Every agonizing move I made getting to my feet was confirmation that I wasn’t crippled or dead. Lack of permanent injury gave my classmates permission to crack up. Murmurs became snickers became deep-throated, knee-slapping laughs. I was their ridicule highlight of the day.

Hunched, I pressed my shirt to my nose, ruining my outfit but, literally, saving face. I smeared blood into my leaking tears so my cackling peers wouldn’t know the difference.

Qwan gripped my arm. “I’ll help you to the nurse’s office.”

A solid plan, but I had other concerns. Were Kiera and Jameer laughing, too?

I peeked over the bunched, stained fabric of my shirt to where they’d been before my mauling. Though Colossus had come closer, smirking with the rest of my audience, my church mates were nowhere in sight.

The school nurse screwed cotton into my nose, and I drove home breathing through my mouth with a pinkish swab protruding from each nostril. I arrived to an empty house, my voice echoing. “Mom! Dad!”

My phone shook as I made my way upstairs. Qwan.

Qwan: Yo, did the nurse amputate your nose?

Me: No. Dick. What you want?

Qwan: Angie was in detention with me. Got her number. Gonna see what’s up.

Me: You don’t care people treating her like typhoid mary right now?

Qwan: Ty-who?

Me: Damn dude! Read. Something. I’m saying you don’t care that she’s like shunned?

Qwan: Maybe by the girls . . .

I mined cotton from my nose, and tossed the swabs in my trash can.

My phone kept buzzing, more of Qwan’s schemes, no doubt. I had the house to myself, though, and I needed to feel something other than the pain behind my eyes, and the lingering embarrassment from getting my face smashed.

I threw my phone on the bed, and locked my door to be safe. At my computer, my Purity Pledge folder rested on top of my keyboard. Tossed that aside, too. I opened a private browser window, turned the volume low, and searched for Lindy Blue.

Chapter 5

GRAVEL CRUNCHED UNDER MY TIRES the following afternoon when I pulled into the church lot for the first day of Purity Pledge. With the exception of a couple of cars in reserved spots near the main door, the place looked deserted. Haunted-house creepy. There had to be another way to get time in with Kiera. I considered bailing on the whole thing and driving home.

Before I could jerk my gearshift into reverse, a car turned into the lot, rocks crackling beneath it. It was a newish Buick, dark green, three passengers. Jameer opened his door and ejected from the backseat before it came to a full stop, rolling his ankle slightly but not considering, even for a minute, waiting until the car was actually not in motion before exiting.

The day was cool, so I had my window down. I heard everything.

From the car’s passenger window, Mr. Sesay yelled, “This conversation isn’t over.”

“Oh yes it is,” Jameer said, on a beeline for the door, limping slightly.