Darcy felt as if a bolt of electricity had gone through her. Was Bobby talking about Jamee? He had to be! She was the only middle-school girl Darcy ever saw hanging with Bobby and his friends. There was always loud music blasting from Bobby’s car and guys leaning out picking on kids they would spot on the sidewalk. Jamee was vulnerable. After all, Bobby was good-looking and older, and she had to be the girl dancing to the tune he was piping, stealing for him. That was bad enough, but how soon would it be before she was in the car during a drive-by shooting or something? Last year a pair of older kids convinced a fifteen-year-old girl to shoot another driver as part of a gang initiation. Now she was facing a murder charge as an adult.

When Darcy got home from school, she fed Grandma her pudding and then waited for Jamee. Darcy could not even open her books and start her homework until she talked to her sister. Mom had to rush to the hospital to make a staff meeting before her shift began. Everybody at the hospital was jittery about new cutbacks ever since the hospital had hired a new administrator who promised to raise profits. Alone in the apartment, Darcy looked out the window and waited for her sister.

Jamee was late. Finally, an hour later than usual, Bobby Wallace dropped her off in his red Nissan. When Jamee came into the apartment, Darcy confronted her. “What are you doing hanging out with those people? They’re too old for you. You’re only in middle school—stick with kids your own age, not punks from Bluford!”

Jamee threw down her backpack and glared at Darcy. “They’re not punks! They’re my friends. The kids at middle school are stupid!”

“Bobby Wallace is trouble,” Darcy snapped.

“He is not!” Jamee almost screamed.

“Jamee! Be quiet or you’ll wake up Grandma!” Darcy warned.

“Who cares?” Jamee shouted all the louder. “She doesn’t know if she’s awake or sleeping anyway. And you don’t know anything about Bobby Wallace. Everybody likes him, and there are girls who’d die for a chance to be in my shoes with Bobby. But he likes me best, and you’re just jealous ’cause you’re a sophomore in high school and you don’t even have a boyfriend! You need to get a life and leave me alone. ”

Darcy felt the blood rushing to her face. She was handling this all wrong. Instead of helping Jamee, she was making her angry—which would drive her even closer to Bobby. Forcing her anger away, Darcy took a deep breath and stared at her sister. “Jamee, are you stealing stuff for Bobby?” Darcy demanded.