Jericho Walls by Kristi Collier

Author:Kristi Collier
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Published: 2011-04-04T04:00:00+00:00

chapter eleven

There were nine girls in my sixth-grade class, including me. Seven of them were invited to Bobby Sue’s party. That’s all they talked about at school the rest of the week. I tried to pretend like I didn’t care, but I did. I cared a lot.

I hadn’t seen Lucas in four days. Ever since my concussion on Monday, Daddy had stuck close to the house, keeping an eye on me. I was beginning to worry I’d never get to the river again. I’d be forced to spend all of my time alone in my room, doing homework.

Just after breakfast on Saturday morning, the day of Bobby Sue’s party, Mama shooed me outside, saying I needed to get some fresh air. I knew it was because she wanted to have some sit-down talk time with Daddy. They were going to argue about something. I could tell by the way my stomach got tight when they looked at each other.

I walked to the log bridge. A grin crept across my face when I saw Lucas was already there, a fishing pole dangling in the water. Moses stretched, then ambled over to give me a sniff.

“You,” Lucas said when he saw me. He darted his eyes around, as if there might be someone lurking in the woods. “Looking for another adventure?”

I shrugged. My hand touched the bump on my head. “Catch anything?” I asked.

He pulled up a trotline with a mess of fish. “Got dinner for tonight and maybe tomorrow, too.”

I nodded. “Those are some good-looking fish.” I sat next to him on the log. Neither of us said anything. The sun danced sparkles on the water, and a school of minnows swam in the shallows. A part of me had a million questions I wanted to ask him about his school and what it was like and if he liked it. But another part of me was embarrassed to be sitting there with him. Because Lucas had walked me through the woods, because Bobby Sue Snyder had seen us together, and because I had been to Lucas’s house and knew how poor he was. Church folks always said it was no shame to be poor, but it sure seemed like it the way they were always comparing clothes and cars and how much went into the offering plate.

Finally I worked myself into speaking. “I never did thank you for helping me the other day Taking me home and all. So thanks.”

He shrugged. “’S’okay.”

We stared into the water for a minute. My leg twitched, then I jumped to my feet. “Race you,” I said. “To the clearing and back.” I took a ready stance.

Lucas looked at me, then looked through the woods toward the clearing. He shook his head. “Naw.”

I sat back down with a smirk. “’Cause you know you can’t beat me.”

“Can so!” Lucas’s eyes flashed.

I shrugged. “Whatever you say.”

Lucas stood. “To the clearing and back. On your mark, get set, GO!”

Lucas took the early lead, but I was right behind him.

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