Chapters (95)
- Front Cover
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Contents
- Video #1
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Video #2
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Video #3
- Sixty-Six
- Sixty-Seven
- Sixty-Eight
- Sixty-Nine
- Seventy
- Seventy-One
- Seventy-Two
- Seventy-Three
- Seventy-Four
- Seventy-Five
- Seventy-Six
- Seventy-Seven
- Seventy-Eight
- Seventy-Nine
- Eighty
- Eighty-One
- Eighty-Two
- Eighty-Three
- The Final Video
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
- Back Cover
“No,” I say. I take my left hand out of my jeans pocket and point to Ron’s parking space. “Why wasn’t your car here that night? Did you follow us? Did you run us off the road? Did you kill Daniel because he caught it on film? You knew him. You can’t deny that.” I take a step forward, feeling my calmness slipping away. “You and Chloe. Did she…” I can’t say the words. I can’t even find them. “Did she tell you she was pregnant? Did she tell you she cheated on me? Did everyone know but me? Is that why you’re quitting? Because you want to get out of town before it all comes to light?”
Ron looks to the sky, as if seeking an answer there.
“Hunter, what went on between Chloe and me was much more complicated than that. Very complicated indeed.”
Seventy-Two
Ron walks toward me and points to his car. More teachers are pulling in, more people straggling by. Some of them glance at us but say nothing.
Ron goes around and gets in on the driver’s side. Once we’re in, Ron starts talking, using the same voice he uses in the classroom—deep and lofty.
“You know very well that Chloe is a special young woman, Hunter. She’s not like any other young woman in this entire school.” He gestures with both hands just like he does when he’s teaching. “She’s unlike ninety-nine percent of the students I’ve ever taught.”
“What do you know about her?” I ask.
He sighs and rubs his forehead, as if I’m the slowest student he’s ever taught. “There’s something that happens when a student and a teacher connect in a deeper way, an intellectual way. Dare I say, a spiritual way.”
“You mean the way you and I do?” I ask.
“Chloe is an extraordinary person. And has extraordinary talent as a writer.”
His words sting me for a number of reasons. Is he trying to be intentionally hurtful?
“Did you read her journal?”
“Like I said, we connected. I work very hard at my job. I’ve devoted my life to teaching. So much so that I don’t get to write my own poems anymore. When I form a bond with a student in this way, the way I did with Chloe, it’s a rare gift. But you’re all so very young, and you all may not understand how precious it is to feel that way. You all have so much time ahead of you, so many opportunities to meet and connect. You and Chloe have had that to some extent these past months. When you both go on to college, you’ll find it with others. But someone my age…with my life…”