“Yep, good job, Billy. Just remember that on your test and you’ll be golden.”
Billy sighs. “I hate math.”
“Me, too.”
A door creaks open. “Billy! Get your ass up here.”
Anger rolls through me.
Billy jumps up and starts gathering his stuff. “I have to go, J.”
“Hey.” I gently grab his wrist and look him straight in the eyes. “Has he laid a hand on you?”
“No, not since I told you what was happening. He yells a lot still though.”
I assess his answer and feel decently confident that he isn’t lying. There are no obvious bruises on his skin, and unless his uncle is hitting him in places that are hidden by clothing, I think Billy is telling the truth.
“Okay.” I let go of his arm. “You’ll tell me if anything changes though, right?”
Billy nods. “Yeah.” He shoves everything into his backpack and pauses. “Did the bad men do that?” He points at my still healing face.
“Don’t worry about me, okay?”
“Too late.” Billy rushes upstairs and disappears into the unit.
My stomach sinks at not knowing what goes on behind that door. There’s only so much I can do to protect him out here, but in there, anything could happen.
I put my head in my hands, leaning onto my elbows on the table. Defeat is a strong word, but basically sums up my existence. It’s like every time I figure a problem out, another one pops up and slams me back to reality.
I can’t just sit back and do nothing. Someone has to do something.
And maybe I’m an idiot for thinking it has to be me, my fucking hero complex constantly on overdrive to save everyone.
Relentlessly putting others ahead of myself.
I was that kid once, though. The one that needed help. That could have used someone looking out for me. If someone like me would have stepped in, maybe things wouldn’t have turned out the way they did. Maybe I wouldn’t be so fucking broken. Maybe I wouldn’t have to try, and fail, at saving everyone else.
My phone goes off again, snapping me out of my shitty mindset.
I pull it out and let the facial recognition do its thing. Through the cracked screen, there are two texts.
Josey:You busy?
Josey:Could use your help at Washington.
It doesn’t come across like a direct order, meaning it’s probably not a mandatory job Franklin is demanding of me. Josey has never done anything to make me dislike him, though, so if he’s asking for assistance, I have no real reason not to give it to him.
Me:Be there in 5.
Josey:Thanks.
I take the main streets to the destination and manage to make it there in under four minutes. I turn into the alley and find Josey leaning against a fully blacked-out SUV.
“What’s up?” I ask him.
He approaches and shakes my hand. “You got an hour? I need an extra body.” He nods toward the vehicle where two people are already sitting in the back seat.
I can barely make them out through the deeply tinted windows. “Sure. What are we doing?”