Free Behind You by Jacqueline Woodson Page B

for you all over the place.”
    I took a bite of my pancakes, shook my head.
    â€œI think I’m some kind of romantic. I would love to fall in love and feel like that’s it—that’s the be-all, end-all, forever amen.”
    Ellie’s fork froze. When she looked at me, I don’t know if I was surprised to see her eyes were watery. She blinked but didn’t say anything.
    â€œI know that’s what you guys had,” I said quickly.
    â€œI just wonder . . . you know—if you can have it more than once. I mean, I’m not looking and I don’t know if I’ll ever be looking. I wasn’t even looking when I found Miah.” She laughed. “But . . . who knows. Who knows anything.”
    â€œI can’t even imagine your world.”
    Ellie smiled.
    â€œYeah,” she said. “That’s what I like—you don’t even try to.”
    â€œMiah loved you like crazy—you know that, right?”
    Ellie stared down at her plate and nodded. “Most days,” she said.
    â€œAll days.”
    â€œMost days I know it was all days. But some days . . .” She looked up at me and laughed a little bit. “Some days, I think—”
    â€œWell, those days you’re wrong.”
    â€œI know. I mean, most of me knows.”
    â€œYour food’s getting cold.”
    She started eating. I watched her for a while.
    â€œIt never even crossed my mind to go uptown and see you,” I said. “But I’m sure as hell glad you crossed that street.”
    â€œLike I said before, don’t thank me—thank Nelia.”
    I started eating again. “You. Nelia. Whoever. I’m glad it happened.”
    â€œYeah.” Ellie looked over at me and smiled. Miah was right—it was one of the prettiest smiles I’d ever seen—real, deep, sincere, like her face and heart were wide-open.
    â€œYou want to catch a movie later?”
    Ellie nodded. “Definitely.”
    â€œWe’ll get the paper and see what’s playing, cool?”
    â€œWay cool with me.”
    It was Saturday morning still. The rest of the day was ours. The rest of our life was ours. Winter was coming and it was cold outside. But we were sitting inside a restaurant that was quiet and warm. The food was good. The company was good. Maybe one day I’d have myself someone to be in love with. But even if I didn’t right now, the world was ours. And here me and Ellie were, sitting across from each other. Smiling.

Kennedy
    IN THE SECOND QUARTER, TRINITY SNATCHES THE BALL FROM our weak point guard—who should be sitting on the bench, but isn’t because his daddy gives big money to Percy—and scores. I curse and the ref calls a foul on me because you ain’t supposed to be cursing on the court. Our team’s down by ten points and looking to lose yet another game. It’s my third foul, so the coach pulls me off the floor. I curse again, but not so anybody can hear it, take the bench, feeling the sweat rolling off me, and put the towel over my head so I can’t see how bad we’re doing.
    â€œGotta learn to watch that mouth, Kennedy,” the coach says to me.
    â€œYeah, whatever,” I say from under the towel.
    â€œAnd that attitude.”
    I don’t say whatever again, but I’m thinking it hard enough for the whole gym to feel it. It’s full tonight because this game is only the fourth one in the season and even though we already lost the first two out of three, people still feeling hopeful about Percy. I hear the crowd cheering and look out from underneath my towel to see Percy score from midcourt. Even more surprised to see that it’s our weak point guard actually doing something for the team.
    The game goes back and forth for a while and I don’t look at the coach because I don’t want him to see how much I’m hurting to get back in the game.
    â€œKeep yourself warm,” Coach says, throwing