Read Online Since You've Been Gone by Mary Jennifer Payne - Free Book Online Page B

who they think is behind the money’s disappearance and really don’t care. Nothing matters now except finding Mom.
    I turn down a laneway. It’s a shortcut home that I’ve discovered. A fine mist of rain begins to fall. Cold fingers of wind claw at the thin jacket I’m wearing. Shivering, I cross my arms in front of my chest in an attempt to keep warm.
    â€œWhat the bloody hell do you think you’re playing at?”
    I don’t even have time to react before being pushed violently from behind and up against the brick wall. I cry out as the brick scrapes my cheek. At the sound of my cry, the hold on me loosens and I’m able to turn and step away from the wall.
    Jermaine stands in front of me, his dark eyes watching me intensely. His rage is so palpable I can almost taste it. My first instinct is to get away from that anger. But with Jermaine in front of me and the brick wall at my back, there is nowhere to run.
    â€œWhat are you talking about?” I ask. My voice is barely a whisper. I hate myself for being so scared, but all I can think about was how Jermaine supposedly killed a bunch of kids, including his own brother, and somehow got away with it. That’s everyone says; it was clear he’d done it, but some stupid judge let him off.
    Jermaine kisses his teeth loudly. “What am I on about?” He takes two steps toward me and bends down so that his face is only millimetres away from mine. I can feel the heat radiating from his skin. “I’m talking about the money I was just suspended for nicking.”
    â€œI still don’t know what you’re talking about,” I reply, trying to keep my voice even. I suddenly have to go to the bathroom badly. “Ms. Bryans said they found out who took that money. That’s all I know.”
    Jermaine takes a step backward and laughs. His breath turns into little clouds of white vapour as it hits the damp air.
    â€œAll right, then. Let’s walk through yesterday. You just happened to be in the class at lunch without a hall pass, right?”
    â€œYeah. So, what’s your point?” I ask.
    â€œYou’re telling me it was just a coincidence that you were in there when the money disappeared?”
    â€œYou heard what they said. It was a male student who took the money.”
    â€œNo, what they said was that people saw a student coming out of our classroom yesterday during lunch. What they didn’t bother saying was that they were talking about me. Funny thing is, I had a hall pass. And you saw it. Mr. Ravi gave it to me. But what’s even more funny is that when Ravi was asked about it, he denied ever giving me a hall pass.”
    â€˜Well, I can vouch for you,” I interject. “I can tell them that I saw your hall pass.”
    Jermaine smirks. “And what’ll you do when they ask where your pass was?”
    He’s right. I feel badly that he’s being punished for my crime, but there’s no way I’ll confess to the school administration about taking that money.
    I glance at Jermaine again. His red cotton hoodie is soaked, he has no jacket on, and he still looks angry. I owe him some sort of explanation. I take a deep breath.
    â€œI had to take that money,” I blurt out. “My mom hasn’t been home for more than twenty-four hours. I took the money so I can find her. I need it for transportation. And to get food … so I can eat.” Though I hadn’t really meant to tell Jermaine everything, I feel a sense of relief. The secret finally isn’t just mine.
    He regards me carefully like he’s trying to decide whether or not I’m telling the truth.
    â€œAre you having me on?” he finally asks.
    â€œNo …”
    â€œDid Keisha and Savitri put you up to this?”
    â€œWhat?” I ask, taken aback.
    â€œYou heard me. Are you taking the piss? Is it a laugh for you?”
    I shake my head. “I don’t know what you