Free My Cousin's Keeper by Simon French Page A

voice.
    â€œHuh! Home — a filthy camper!”
    â€œI’ve told you the rules before. You shouldn’t —”
    â€œI’m going to school that day and every day.”
    â€œYou shouldn’t even be there. I was stupid to listen to your complaining.” And her mom added, in a voice like a little kid’s, “‘Oh, I’m lonely. I’ve got no one to play with.’”
    It felt strange and unexpected to be hearing all this. From aisle six, Gina said loudly, “I’m choosing gummy worms, because the red ones are still my favorite.”
    And at that very moment, I heard Julia say, “I shouldn’t even be with you!”
    I found Gina at the checkout, and I helped her with the coins for her gummy worms. “Wait for me outside,” I told her, and she walked out to where we’d left our schoolbags beside the supermarket doorway.
    I hovered a moment more at the checkout before Julia appeared from a nearby aisle. She was empty-handed, pale with anger, and looked surprised and embarrassed to see me there.
    â€œHi,” she managed to say. It wasn’t the confident voice I was used to hearing.
    â€œHi, Julia,” I said awkwardly. Behind her was her mom, who was no taller than I was. Her eyes were still hidden behind dark glasses. She held a small basket of groceries, and I probably stared at her a bit longer than was polite.
    â€œWho are you?” she demanded.
    â€œKieran,” I replied quickly, feeling as though I was in trouble for something. “And that’s my sister, Gina,” I added, pointing to the doorway.
    â€œThey’re Bon’s cousins,” Julia said.
    â€œ
Oh
.”
It was a reply loaded with recognition. “Nice to meet you.” But her voice was flat and unconvincing.
    â€œI have to go,” I said, knowing how nervous my own voice suddenly sounded. “See you tomorrow, Julia.”
    â€œYeah, see you. At
school
.” The last word came out with emphasis, and Julia said it to her mom rather than to me.
    It was a relief to get outside again. I was glad it wasn’t one of Mom’s shifts that afternoon. I could still feel Julia’s mom glaring as Gina handed me a gummy worm and we set off for home. Whether the glare was meant for me or for Julia, I couldn’t be sure.
    I shouldn’t even be with you.
    I wondered why Julia had said that.
    The following week, we had our annual class photographs taken. The photographers set up bleachers in the back playground, and, class by class, we lined up and watched the groups ahead of us get organized and pose. I knew that the photographer would have every group of kids saying something like
Vacation!
or
Candy!
so that everyone would be smiling as the camera clicked. The class ahead of mine was Miss McLennan’s, and I spotted Bon in the second row with some other boys. He was wearing his clean, new school clothes. His hair was brushed and neatly parted, and his braid was hidden from view, except for whoever had to stand behind him.
    As the photographer started giving last-minute instructions about feet together and facing this way, I suddenly realized Julia wasn’t anywhere to be seen. I looked carefully along each row of kids in Miss McLennan’s class, but couldn’t see her. Until I turned and looked behind. Julia was by herself on one of the playground seats beneath the shade trees, watching her class being photographed. Somehow she sensed I was watching her, and she met my concerned frown with a shrug that could have meant,
I’m OK. Everything is fine.
    Julia was not being photographed.
    Miss McLennan called out to her.
    â€œI’m not wearing the right clothes,” Julia called back, and at first refused Miss McLennan’s encouragement to join in.
    â€œEverybody wants you here, Julia,” she said. “You’re very much a part of this class. Come on.”
    I saw Julia shake her head again, uncomfortably