Page 203 - My FlipBook

T R A I L O F C R U M B S

“Dude, it’s not an option,” Ash said, in the same tone he’d
used when Roger and Patty got on his back.
“And that’s the only school in the city?” Nate asked.
Greta had never seen him this tenacious before.
“Well, no…” she and Ash both mumbled.
“So how are you going to do it?”
“I don’t know!” Greta snapped.
They all paused, eyeing each other. The old Nate

seemed to return to his body, his voice less like a police
interrogation. “I know I’m being pushy,” he said, “but it’s
all still possible at this point. You’ve only missed a few
days. If you miss a month, it’s a different story. Promise me
you’ll try.”
They looked at each other and then back at Nate.
“We promise.” A bit of a dark horse, their Nate.

Greta stood next to him later that night, holding her
toothbrush as they lingered outside the bathroom and waited
for Ash to finish.
“I’m sorry we’ve left you alone at that school,” Greta said.
“I know it’s tough there.”
Nate let out a puff of air. “To be honest, it wouldn’t matter
which school I’m at. I’ve tried, but I just don’t fit in. Don’t
even know how. I would if I could.” And what a disappoint-
ment that would be, a less-shiny version of Nate.

“Well, you’ve got us.” She bumped his shoulder, making
him sway.
“Thank you.” He smiled down on her. “I get it, by the way,
why you don’t want to go back.”

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