“I know . . . It’s not like that. I don’t know why he’s hanging around. He’s sort of friends with Marie. I think he thinks he’s helping watch over us or something.”

“Well, that’s ironic. Complete head case now the Gallaghers’ guardian angel.”

“He’s not our guardian angel. And he’s not a complete head case.” I surprised myself with how I was speaking. I didn’t know why I was suddenly defending Wilson McVay and meaning it. But Jack’s judgment and sudden big-brother attitude pissed me off.

“Most people on the mountain think he is.”

“He helped my family with something. That’s all.”

“Cutting your grass?”

“Why do you say that?”

“Thomas said he did.”

“Well, anyway, it was something else. And we can mow our own lawn.”

“I’m just saying you should stay away from him. He’s coked up half the time, going around headbutting people.”

I wondered if this was true, if Wilson did those kinds of drugs. Had Jack heard about Pottstown? He must have.

“Are you serious? You dragged me out here because of Wilson?”

“No. I don’t even know why I mentioned him. He’s an asshole.”

“Okay, then. So what did you want to talk about?”

“It’s nothing. Never mind.” He stood up. “I have to go home.”

“Okay, be like that,” I said.

He paused for a moment, standing in front of me, his hands now deep in the pockets of his jeans, shoulders hunched.

“You good to get back to the others?”

Again the concerned big brother. I didn’t say anything back.

“Okay, then. I’m heading.” He turned and started to walk down the trail.

“By the way,” I said to his back, “you’re the one who said you wanted to talk. So fuck you.”

“Now I don’t want to.”

“What did I do?”

Was it because I defended Wilson? I’d half thought that maybe we had come here to be alone.

He started again. “Did you talk to Thomas?”

“Yeah. Pretty much all my life.”

“I was wondering, did you say anything?” He paused. “I mean about me?”

“No. Like what?”

“You know.”

“No. Did you?”

“No. Of course not.”

I couldn’t believe it. We were in the woods so he could tell me never to tell my brother we had kissed. It made me feel stupid for ever having liked him, and even worse because it had embarrassed him so much.

“Look, are you okay to go back up?”