Chapter 1 – ELLIE #3
"Yeah, Sheri's a bitch," Jinx remarks, making me stare at him in alarm.
Mom would be so mad if she knew I was hanging out with kids that call other kids…
I don't even know if I can think the word without getting in trouble.
It makes me want to stay here even more.
"She thinks she owns this place and everyone in it.
Likes to pick on kids smaller than her."
"Well, she picked the wrong kid today," Kade says, glancing pridefully at Tank. "Tank doesn't like bullies."
I look up at Tank, who's standing silently beside the couch like my guardian angel. "Thank you for helping me. And for bringing me here."
He nods once. His eyes are so dark, but they're so soft. The softest eyes I've ever seen on someone who looks so scary.
"You know how to play Conquest?" Kade asks me suddenly.
I shake my head. "I've never even heard of it."
"Of course she doesn't know how to play Conquest, dipshit," Cyrus says to Kade, not looking up from his game. "You made it up."
Kade flips him off. "The rules are simple. We can teach you," he says to me. He pauses, studying my bandaged knee. "If you're up for it."
"Okay," I say, and I can't keep the excitement out of my voice. Maybe if I can prove myself, they'll let me stay here forever.
Jinx grins and offers me his hand. "Come on then, Princess. Let's see what you're made of."
His hand is warm and way too rough for a kid our age.
He helps me down from the RV so I don't land too hard on my hurt leg.
The sun is already setting and there's a cloud of insects by the road that I hope aren't mosquitoes.
The sunset shining off all the metal makes the trailer park look almost pretty.
The boys teach me their made-up game, which involves a lot of running and strategy and teamwork. It's more complicated than tag, but I catch on fast, and it seems to surprise them.
Cyrus actually looks impressed. "Not bad for a newbie," he admits.
We play until the sky turns dark purple and the first stars appear.
I'm sweaty and tired and happier than I've been in a long time.
Definitely since we left our old apartment.
These boys are different from my old friends.
They're rougher and more serious, almost like grown-ups in some ways, but they're nice. I like them.
And together, there are five of us.
Five is a really good number.
"Ellie! Ellie, where are you?"
Mom's voice carries across the trailer park. Her voice is blurry like she's been having too many drinks. My stomach drops as I remember I never told her where I was going. I hope I'm not in trouble. But it's worth it if I am. I got to meet Tank, Jinx, Kade, and even Cyrus.
"I have to go," I say, sighing. "Mom's calling."
"We'll walk you back," Kade says, and they do. I'm eager for a few more minutes with them, but they stop at the edge of our driveway, hanging back in the shadows.
"Moms don't like us," Kade explains with a grin. It's kind of a sad grin.
I don't understand why. They're the best kids I've ever met. But I can see Mom standing in the doorway, and her mouth is already in that tight worried line.
"Goodnight," I say to them, clutching Sparkles tight against my chest. "Thank you for teaching me how to play Conquest."
I start to turn away, but Tank elbows Kade. Kade rubs his arm and grumbles, "Ow. Fine." He raises his voice slightly to me. "You can come back tomorrow. If you want."
My heart leaps. "Really?"
"Really," Jinx says with that sunshine grin. "We'll be around."
I run toward the trailer, my scraped knee barely bothering me anymore. Behind me, I hear Jinx call out cheerfully, "Sweet dreams, Princess!"
"Eleanor Marie Riggs, where have you been?" Mom demands as soon as I reach the door. She smells more like her drinks than she has in a long time. Maybe even a whole week. "I was worried sick!"
"I was just playing with some kids who live here," I say, bouncing on my toes with excitement. "They're really nice, Mom. They taught me this game called Conquest and—"
"Those boys?" Mom's eyes find the group still lingering at the edge of our driveway. Jinx waves cheerfully, and her lips get thinner. "Ellie, I don't think—"
"They helped me when I fell on my knee," I interrupt, showing her my bandage. "See? And I know Tank looks like a big kid, but he and Kade are ten. Jinx and Cyrus are my age."
Mom's expression softens slightly as she examines the bandage. "They did this?"
"Kade did. He's really good at it. And Tank scared away some bullies and carried me because my knee hurt."
Mom glances back at the boys, biting her chapped lip. "I don't know, baby. They look... rough."
"They're not rough," I protest. "Well, they are, but they're nice. We're friends now."
Mom ushers me inside, but I catch her looking back at the boys one more time. There's something in her expression I don't understand. All I see when I look at them is friends.
"Look, sweetheart, I know your room isn't what you were hoping," she says once the door is shut and locked, but her voice sounds like she's trying to convince herself as much as me. "But this is just temporary, remember? Until we can find something better—"
"I like it here."
Mom blinks. "You... what?"
"I like it here," I repeat, more firmly this time. "The boys are nice, and they said I can play with them tomorrow. And the park is kind of pretty in the sunset. I like the way the sun looks on the metal roofs. Our old roof didn't turn red."
"Oh," Mom says, clearly surprised. "Okay. That's... that's good, baby."
But she doesn't sound like she thinks it's good. She sounds worried and confused and maybe a little scared.
I don't care. For the first time since we left our old life and my school and my friends behind, I have something to look forward to.
Tomorrow I'll see Tank and Kade and Cyrus and Jinx again.
Tomorrow I'll belong somewhere.
As I get ready for bed, I count the water stains on my ceiling again.
One. Two. Three. Four.
But somehow, it doesn't bother me as much as it did this morning.