‘Nothing. I think there’s a stone in my shoe.’
I stop and turn to her. ‘Then get rid of it so we can get home before dark.’ The agitation in my voice isn’t because of the delay but because she didn’t speak up sooner.
She balances on one foot and tugs off her shoe, shaking it until a stone falls out. When she begins to tilt, I grab hold of her backpack to keep her steady because I don’t think she’d appreciate my hands on her.
Her eyes travel up to mine as her foot lands back on the ground. ‘Thanks.’
We resume walking.
‘How much trouble did you get into?’ she asks.
‘I didn’t get suspended, which’s surprising. I got something far worse.’
She looks up. ‘Worse than getting suspended?’
I nod. ‘I’ll be cleaning tables during lunch for the rest of the month.’
Her eyebrows come together. ‘How is that worse?’
‘Because someone’s going to make a smart-arse comment about it, and then I’ll probably end up in another fight.’
She holds on to the straps of her backpack. ‘You could be the bigger person and ignore them.’
I glance sideways at her. ‘And run away, like you?’
‘Should I have stayed and fought them?’
I note the glint of amusement in her eyes. ‘That depends. Could you win?’
‘I do have God on my side.’
The corners of my mouth lift. ‘You’d want to be damn sure before taking on three of them.’
She’s watching her feet again. ‘What do you get out of it? The fighting?’
That’s a ballsy question. I’m not obligated to answer, but I do. ‘I get people leaving me alone for a while.’
She looks up at me. ‘That makes no sense. You’re the most left-alone person at the school.’
‘Because when I’m unhappy, I express it.’
She watches me. ‘You really hurt Mason today.’
‘I also taught him a valuable lesson.’
‘Oh yeah? What lesson’s that?’
‘To think twice before he opens his fucking mouth.’ I see her flinch. It’s subtle, but I see it. ‘I know being bullied comes with being a J-dub, but do you have to make it so easy for people?’
She shrugs. ‘I’m kind like that.’
‘Well, it comes across as weak.’
Her elbow bumps my arm, so she widens the distance between us. ‘You think beating someone up makes you strong?’
It’s rhetorical, so I don’t answer.
‘It takes more strength to remain silent,’ she says, looking around. ‘Return evil for evil to no one.’