Chapter 6
Sixth Grade
Right away, I'm filled with happiness. I run over to the window to unlock it. Edward has to help me get it open because it's stuck pretty good. Then he climbs through it and falls on the floor. He's completely soaked with freezing cold rainwater.
I don't even care. I throw myself down beside him and give him the biggest hug ever. I squeeze him tight like I've wanted to for seven years.
I think he's in shock or something because he just sits there without moving. His arms are straight down by his side. When I finally realize he's not hugging me back, I let go of him and stand up as fast as I can.
"I'll get some towels," I say in a quiet voice. Then I rush to my door, unlock it, and peek into the hall. It's empty. I walk on my tiptoes to the bathroom and grab two clean towels from under the sink.
Before I go back into my room, I get one of Greg's undershirts and a pair of his boxers from the laundry basket. I don't know why Edward's here or how long he's going to stay, but I want to make sure he doesn't leave because he's too cold and wet. I wish he never had to leave.
Edward's closing the window when I come back in the room. I make sure to lock the door behind me and then hold out the towels and clothes to him. He stares at them for a few seconds before taking them, then glances at me.
When I finally understand what he's waiting for, I get really embarrassed.
"Okay, I'll just turn around so you can, um…yeah…"
Before this moment, Edward had always been "My Best Friend" in my head. Suddenly, I realize that he's also "A Guy"…and I'm "A Girl." It makes me feel strange. When he surprises me with a tap on shoulder after he's done dressing, I jerk away from him.
"What's wrong?" he asks in a quiet, hurt voice.
"N-nothing," I stutter, looking everywhere in the dark room except for his face. "But I should be asking you that. Is everything okay?"
His whole body seems to get smaller as he shakes his head slowly. "Nothing's ever okay."
I ignore the weirdness I feel and grab his hand to pull him to the bed. We sit down side-by-side on the mattress with our backs against the wall. He doesn't say anything right away, but I'm good at waiting, so we stare out the window and watch the rain fall. There's a small part of me that feels shivery because our knees are touching, but I'm mostly worried about why he came out in the storm, over the fence, and into my bedroom. It's got to be bad if he's risking getting in trouble.
"My mom's pregnant."
A thunderclap booms as the rain picks up again. I don't know what to say.
"Soon there's gonna be a baby in the house."
He's quiet for a while.
"Is your dad mad about it?" I ask.
Edward blows out air through his nose. "No, he's, like, really happy. He's wanted more kids ever since forever. When my mom never got pregnant, he'd…well, he said God was punishing her for being a sinner. He was always mad at her, and he'd, um…anyway, he was always mad. But I was just happy that no other kid would have to…I mean, he wouldn't be able to…to…but now there's gonna be…"
Edward hides his face in his arms, and I can't understand anything else he says. He stops making sounds, but then his shoulders start to shake up and down.
I don't know what to do, so I just put my hand on his back and rub some circles.
"I'm sorry," I whisper. I feel useless.
After what must be forever, he picks up his head and rests his chin on his knees. I wrap my arms around my own knees. We go back to watching the rain.
"I was gonna run away," he tells me. His voice sounds dead. "I've been hiding some money and stuff. But now…I can't leave a little kid to deal with him alone, you know? I just can't."
The crashes of thunder and flashes of lightning come quick now, and we stare outside some more. I want to be there for him, but my eyes start to close, and my head gets heavy. I lean it back against the wall, but it keeps sliding down on Edward's shoulder.
I don't know when I fall asleep, but when the morning sun wakes me up, I'm under my covers with my head on my pillow. I don't see Edward anywhere. At first, I wonder if it was all a dream. But then I find Greg's clothes and the two towels on top my tiny wood dresser. They're folded in a neat pile.
I walk over to the window that Edward climbed through. With last night's rain and this morning's sun, it looks like the trees and the overgrown grass in the backyard are covered with thousands of little sparkling drops of light. It looks like it should be a happy, peaceful scene.
I've never felt more hopeless.