Read Online Chaos Theory by M Evonne Dobson - Free Book Online Page B

Reboot.
    Mom starts in again. “Sandy wasn’t just worried. She said you texted her Friday night that you were sick. Instead, she heard that you were at the hospital with a drug dealer named Daniel?”
    Oh God. So much for privacy laws. The word is out and Sandy knows that I lied to her. I’d never lied to her. Even in sixth grade and in love with her boyfriend—I’d been up front about it. We laugh about it now. It turned out that little tubby Jake liked little prissy Linda better than either of us.
    Back in the real world. “He’s not a friend. I don’t even know him.”
    Mom stops sipping her hot chocolate. “Last Friday night, you didn’t tell me you’d been at the emergency room.”
    â€œMom, I told you it was complicated.”
    â€œDrugs? This Daniel’s beaten up? The ER? You should have told me. We’re worried about you. You’re involved in something we don’t understand. And you covered it up.”
    â€œI didn’t lie.” Yeah, but not the truth either. Now, I’d investigated Julia and found something that had to go somewhere. Who should I tell? Not Mom and Dad. That information is for the police and Daniel.
    â€œYou lied to Sandy, and you didn’t explain to me what happened.”
    Leaning back in my chair, I don’t say anything. What is there to say—I followed a drug dealer, who’s working with the police, but I think it was his sister dealing the drugs, and BTW she also committed suicide.
    Daniel’s life is fucked up. I hadn’t promised to keep his secret, but it isn’t right for me to share it. Spell complicated in giant capital letters.
    Dad always lays down the law. “We wanted to give you time to do the right thing, but after tonight and Sandy’s phone call, we’ve changed our minds. You have two options: tell us tonight or talk to Mrs. Chatford, the school counselor, tomorrow. One or the other.”
    I bounce my head against the back of the chair several times, look Dad right in the eye, and then say, “Dad, I can’t.” Silence. Slowly, clearly, and with certainty I say, “Dad, it’s not my story to tell.”
    Mom loses it. “It’s a story you have to tell someone.”
    I understand their point. Heck, if I were them, I’d be locked up in my bedroom—forever. That’s when it hits me. They have my back. Sandy has my back. They’ll always be right behind me ready to battle whoever comes after me. But that doesn’t solve my dilemma. If this isn’t my problem to solve, it certainly isn’t theirs.
    I can tell the school counselor, Mrs. Chatford, but she represents the school. She has the school’s back.
    Who has Daniel’s back? The cops? Where were they when drug creeps jumped him? If the drugs were Julia’s, would they care? From their point of view, Daniel’s trapped and has to do their dirty work or else. His parents? Logical choice, but he didn’t call them from the ER.
    Right then and there my mind is made up. I have his back. The guy doesn’t want it, and I don’t want it, but until this whole mess gets cleaned up to my satisfaction—I’m it.
    Still, Mom and Dad have a point. Daniel can get seriously hurt—worse than at Broken Bone, and how would I feel then? Also helping Daniel can get me hurt—not only physically, but could hurt my college recruitment standing and even with the police. Mom and Dad aren’t being unreasonable.
    â€œOkay. I’ll talk with Dr. Bartlett.”
    Mom blinks. Dad’s face goes still. Dr. Bartlett is a private counselor. After Grandma died, they made me see her. In other families, it might have been a rabbi or a priest. In my family, we went to counselors. It hadn’t helped. Well, technically I hadn’t helped by never opening my mouth. The sessions shut down after three weeks of stalemate.
    â€œI’ll talk with Dr. Bartlett and