Free Fight (#0.5, Fierce Series) by Clarissa Wild Page A

important. Don’t want it to get cold.” She places her
hand on my shoulder and nudges me inside, closing the door behind
her.
    As I open my coat, her eyes widen.
“Autumn!”
    I look down at my clothes and only then do I
remember the dirt smudges. “Whoops.”
    She sighs loudly. “Look at it.” She takes
off my coat and hangs it on the coat rack. “Oh, how will I ever get
this out?”
    “Sorry …”
    “It’s okay, sweetie, I get that you’re
playing outside, but you really need to be more careful with your
clothes. They’re not that easily replaced.”
    “I know …”
    She smiles at me and opens her arms. “C’mere,
big girl.”
    I run into her arms and she hugs me tight,
avoiding the spot on my shirt so she doesn’t get it on her clothes
as well. In her arms I feel safe. The thought of having to go back
to the park scares me a bit. I know Brody wants to keep building
and playing there, but Dave is really annoying. If we had bikes,
none of this would happen. Maybe he’d let us in if we had
them.
    “Mom,” I say, looking up at her. “Can I have
a bike, too?”
    She frowns, confused, her mouth hanging
slightly open. “Well … uh …” Her cheeks start to glow. “I’m not
sure that’s possible, honey.”
    “ Why not? Dave has one.”
    “ Who’s Dave?”
    “ He’s the boy who says the park is
his.”
    She chuckles. “Oh, that boy. Well let me tell you something: It’s not
his.”
    “He says it is. He thrashed our teepees.”
    She sinks to her knees. “Oh, honey, is that
why you want a bike?”
    I look down at the floor, but nod anyway. She
places her hands on my arms and looks me in the eye. “Just because
he has one, doesn’t make him better. He’s not the boss of you.”
    “But he has a bike. I don’t.”
    “I’m sorry, sweetie, but not everyone gets to
have the same things.”
    “Oh …”
    “ But you have that wonderful imagination
inside that pretty little head of yours you can use.” She taps me
on the forehead, making me giggle. “Everything you need is right in
there.”
    She stands up and holds out her hand. “Now
let’s eat. Tell me more about your adventures today.”
    As we walk into the kitchen, I’ve already
forgotten all about Dave’s bike. Our teepees were way better.
     
    ♥♥♥
    Age 10
     
    It’s reading time in class, and I’m
reading the first book in the Harry Potter series again. I’ve
already read it twice, but I keep going back to it. I just love the
magic and how it takes me to a whole different world. Books are my
escape. I can really disappear from the real world, the world full
of hurt.
    Last night I heard dad yell at mom. He was
upset she’d bought me a book. I didn’t understand what the fuss was
about until he mentioned that one word. Money.
    It was the first time I actually realized
what was going on in my family. I’d always been oblivious to the
problems, because I was too young to understand. But being
confronted with it makes me think it’s my fault.
    So I gave the book back and told my mom to
get a refund for it.
    T hat’s why I’m reading an old book again. I don’t mind, I
mean, I love Harry Potter. However, it still makes me sad thinking
about their fight.
    Someone taps on my desk, and I’m jerked
from my thoughts and from the book. The teacher is right in front
of me, looking down at me like I’m doing something wrong. Glancing
sideways, I realize all my classmates have already stopped reading
and put their books away. I gaze at the clock and notice it’s half
past our reading time. I seriously forgot the time.
    “Pay attention, Autumn,” the teacher
says.
    Everyone is staring at me. Some of my
classmates are giggling.
    I blush and tuck away the book. “Sorry.”
    I didn’t mean to forget. I got so caught up
in the book, I just wasn’t there anymore. It’s what I love about
reading; feeling like you’re really there in the book. The outside
world is way too scary.
     
     
     

Chapter 2
    Scrutinized
     
    Age