Author's note: The end is coming. I promise you, it is.
Senior year passed in a blur. Most people remained convinced of Roger's involvement in the homecoming incident, but they stopped talking about it. Winter Break was a welcome distraction, and Mark's family took the group skiing. The two weeks passed quickly, but about the end of the first week, Roger got a feeling that things were about to get bad again. He went home at the end of the trip, feeling apprehensive, but nothing happened. Yet.
About a month before graduation, April began to notice a change in Roger. He seemed more withdrawn then usual, and it scared her. Finally, she decided to talk to him about it. She cornered him after lunch one day, and gave him a concerned look. "Baby, I'm worried about you. You haven't been yourself for awhile now. What's going on? You know you can always talk to me." Roger nodded, distracted. "Yeah. I'm fine. Things have just been…I'm fine. Just end of year stress, probably. Remember, I'm the valedictorian. I'm just nervous about my speech, that's all. Plus things haven't been going that well at home. I'll be fine. Just give me a couple days." April smiled. "Okay. You know you can always talk to me. One more question. What the heck is up with the stupid sunglasses you're always wearing these days? You look ridiculous!" She went to pull them off, and Roger batted her hand away. "I think they look fine. Besides, it's none of your business. Just…just leave me alone right now." He walked away. April felt like she'd been slapped. "What the hell is up with him?"
Two days later, Roger failed to show up for school at all. April spoke to Mark, and they decided they'd go check on him together. After school, they headed for his house. Mark had a quick flashback to the last time this had happened, but shook it off. Charlene met them at the door. She was stoned out of her mind. "He's gone, if you're looking for Roger. He left last night. Took all his stuff with him. No clue where he was headed." Mark looked stunned, but April shot Charlene a vicious look. "What did you do to him to make him want to leave?" Charlene shrugged. "He's been threatening for awhile. I suggest you go talk to the Man. He'll probably know." Mark looked up. "Why would he know? He's a drug dealer." Charlene nodded. "Exactly. Or did Roger not tell you? He took up smack a while ago. I'm surprised you never noticed. Face it, he ain't coming back." April clenched her fist. "You bitch!" Charlene slapped her. "Don't you ever talk to me like that! I know what you and my ungrateful bastard child did together. That doesn't mean you can disrespect me." She raised her hand, but Roger caught it. "And you can't talk to my friends that way. Don't you ever touch her again!" He grabbed Mark and April, pulling them away. "Let's go."
April turned to face Roger. "Is it true?" Roger looked away, then pulled off his sunglasses. His eyes were bloodshot, and his pupils were dilated. He nodded. "Yeah. I didn't know what else to do. She started…" he looked away. "She broke her promise to me. She started using again, and she started beating on me again…I had nowhere else to turn." April pulled him close. "Baby, we don't think any less of you. I promise." She sighed. "You're not coming back to school, are you?" Roger shook his head. "No, I'm not. I can't." Mark spoke up. "Where will you go?" Roger shrugged. "I was thinking of trying to find my grandparents. They live somewhere in the Midwest. I'll stay with them for awhile, try to get clean. Then I'll probably come back here. I don't know." April smiled. "Well, whatever you do, I'll be waiting."