Cassie Willows grabs my arm as I'm about to walk into Biology. "Hey, French," she says and does a head toss, throwing her thick gorgeous hank of hair over one shoulder. "I think everyone wants to get together tonight."

"That sounds good to me."

"So, you think you can give me a ride to the library?"

This would be a dream come true, if it didn't involve my dad. Because it would be him picking us up and us sitting in the sawdust filled cab of his dirty old truck.

"I don't have my license yet."

"But I thought you were sixteen."

I shake my head. "Not until July 17."

She looks at me like I've popped her balloon. "But you're so tall, I really thought you were old enough to drive."

"No. But that's okay, my dad can take us."

She wrinkles her nose and cuts me off. "No, I'll just find someone else."

"Really, it's no trouble."

She's already surveying the room then scurries over to where Taylor is standing.
That's when Reid Willoughby walks up to me.

"She just blew you off." His words are like the extra dash of salt to the wound in my pride.

"She didn't really. She just wanted a ride."

"She only goes for older boys, you knew that, didn't you?"

"She found out I didn't have a license." My heart sinks as I admit this out loud.

"Don't worry, she'll hit on you again once you start driving."

I don't need a mirror because I can feel my face burning.

Reid pats my shoulder and nudges me towards the door. "No worries, French, she's a bitch."

I try to remember the fact that Reid hates everybody, but I can still feel the burning breeze from where she blew me off.



Albie and Etienne are at the house when I get home after practice. Their car is parked beside my dad's truck, and I can see Etienne sitting on the front porch eating a Swiss cake roll.

"Thank God you're here," he says then offers me the tiny smidgen of the remainder of Swiss cake roll he has left.

"Naw. Thanks though."

He pops it into his mouth and licks his fingers. "It's so boring here. How can you stand it?"

Now, I like Etienne but he can be a little whiny and that sort of thing seriously gets on my nerves.

"You only think it's boring because you can't play video games."

"No shit."

I frown. Since Etienne started middle school two yeas ago, he uses four letter words every chance he gets. "Can't you just say 'no kidding'?"

He shrugs. "Let's take the boat out."

It does sound like fun, but I'm tired and sore. I've been doing suicides and drills since three thirty where as Etienne's most strenuous activity was peeling the wrapper off his snack.

"Let me go change," I say as I move past him to go inside.

I'm just inside the front door when I hear Etienne. "So, your old man is hitting the bottle again, hunh?"

It sounds so harsh that I stop. I can't defend Dad, because it's true. I just don't want to hear Etienne saying it like it's a juicy bit of gossip.

I toy with the idea of rowing out to the middle of the creek and pushing Etienne overboard. I can see myself calmly rowing back to shore where I sit and watch him swim his fat ass back.

"Hey, go see how cold the water is," I say, my diabolical plan already starting to form.