These Gentle Wounds by Helene Dunbar

Author:Helene Dunbar
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: teen, teen fiction, young adult, teenlit, post traumatic stress disorder, teen lit, ya fiction, ya, young adult fiction, teen novel, young adult novel, ya novel, ptsd, Fiction
Publisher: Flux is an imprint of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.
Published: 2014-03-19T22:00:00+00:00

NINETEEN

Someone way smarter than me would have figured out that making plans is asking for trouble. Assuming that things will be okay is a sure-fire way to disaster. Thinking I could possibly be happy is like flashing a beacon to the universe asking for everything to suck as much as possible.

I give up on going to the rink and spend the whole walk home working myself up to listen to Sarah’s music. I pull the photo she took of me out of my book, shove it back in, and take it out again, just to prove that it’s real.

I think about her hand in mine. And next year. And normal.

I’m still looking down at the photo when I get to the house. It isn’t until I walk straight into the shrubs that I look up and see the front door open and the strange car in the driveway.

Regardless of what Sarah says, surprises aren’t good. My mind blurs with ways to get back to school, the playground, the rink.

I read a book last year about how people cope after something happens to them. It said everyone falls on one end or the other of a fight-or-flight response. Some rush into danger, thinking they can head it off. Others try to get away as soon as possible. I just kind of freeze, like someone has super-glued my feet to the floor.

Kevin must have been waiting for me, because he flies out of the house before I can unfreeze and put any of my exit strategies into action.

“Who’s here?” I ask, although I don’t really want to know.

“DeSilva.” He puts a hand on my shoulder and leaves it there. “You need to talk to her.”

That doesn’t make me feel any better. As much as I like her, Amy DeSilva is only bringing bad news these days.

“Crap. Why?”

His arm snakes behind my neck and pulls me forward. “I don’t know. She wouldn’t say anything to us until you got here.”

Us. I swallow down the fear that rises in my throat. “Jim’s here too?”

“Yup. Full house.”

Jim is never home this early. He must have known she was coming. Worse, he must have known she was coming and didn’t tell me.

I imagine that the roots of the trees are coming up through the ground and tying my feet down. I’m not sure I can move, but Kevin’s arm is strong and pushing me forward. Their voices, Ms. DeSilva’s and Jim’s, float out of the house.

Everything goes quiet when Kevin pulls open the screen door and pushes me inside.

I put my backpack down and head toward the dining room, where they’re sitting at the paper-covered table.

Ms. DeSilva gives me a hug. “Sorry for doing this so unexpectedly, Gordie, but I just picked up this paperwork and it didn’t seem like it should wait.”

“Just tell me.” I’m not trying to be rude so I reluctantly add, “Please.”

My skin feels electric. I need to keep moving, but there are too many people in the room. No escape.

Kevin must see me starting to panic because he comes up behind me and puts a hand on each of my shoulders.

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