shuddered. “The end of that chapter bothers me more. I’ve never cared for things like that. When we were in Tennessee, a neighbor dragged us to a revival. It was terrifying.”
Tony put his arms around me. “That’s enough to scare me right there – anything that terrifies you. You could beat the stuffing out of any bad guy.”
“This isn’t the same thing. It’s not something you can beat the stuffing out of.” I leaned into his chest. “I just hope the discussion won’t focus on that. I get the feeling Steinbeck and I agree on that topic.”
Tony kissed the back of my neck. “Can’t wait to read that paper.”
I held up the reflection paper I’d been working on. “It should be interesting to see what Professor Linton thinks of it, too.” I felt something buzz.
Tony sighed. “I’m going to visit the little boys’ room before we hit the hallways.” He helped me up. “I’ll be right back.” He nodded toward Bob and I got the message. I was safe here.
I finished the last of my paper and glanced over the new chapter for Soc-Ec. I was glad Tony wasn’t in that class. We were going to be talking about Detroit and by the look of it, there were a lot of homeless people there.
Tony returned as the bell rang. His face was tight. “Let’s get you to class.”
Once we were out of earshot of Bob, I leaned into him. “What’s wrong?”
“Keller made bail.” His tone was enough to chill me.
“Do we need a strategy?”
He pulled me to a stop at the classroom door. “You know what this guy looks like and you know how dangerous he is. Just keep that in mind. He’s pissed at me but I wouldn’t put it passed him to go after you.” He pulled me close and kissed me.
“I’ll pay attention. You do the same and no more imitations of a punching bag.”
“As my lady requests.”
I went into class and took my seat next to Rebecca. She was grinning. “Robert liked having Tony in class. Will he be there tonight, too?”
I considered how to word my answer. “Tony and his mom have pretty much taken me in. He’s been helping me keep it all together since my mom died.”
“Who would have guessed that he could be such a sweet guy.”
My cheeks felt warm. “He is a sweet guy.”
Rebecca leaned closer. “Have you drawn him a dragon?”
“I did but he doesn’t wear things like that to school.”
Ms. Green came in and we had to focus on the lesson. I’d lived in Detroit when I was younger. I knew how depressed the economy was. Ms. Green showed a series of slides that brought back bad memories for me. I was glad to escape from the class.
Tony and David were both outside the classroom when the bell rang. They were having an argument but it didn’t look like it would come to blows. I stepped between them, just in case. “I really hope this isn’t over me.”
Tony pulled me into his arms. “Only a little. I was just telling him about last year’s student with the same problem Davy was having.”
We started moving toward class. I still had my Lit books with me so we didn’t need to stop at the locker. The class discussion went the way Tony had predicted. It went from alcohol to drugs and from there, completely out of hand. I decided to stay out of it. I couldn’t help but think of Max and the loss of his brother.
Tony walked me down to the gym. Heather and several other girls from the team were standing by the door. Heather came up to me. “You don’t have to worry about Rita bothering you in class today. She broke down in tears in her last class and the teacher sent her to the nurse. It sounds like she went home early.”
Tony shook his head. “And she wondered why I chose you over her. Seriously? Give me a break.” He kissed me. “I’ll see you after class, Girlfriend.”
I watched him walk away then went into the locker room. Jill was right in front of me. She turned around and giggled. “You and Tony went all the way, didn’t you?”
I was surprised. “No, what gave you that idea.”
“You two have been more romantic all day. That usually happens after going all the way.”
I pulled out my leotard. “Well, we do sleep in the same bed but his mom sleeps in the same room so it would be kind of…”
“Awkward?”
“Exactly.”
I spent the period helping Heather again. She also encouraged several other girls from the team to let me
help them. After class, Ms. Addison called me over. “Even though you’re not on the team, I’m considering you for a junior coach position.”
“I appreciate the offer but I really don’t have any time out of school.”
“This is during school. Next semester I could bring you on as a coach for the freshman team. They could really benefit from your experience.”
I’d never been any place long enough to even consider an offer like that. And there were still a lot of unknowns concerning my grandfather. “I’ll keep it in mind. Thank you.”
Tony drove me to the dojo and helped with all my classes. He even volunteered to be the attacker for the self-defense class. I made sure to be gentle as he was still hurting. He even helped Max clean up the dojo after classes.
It was almost eleven by the time we got home. We found the bed already made up and Gloria snoring on her cot. Tony chuckled. “Well, that’s different. She beat us to bed.”
The rain was pounding on the roof the next morning and Tony talked David into driving us to school. He dropped us off about a block away, not wanting to look too friendly at school, just in case. We were both soaked by the time we got to the steps.
Tony held open the door for me. “Man, I feel like a drowned rat.”
I pulled off my raincoat. “It’s a good thing Sui Riu is a rain dragon.”
Tony did his best to wipe off his jacket. “Maybe I should get a rain dragon to keep me dry.”
We stopped at his locker before going to breakfast. I grabbed some books to take to the library afterwards. We went through the line and I chose what looked like a healthy meal. The boys seemed to form a living wall around us, quietly respecting our corner.
Tony walked me to the library. We paused just outside the door. The boys had followed at a distance. Tony enclosed me in his arms. “I hate having an audience everywhere we go.”
I leaned forward and kissed him. He pulled me closer and deepened the kiss. I stopped thinking about anything else until I heard the catcalls from the boys. I reluctantly pulled back. “At least we have an appreciative audience.”
Tony touched my face. “I don’t really care what they think.” His voice was husky. I felt warm in a whole new way. He leaned his forehead against mine and closed his eyes. “I’ll be glad when this gig is done and I don’t have to be someone else.” He kissed my ear. “I’ll see you at first bell.”
He let me go and I went into the library. I was surprised to see Rita sitting in the corner, staring out the window. Her face seemed expressionless. I wondered if she’d seen Tony and me kissing in the hallway. She didn’t move. I went past her and found my quiet corner. It took a lot of effort to concentrate on the assignments.
When I left at first bell, she was gone. Tony was waiting in the hallway. He wrapped an arm around me. “What’s wrong?”
I was comforted by the warmth of his body. “I saw Rita this morning. Something is up with her. I’m just not sure what.”
We stopped at his locker so I could drop books. “Maybe she’s moping.” He walked me to class. David was headed down the hall for the chemistry lab. “And she isn’t the only one. The captain is putting a lot of pressure on Davy to make a connection with Dr. Marsh. We need that last step in the process.”
I hugged him, not really wanting to let go. “We know what he’s making and where he’s making it. He must move it from there at some point.”
“That would be the logical assumption.” He kissed me. “I have to go catch up with the boys. We’re hanging with Bob this period. It gives me an excuse to keep tabs on the No Names. They hang out by the delivery bay.” He kissed me again and let me go.
I watched him walk away and went into class. Mr. Yenny was on the phone at his desk. He looked up at the clock as I walked in. “Oh my! I’m sorry but I have to go. My first class is starting soon.” He hung up the phone. “Good morning, Erin. I’m running a little late. Would you please help me move a piece of equipment to the classroom?”
“Sure.” I put my books down on my desk and followed him to the science office.
As we went in I noticed Dr. Marsh was seated at his desk. He was in conversation with someone on the phone and dropped his voice as we entered. Mr. Yenny glanced at me. “I have to pull it from the backroom. Just a moment.”
Dr. Marsh leaned over his desk. “We’ll have to talk about this later. My class will be starting soon. I’ve got the next set finished. I can bring it up at lunchtime.” I could hear the woman’s voice on the other end of the phone. It was Nurse Kern!
Dr. Marsh ended his call and got out of the way as Mr. Yenny pushed a cart through the office. It started to veer off course. Mr. Yenny struggled with it. “Erin, could you grab that end?”
I caught the metal cart and guided it toward the door. “Got it.” We herded the contraption down the hallway. I struggled to get my breath and heart rate back under control.
Mr. Yenny wheeled it to the front of the class. “Thanks for the help.” He turned to the class. “Gather round the cart. If you finished the reading assignment, you should know what this is.”
He plugged in a cord and turned on a bright spotlight that was angled down on the photo cell. Colorful lights lit up, a small fan began to spin, and music came from a speaker. We spent most of the period exploring the possibilities of solar power.
I did my best to focus on the discussion but my mind was whirling. Mr. Yenny eventually turned off the lamp and unplugged it from the wall. “Erin, you’re right there. Could you roll the cart to the corner of the room, please?”
I reached for the edge of the cart. My hand intersected the metal shade of the lamp. Pain shocked me to attention. I gasped.
Mr. Yenny rushed to my side. “I should have warned you that was going to be hot.”
“I’m sorry. I guess I was still thinking about the lesson and not paying attention.”
He looked at my hand. “That could be a serious burn. Let me write out a hall pass. You should go to the health room.”
I cringed. That was the last place I wanted to go. I collected my books and took the pass. The first place I went was to the bathroom so I could run cold water over the burn. I dampened a paper towel and wrapped it around my hand then hurried toward the boiler room.
Tony and the boys were leaning against the wall, listening to Bob telling some story. He looked up as I came toward them and immediately rushed to my side. “What happened?”
“It’s not important. I need to talk to you. Alone.”
Tony looked back at the boys. “I’ll catch you guys later. My lady is hurt. I have to take her to the nurse.” He guided me away from the boys. He led me to the stairs and guided me under the stairway. “Let me see your hand.”
I pulled back the towel. The skin was red but not blistered. “It’s not that bad.” He started to argue. “Tony, listen!” I dropped my voice. “I know when Dr. Marsh is making the drop to Nurse Kern.”
“What? Have you already been to the health room?”
“No. I overheard him talking to her on the phone. He told her he had another batch done and would bring them up at lunch.”
Tony pulled me close and kissed me. “How did you get burned?”
“I wasn’t paying attention to where a hot lampshade was when I reached for the cart. It’s no big deal. I thought the information was more important.”
He held me close. “It’s important but not more than you.”
The bell rang and students began moving through the halls. “I should get to class so you can call this in.”
He raised my hand and laid it against his cheek. “It’s still warm. We should at least get you an ice pack for that.” He pulled me out of the shadows.
I heard the gasp and turned to see Rita coming down the hall in our direction. Her face seemed to crumple into a snarl. She screamed and launched at Tony.