Once again, the squad looked great. We were totally in step and our moves were incredible. The regular dances went over great with the crowd. They really liked the new jazz number. And a bunch of people sang along with Something Stupid when we did B.J.’s dance.

  Out on the field, the Highlanders were even more awful than usual. Owen couldn’t manage to catch hardly any of Jason’s passes, most of which were underthrown. This week, it was the defensive line that couldn’t play football. Or was that wouldn’t?

  Saint Pat’s beat us, forty to nothing.

  I headed to the parking lot to meet Timber, Warren, and Vonnie after the game when Jason stopped me. “What do you want?” I asked.

  “I hope you’re happy.” Jason gave me a mean look. “We lost again. It’s your fault.”

  “How do you figure that?” I asked, sarcasm in each word. “Is your dad right? I thought it was enough work being a cheerleader. Are we supposed to play football, too?”

  Before I could go on, Jason reached for me. I’d had enough!

  I remembered my blocks from karate. I brought up both arms inside his and hit him hard in the chest. That broke his hold. Then I did the punches Vonnie had taught me, one to the gut and one to the chin. I finished with the stomp kick to the knee that Warren practiced with me. Then I did what Sensei Nichols had told me to do. I ran, screaming, toward the parking lot.

  That got Timber and Warren’s attention, but Jason was nowhere around when Timber and my brother looked for him. Vonnie and I sat in the locked pickup truck until the guys came back. I didn’t stop shaking until we were at Parthenon Pizza and the waiter brought me a mug of hot chocolate.

  On Saturday, I spent the day vegging around the house since most of my friends were doing the girly thing for Homecoming. Last minute hair and nail appointments, emergency trips to the mall. I skipped all that and pigged out on chips, soda, and ice cream. Warren was off to tutor and Priscilla went to her BFF’s for the day. So I had the house to myself most of the afternoon and I enjoyed it. I wasn’t acting like tonight would be special, not when I was stuck going to the dance with Jason.

  Arms loaded with pizza boxes, Bruce came into the family room where I was cuddled up with Cappy watching an NCIS marathon. “What are you doing home, Sarah? Isn’t tonight Homecoming? Didn’t your mom give you a pass on the grounding so you could go to the dance?”

  “Yeah and I’m stuck with Jason.” I flipped channels with the remote, then went back to my show. “You could do me a favor and tell Mom he sucks, even if he is the mayor’s son.”

  “Consider it done,” Bruce said. “I told her that he kicked my dog and you should trade him in on a human being.”

  “Really?” I tossed my afghan on the couch and got up to follow him into the kitchen. “What did she say? She told me I had to date him because Timber’s dad was a drunken logger and Timber was on scholarship at the academy.”

  “So are you and Warren,” Bruce said. He opened up the first box so I could grab a slice of my favorite combination pizza. “And there are worse things than getting financial aid, Sarah.”

  “Like being a dog-kicking son of a politician,” I teased, taking a bite.

  “Exactly,” Bruce said, going to the fridge. He brought me back a Coke and got an imported beer for himself. “What if you bring Bernice into the loop on this next time you see her? She could tell your mom that choosing who to date is your decision. Expecting you to stay with the same guy for the rest of your life when you’re barely in high school doesn’t make a lot of sense. You need to socialize with different people.”

  “Okay.” I hitched up on the stool at the breakfast bar and actually had a decent conversation with Bruce until he wandered off to change out of his tire-store clothes and make some phone calls.

  I wore my new, high-necked, low-backed, almost floor length black dress for the dance. I put on my black heels. Most of my bruises had faded, even the ones on my neck from where Jason choked me. I had high hopes that he’d bail tonight and I could go to Homecoming by myself.

  I scooped up my hair in a bun so I’d look taller. Timber would be at the dance, too. He was coming solo, so he would be straight with his sponsor. It didn’t mean we couldn’t dance even if we weren’t a couple.

  Tonight was the last hurrah with Jason if he showed up.

  It was over. Over. Over!

  I’d be able to be honest with Mom, Bruce, Aunt Cathy, and Grandma, too. It was about time. There were worse things than a guy who cut firewood for a living and Jason was one of them. Since Bruce would tell Mom that he didn’t like the guy and what he said counted for more than what I did, she’d be off my back for at least a while.

  Cosmetics made my eyes bluer than ever. Vonnie had loaned me her silver dangly earrings and a matching bracelet. I decided I looked pretty good, hot even. I hoped Timber agreed.

  I dropped extra makeup, my bedroom key, and my cell phone into my black purse. Before I could leave my room, the phone rang. It was a new song, one I hadn’t heard before. Some woman sang, “Timber, I’m falling in love…”

  Heat flooded into my cheeks when I remembered Kaitlyn fooling with my phone. I’d so get her for this. I grabbed the phone, yanked it out of my purse, and answered. “Hi.”

  “Hey,” Timber said. “Everything okay?”

  “Yeah. I’ll see you at school, right?”

  “You got it, kid. I’ll be waiting for you.”

  When I went into the living-room a few minutes later, Jason was the one waiting for me. He looked the way a guy should in his black tux, not like someone who enjoyed pushing other people around.

  Bruce fussed with his digital camera. “Just a moment.”

  “No.” I held up my hand. “No pictures tonight.”

  “What?” Bruce stared at me. “Sarah, your mom made me buy new batteries, and the expensive photo paper so we can print them off on the computer. She wants pictures of your first Homecoming for the family album. Don’t you want to remember it?”

  “No, sir,” I said, using Vonnie’s Last Word.

  At the same time, Jason said, “Okay.” He tried to put his arm around me. “Let’s do it.”

  I yanked away. “No.” I pointed to the door. “Go by yourself if you won’t keep your word, Jason. I said I’d go with you to Homecoming because you refused to listen to me when we broke up, and you whined to my mother until she said I had to go with you.”

  Jason ran a hand through his hair. “I said I was sorry about that. We’re supposed to have another chance.”

  “You don’t want to know how I feel about that,” I said. “Let’s go but keep your hands to yourself. I don’t want to be pawed.”

  Mom hurried in the front door. “Oh, good. I made it before you left. Sarah, you look lovely. Jason, you’re so handsome.” She beamed at us. “Did you get the pictures, Bruce?”

  I started again to say I didn’t want any photos taken with Jason.

  Bruce spoke up, loud enough to cover my voice. “Sorry, babe. I forgot the batteries. Sarah will dress up for you tomorrow and I’ll take some then.”

  “It won’t be the same,” Mom fussed. “Oh, Bruce. How could you forget? I called and reminded you three times today.”

  Bruce shrugged and walked toward the front door to open it. “I’m not perfect. Get used to it, honey.”

  I stopped before I went out the door. I tiptoed up to kiss his cheek. “Thanks, Daddy,” I teased, but I meant it.

  “Have fun.” Bruce touched my arm gently. “Be careful.” He eyed Jason narrowly. “I want her home on time. Midnight. And if I don’t like what I see at the dance, I’ll bring her myself.”

  “What are we doing at the dance?” Mom asked. “You didn’t want to chaperone.”

  “I changed my mind,” Bruce said. “I already dropped Priscilla at your mom’s. Let’s go.”

  “I’ve got to change first,” Mom said. She frowned at Bruce, then me, and finally Jason. “Are you two going to dinner, Sarah? Which restaurant?”

  “None,” I said, super quick. “You ordered me to go to the dance with him. You didn’t order me to go anywhere else with him. Dinner never was an option.”

  Jason put an arm around my shoulders. “You’d go to dinner with Watkins.”

  “In a heartbeat,” I retorted, shrugging out of his hold. “But you’re not him.”

  Jason’s fingers pinched my arm. “Watch it.”

  “You better be the one who watches it, boy,” Bruce said. “I live with her smart mouth and I don’t put my hands on her. Never have, never will. I made you apologize to my puppy when you kicked her in the ribs. Use your imagination. What do you think I’ll do if I catch you hurting my daughter?”

  Jason gulped and lied. “I haven’t. I wouldn’t.”

  “Don’t even think about it,” Bruce said. “We’ll see you at the school.”

  When Bruce smiled at me, I felt a lot better, and a lot safer. Both of us knew Jason was lying, but Bruce didn’t blame me for it.

  “What’s going on?” Mom asked. “Why would a teenage girl want her parents at a high school dance?”

  Bruce closed the door, and I didn’t hear his answer. I walked toward Jason’s sports car. I was almost finished with him. I could make it through the next few hours.

  “You embarrassed me,” Jason said, opening the passenger door for me. “You were such a bitch in there.”

  “My counselor says I need to be more assertive. We can call it quits right here and now. Then I’d be able to stay home and watch TV.” I hesitated before I got in the car. “It’d be a lot more fun.”

  “You said we could have a second chance.” Jason started the car and pulled out of the drive.

  “Hey, you were the one who blew it,” I said. “You’ve pushed me around since we started dating. You’ve nearly dislocated my shoulder, choked me, and pretty much treated me like dirt for the past seven weeks. I told you if things didn’t change, my real dad would be taking me to California and you didn’t care. You still bullied me.”

  “I’m amazed you’re going with me to Homecoming.” Jason drove toward the academy. “You asked for it, Sarah. You turned the whole team against me. That’s why this season went in the toilet.”

  I thought about it the rest of the way to the high school. It wasn’t far. As Timber said, Stewart Falls really was a small town. Had I asked for it? Did I deserve what Jason had done to me since school started? No. Bernice Jefferson was right. No woman or girl should be knocked around by a guy who claimed to love her.

  I wondered about Hailey Collins. Nobody talked about why she’d left the academy or Stewart Falls. Had Jason pushed her around too? Had she moved to Seattle to escape him? Had Warren found her yet? Did Abbie have her phone number? What would happen if I called Hailey and asked her what it was like to date Jason? Did he treat her the way he treated me? How had she managed to put up with him for three years?

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  At the school, we went into the Commons. The headmaster stood at the door, taking tickets. He smiled at Jason, then at me. “Well, hello there. It’s good to see you together.”

  I wrinkled my nose and hoped I didn’t look like something smelled. Was this why Mr. Donnelly had been so obnoxious during the meeting last week? Had Jason conned him, too, complaining that our problems made him lose football games?

  I looked around the room. Most of the lunch tables were stored away. Streamers and balloons decorated the huge room. At the far end, five musicians were warming up. I recognized a couple of the girls from my history class in the band. One held a guitar, and another sat behind a drum set. I hadn’t been on the Homecoming committee since cheerleading kept me so busy. It was terrific to have a live band and not just a DJ at the dance.

  Rita waved at me. I went to join her and Dave. They were surrounded by the other cheerleaders and some of the football players. I left Jason with his good buddy, the headmaster. I planned to make a point of staying with the other cheerleaders on my squad.

  As the night wore on, I only fast danced with Jason. The slow ones I did with Timber, Dave, Luis, Rob, Owen, and even Warren.

  “Why are you avoiding Jason?” Warren asked. “Did he do something else?”

  “Not yet. I’m not giving him the chance. We’re finished, now that Homecoming’s here,” I said. “I’m going to talk to Bernice about him and get her to tell Mom to back off, even if he’s the mayor’s son.”

  “Okay.” Warren hugged me. “Next time, some guy treats you like crap, don’t let anyone convince you to give him a second chance. He wouldn’t do it if he didn’t mean it.”

  “All right, already,” I said. “You sound like Bernice. But I’m never letting any guy push me around again.”

  The music ended.

  “Good.” Warren walked me over to Timber. “So, are you two a couple? Or do Vonnie and I have to match-make?”

  “Nope.” I shared a look with Timber, but not his secret. “If he wants to date, it’s cool. I need time and space before I do the boyfriend thing again. Bernice says at least six months to a year, so I don’t hook up with another loser.”

  “No problem,” Timber said.

  Warren studied us and didn’t speak for a moment. “Okay. I’m tracking down Vonnie. Do you two want to go bowling on Wednesday night for Halloween? We have to wear costumes and it is Sarah’s birthday so we can have a real party-time.”

  “Sure,” I said, quickly. It wasn’t like Mom or Bruce would be doing anything special for me when Halloween was such a big deal for Priscilla and her crowd. “What about you, Timber?”

  “Works for me.” Timber put his hand on my elbow. “Want something to drink?”

  “Yeah.” I went with him to the tables where the refreshments were served.

  Timber got me a cup of punch. He looked toward the corner of the Commons where the photographer was set up. “Want a picture with me?”

  “I’d like that,” I said. We started to stroll that way.

  I saw Mom and Bruce. They waved at me, so we went to meet them.

  “What did you do with the dog-kicker?” Bruce asked. “Replace him with a human being?”

  “Now, Bruce.” Mom scolded. “Be nice tonight. You’ve embarrassed Jason enough. His apology to Missy even made the gossip column in the Sentinel. It was a good thing that Everett reporter who does high school sports didn’t hear about it.”

  “Bruce didn’t tell anyone,” I said, before he could. “It was Warren and Priscilla. They spread it all over the high school and elementary. I think Darcy’s younger brother passed the word at the middle school. Anyway, Timber and I are going to have our picture taken. I don’t know where Jason went.”

  “Don’t go anywhere alone with him if he comes back.” Bruce and Timber shared a meaningful look. “If she’s with you, Sarah can extend her curfew two hours. Then you’ll be able to go out for breakfast if you want.”

  “We’ll see.” I waited until we were waiting in line for pictures. “You and Bruce seem to understand each other. What’s that about?”

  “This afternoon seemed like a good time to get new tires for my truck,” Timber said. “His store seemed like a good place and Bruce seemed like a good guy to talk to, kid.”

  “About tires?” I didn’t know if I wanted to laugh or cry. “That was all?”

  “I might have mentioned that I wanted to ask you out when my sponsor cleared it, and Bruce could have said that if it worked for you, it was fine with him. And he asked if I’d take good care of you. So, I promised him you would never get hurt if you were with me.”

  “Sounds like you two did some serious male bonding.”

  He grinned at me. “Yeah, it was a guy thing, all right.”

  And we both laughed.

  After the photo was taken, I slipped away to the restroom.

  Marcie was there fixing her hair. She smiled at me. “You and Jason must be done. I saw him and Denise necking in his car.”

  Relief washed over me like a giant wave. “All right!”

  I checked my hair, makeup and added more lip-gloss. “I’m so glad it’s over.”

  She dawdled at the mirror a little longer, then walked off toward the stalls at the far end of the bathroom. I wanted to get back to Timber. “See you out there,” I called over my shoulder.

  I headed out the door. Before I got two steps down the hall, Jason grabbed my arm.

  He dragged me after him. “You cheap, cheating bitch.”

  I saw the cop at the far end of the hall. It wasn’t Rocky. It was the young one from the football game. I screamed. He walked away, back toward the Commons. Had he heard me?

  Jason clapped his hand over my mouth. “Shut up, you slut.”

  He yanked me out the emergency exit door. It’d been left unlocked because of the dance.

  I grabbed my cell phone out of my purse. Jason snatched it. He threw it on the ground. He stomped it.

  He dragged me further into the parking lot. I tried to jerk away.

  He tightened his grip on my wrist. “You whore.”

  “Stop it, Jason.”

  This was going to be major humiliating. I didn’t care how uncool it was. I screamed.

  “Help. Help. Help!”

  Nobody came.

  Jason backhanded me. The blow sent me flying.

  I struggled to stand. My whole face hurt. I yelled for help again.

  He grabbed me again. I went for his face with my fingernails.

  He slapped me, then hit me in the mouth with the back of his fist.

  I tasted blood. It gagged me and I spit it at him.

  I kicked and punched him, the way my karate teacher said.

  I never saw the blow that caught my chin and snapped back my head.

  I fell. I choked on blood. My blood.

  Jason kept calling me names.

  “Bitch.” He kicked me in the stomach.

  “Whore.” A kick to my side.

  “Slut.” Another kick. My chest.

  Pain was red. It swallowed me. I drowned in it. The red sea closed over my head.

  It sucked me under. The current was too strong.